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Showing posts from December 20, 2020

Western Ethiopia 'massacre' death toll rises to 222, says Red Cross

December 26, 2020 The death toll from a Wednesday attack in the western Benishangul-Gumuz region of Ethiopia has risen to 222 people, a volunteer from the country's Red Cross told Reuters on Friday. "Yesterday we buried 207 people who are the victims and 15 more from the attackers," said Melese Mesfin. The attack occurred in the village of Bekoji in Bulen county in the Metekel zone, and the state-appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission initially estimated more than 100 people had been killed. More than 40,000 people fled their homes due to the fighting, Bulen county spokesman Kassahun Addisu said. He reported the county had buried 207 people. Wednesday's attack by unidentified gunmen was the latest deadly assault in an area beset by ethnic violence. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called the attack a "massacre&

UN moves to end world's largest peacekeeping mission

The UN Security Council reached a decision this week to wind up the African Union - United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) in Darfur, Sudan. UNAMID is currently the biggest peacekeeping Mission in the history of UN peacekeeping.  Dr Ashraf Eissa, the spokesperson of UNAMID, where Rwanda has more than 1,000 peacekeepers, told The New Times on Friday, December 25, that the UN Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 2559 on the situation in Darfur and instructed UNAMID to cease its operations in Darfur by December 31 2020. "The Council gave a period until 30th June (2021) to enable the Mission to repatriate its troops and personnel followed by a liquidation period where a small team can dispose of assets and complete the closure of the Mission," he said. "This means UNAMID’s last patrol will go out on 31st December and after that there are no mandated activities other than drawdown followed by closure." According to the spokesper

French Soldier in Mali Shoots Two Others in Drunken Fight

One of the two men was wounded very lightly, while the other's injury was more serious although not life-threatening. Both were flown out following the shooting and brought to hospital in France.  A French soldier deployed to Mali as part of the Barkhane force fighting jihadist insurgents has wounded two comrades with a pistol while drunk, the army headquarters said Saturday. The confrontation under the influence happened overnight from December 24 to 25 at a base in Gao in eastern Mali. "Two soldiers from the same unit were getting on each other's nerves. One soldier wounded two of his comrades with his service weapon," an automatic pistol, army spokesman Frederic Barbry told AFP. One of the two men was wounded very lightly, while the other's injury was more serious although not life-threatening. Both were flown out following the shooting and brought to hospital in France. Military police are investigating the incident and "once the probe is fin

This Canadian is charged with a terrorism hoax. Two experts counselled him. Only one still believes him

Amarnath Amarasingam and Mubin Shaikh are both regarded as experts in radicalization. Both say they have spent extensive amounts of time counselling Shehroze Chaudhry, a 26-year-old Burlington, Ont. man now facing a rare terrorism-hoax charge and recently labelled a “fabulist” by The New York Times over his claims that he committed atrocities on behalf of the Islamic State in Syria. For his part, Shaikh, a Seneca College professor and former counterterrorism operative for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, says he now believes Chaudhry never stepped foot in Syria and got caught up in his own “fantasy.” Yet Amarasingam, a Queen’s University professor, isn’t so quick to dismiss Chaudhry’s claims, noting he’s seen signs of “remorse” and “survivor’s guilt” in the young man. “There are specifics to his story that he may be making up or exaggerating, but, yes, I’m still inclined to believe he went to Syria until I see some evide

Kuwait: Three arrested for adopting extremist ideology

Dubai: Three young persons have been arrested in Kuwait after being found in possession of weapons and ammunition and adopting extremist ideology, local media reported. According to the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Qabas, the Ministry of Interior said it arrested two minors, ages 15 and 16, and another adult, who were in possession of unlicensed weapons and ammunition and carrying extremist ideology, adding that the operation comes as part of its tireless efforts to confront crime, track down criminals and confront them firmly. Social media The ministry said in a statement that, based on cooperation between the relevant security agencies, and after searching and investigating outlaws, one of the accused was arrested, who admitted that he had met a person through social media platforms. Discussions between them led them to know that they carry the same ideology. Following in-depth in

Preventing recruitment, use of child soldiers in Africa: A key element to sustainable peace

On such a remarkable international day of peace, let us all take a moment to reflect on the lives of a child soldier and our individual responsibilities to put to an end to their recruitment and use. Remember to see a child first as a child before considering them to be a child solider. Children deserve the best of their childhood as children not critical agents of wars. Therefore, let us all strive to protect children for peace. Today, the world is experiencing conflict more than ever before. While war is devastating, Covid-19, a health hazard presents negative and long-term impact on the lives of all children globally, but the effects stands out to be even worse for those children living in conflict affected countries. Conflict around the globe especially Africa has affected children adversely, including their exposure to the six grave violations including being recruited and used as child soldiers, thus creating a negative environment for children. According to t

The hybridisation of security challenges in contemporary Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa has been facing multiple and multifaceted security challenges since the early 2000s. If the post-bipolar period was especially marked in the region by a resurgence of civil wars during the 1990s, the last two decades have seen the emergence of asymmetric and hybrid threats such as piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and off the Red Sea, the Ebola epidemic in West and Central Africa, the proliferation of transnational criminal networks, or the growth of terrorism and violent extremism . These security challenges highlight the preeminent role that non-state actors now play, increasingly challenging the monopoly of legitimate violence, a priori the exclusive attribute of the modern African state. It should be remembered that the modern African states are the product of a particular history. Indeed, the colonial experience in Africa led to the emergence of artificial political entities, after the endogenous political systems of the pre-colo

Three UN peacekeepers killed in Central African Republic ahead of national polls

New York: Three UN peacekeepers have been killed by unidentified combatants in the Central African Republic, the United Nations said, as the country prepares for a general election and fighting continues between rebels and government forces. The news came after a rebel coalition called off a ceasefire and said it would resume its march on the capital and following the arrival of troops from Russia and Rwanda to shore up the government of the resource-rich country. “Three peacekeepers from Burundi were killed and two others were wounded” following attacks on UN troops and Central African national defense and security forces, the UN said in a statement Friday. The assaults took place in Dekoa, central Kemo Prefecture, and in Bakouma, in the southern Mbomou Prefecture, it said, without providing further details. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, strongly condemned the latest incident, and called on th

7 Taliban terrorists killed in airstrike in Afghanistan’s Balkh province

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As many as seven Taliban terrorists were killed in Chomtal district of Afghanistan’s Balkh province in an airstrike on Friday. Photo for illustrative purposes. Image Credit: AP   Balkh: As many as seven Taliban terrorists were killed in Chomtal district of Afghanistan’s Balkh province in an airstrike on Friday. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Afghanistan said that a cache of weapons and ammunition were also destroyed during the strikes. “7 Taliban were killed in Chomtal district of #Balkh province as a result of an airstrike, today morning. Additionally, 5 others were wounded and a large amount of their weapons and ammunition were destroyed,” Ministry of Defence, Afghanistan Tweeted. The MoD also informed about the killing of eight other Taliban terrorists in Bala Bolok district of Farah province. “8 Taliban terrorists were killed and 3 others were wounded i

Terrorism: 7 of 10 Highest Risk Countries Now in Africa – Index

Violence in Africa’s terrorist hotspots is getting worse and the risk of attacks is rising in many countries across the region, including some previously considered safe, reveals our latest Terrorism Intensity Index. The quarterly ranking of 198 countries shows sub-Saharan Africa is now home to 7 of the world’s 10 riskiest locations, making it the worst performing region globally. With a further 9 countries witnessing significant increases in the frequency and severity of attacks, the findings suggest that the reach and effectiveness of terrorist groups in Africa is growing. The last quarter alone saw a 13% rise in terrorist incidents across the continent compared to the previous period. The trajectory of these trends should be a major cause of concern for the region’s governments, as well as the mining and energy companies operating there. Over the last 12 months, 4 of the 5 countries seeing the biggest falls in the Terrorism Intensity Index were in Afric

Western Ethiopia 'massacre' death toll rises to 222, says Red Cross

December 26, 2020 The death toll from a Wednesday attack in the western Benishangul-Gumuz region of Ethiopia has risen to 222 people, a volunteer from the country's Red Cross told Reuters on Friday. "Yesterday we buried 207 people who are the victims and 15 more from the attackers," said Melese Mesfin. The attack occurred in the village of Bekoji in Bulen county in the Metekel zone, and the state-appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission initially estimated more than 100 people had been killed. More than 40,000 people fled their homes due to the fighting, Bulen county spokesman Kassahun Addisu said. He reported the county had buried 207 people. Wednesday's attack by unidentified gunmen was the latest deadly assault in an area beset by ethnic violence. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called the attack a "massacre&

How 'Mochoman' won the Colombian civil war | DW | 20.12.2020

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After more than 50 years of war, Colombia has been at peace since 2016. Juan Jose Florian was a victim of that conflict — then he reinvented himself as a professional cyclist. Juan Jose Florian was a victim of Colombia's decades of war . Then he reinvented himself as a professional cyclist.   On November 12, 2011, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos was trying hard to end the armed conflict that had plagued his land — but a peace treaty was still a distant dream. That was also the day that Juan Jose Florian's old life ended and his new life as "Mochoman" began. The young Colombian was visiting his mother and went out to get a few hamburgers when he noticed a small package on her doorstep. Florian bent down to pick up the package, then came the explosion. It was a bomb left by FARC rebels (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) seeking retribution for the fact that Florian's mother had refused to pay the group protection money like everyone else.

Massive explosion rocks U.S. city of Nashville; believed 'intentional act'

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An early morning explosion has rocked the U.S. city of Nashville, Tennessee. Three are being treated for non-critical injuries after a recreational vehicle (RV) exploded in the downtown area. The police said the explosion was "an intentional act." "This morning's attack on our community was intended to create chaos and fear in this season of peace and hope. But Nashvillians have proven time and time again that the spirit of our city cannot be broken," Mayor John Cooper said at a news conference after issuing a curfew for the area. Flights out of Nashville airport were halted because of telecommunications issues associated with explosion downtown. Two law enforcement officials told the Associated Press that human remains were found in the vicinity of the explosion. It was unclear how the remains were related to the explosion or whether they might belong to the person believed to be responsible or a victim.  "We have found tissue that we believe c

Nigeria school abductions sparked by cattle feuds, not extremism, officials say

The kidnap of 344 schoolboys in northwest Nigeria had the appearance of an Islamist militant attack. There was even a video purporting to show some of the boys with members of Boko Haram, the extremists behind the 2014 kidnapping of more than 270 schoolgirls in the northeast. But four government and security officials familiar with negotiations that secured the boys’ release told Reuters the attack was a result of inter-communal feuding over cattle theft, grazing rights and water access – not spreading extremism. The mass abduction of children in Katsina state would mark a dramatic turn in clashes between farmers and herders that have killed thousands of people across Africa`s most populous nation in recent years, posing a challenge to authorities also battling a decade-long Islamist insurgency in the northeast. Officials in Katsina and neighbouring Zamfara, where the boys were released after six days, said the attack was carried out by a gang

Middle East's urgent need for peace pact

When the Ottoman Empire disintegrated at the end of World War I, Great Britain and France rushed to fulfill their long-awaited aspirations in the Middle East. After the end of the 400-year-long Ottoman rule, the Middle East was dragged into an era of political instability, wars, military occupations and civil wars that continues to this day. While Italy colonized several countries in North Africa, France and Great Britain seized areas in the Middle East, with the latter taking the lion's share. A wave of independence movements began after the end of World War II, which concluded with the establishment of new states. Unfortunately, most of the newly established governments soon became the puppet rulers of the neocolonial order, which focused on the exploitation of the natural resources of these countries. Meanwhile, the hegemony of the United Kingdom was replaced with that of the United States. Whenever a significant proportion of

Boko Haram kills seven, kidnaps priest in Christmas Eve attack

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Fighters on motorbikes and in trucks stormed the village of Pemi, burning buildings and kidnapping a priest Nigerien soldiers stand guard outside the Diffa airport in South-East Niger on December 23. AFP Boko Haram milita