Jump to content

Meanwhile In Africa...


lucklucky

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 216
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

6 hours ago, Detonable said:

No oil in Eritrea or Tigray so no problem. 
 

Ethiopia was ruled by Amharas for centuries. Emperor Haile Selassie was overthrown by a Marxist military dictatorship (also Amharas). The dictatorship was overthrown and Meles Zenawi (a Tigray) was elected. The Tigrays ran Ethiopia until recently when Abi Ahmed, from the same political party, was elected after Meles death.  Abi says his parents were both Oromos (the largest Ethnic group). Some people think his mother was an Amhara. The Tigrays are not happy about losing control of the country which has lead to the current unrest. This is different from previous unrest/riots of the last few years which were caused by Oromos ethnically cleansing their section of the country of Amharas, and by Moslems exterminating Christians.  (Sometimes both at the same time).
  
  Tigray is next to Eritrea and is ethnically the same. Eritrea was part of Ethiopia until the Marxist dictatorship was deposed. 
 

  The Ethiopian government troops operating in Tigray seem to be federal troops (could be of various nationalities) and Amhara militia (whom I haven’t heard much about previously). 

Well Eritrea was 'annexed' by Ethiopia in 1961; for whatever reasons (the Italians having control for many years helped create a 'sense of nation' or something like?) The Eritreans resisted assimilation by the Ethiopians but the fighting wasn't too bad because Haile Selassie had Eritrean Officers running the local security force. When Mengistu overthrew the Empire, and set up aforementioned by you Marxist state, he ordered the Ethiopian military (now armed by the USSR) to wield a HUGE Hammer on the rebels and any Eritrean officers who objected where shot. So, kind of like how the Afghan Commies tried to drag rural A'stan into the 20th century by treating objections to the process by the rural population as 'counter-revolutionary treason' rewarded with a barrage of Katyusha rockets and airdropped napalm, Mengistu succeeded in honking off almost the entirety of the Eritrean population.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

Date 21.11.2020

Ethiopia: Government forces 'capture Tigray's second-largest city'

The Ethiopian government says it has captured the city of Adigrat in the insurgency-hit Tigray region. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abiy has rebuffed an African Union push to mediate in the war with northern rebel forces.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's office announced Saturday that government security forces had captured the city of Adigrat and was advancing on Mekele, the capital of the northern Tigray region.

The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) said that nine people had died among heavy civilian casualties during an assault by federal troops on Adigrat.

The Tigray region has been facing a rebellion since earlier this month. On November 4, security forces loyal to the TPLF attacked the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) in Mekele, killing several people.

While the TPLF claimed the strike was carried out in "self-defense," Abiy said the TPLF had "crossed a red line" and ordered a military offensive.

Hundreds, possibly thousands, have died in the past weeks, and more than 30,000 refugees have fled to Sudan. The conflict has also spread beyond Tigray , whose forces have fired rockets at the neighboring Amhara region and Eritrea.

Mediation efforts

Meanwhile, the African Union (AU) announced it would send a special envoy to mediate between the government and the TPLF, which is also the region's ruling political party

"The primary task of the special envoys is to engage all sides to the conflict with a view to ending hostilities, creating conditions for an inclusive national dialogue to resolve all issues that led to the conflict, and restoring peace and stability to Ethiopia," the AU said on Twitter.

The Ethiopian government, however, denied the visit was happening.

"News circulating that the envoys will be traveling to Ethiopia to mediate between the federal government and TPLF criminal element is fake," according to a tweet by Abiy's office.

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/ethiopia-government-forces-capture-tigrays-second-largest-city/a-55685487

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

Date 28.11.2020

Ethiopia: Army says it is in control of Tigray capital

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has announced that his army is now "fully in control" of the regional capital of Mekele. The leader of the rebellious Tigray forces, however, says the conflict will continue.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Saturday that the army had entered Mekele, the capital of the Tigray region, in an offensive against the region's dissident leaders, state television reported.

"We've been able to enter Mekele city without innocent civilians being targets," Abiy was quoted as saying by Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC).

He later posted a statement on Twitter saying that "the Federal government is in full control of the city of Mekele," and that the army would now locate Tigray's leaders and arrest them.

"We now have ahead of us the critical task of rebuilding what has been destroyed...with the utmost priority of returning normalcy to the people of the Tigray region,'' Abiy added.

He said police were searching for the leaders of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). However, the leader of the rebellious Tigrayan forces told Reuters in a text message that they will continue fighting the Ethiopian government.

"Their brutality can only add [to] our resolve to fight these invaders to the last," said Debretsion Gebremichael in a message.

Asked by Reuters in a text message if that meant his forces will continue fighting, he replied: "Certainly. This is about defending our right to self-determination."

Final push took just hours

Mekele came under heavy bombardment by Ethiopian forces earlier on Saturday, the TPLF had admitted.

In a statement carried by Tigrayan media, the local government reported attacks with "heavy weaponry and artillery in the center of Mekele."

Two humanitarian officials in the city confirmed these reports, according to Agence France-Presse news agency.

Citing a diplomat in direct contact with residents, Reuters reported explosions in the north of the city, in the Hamidai area. A second diplomat confirmed the attack.

The TPLF officials had earlier called "upon all who have a clear conscience, including the international community, to condemn the artillery and warplane attacks and massacres being committed."

Last Sunday, the Ethiopian government gave the TPLF an ultimatum — which expired on Wednesday — to lay down arms or face an assault on Mekele, a city of 500,000 people.

Communications in Tigray have been down for weeks, making it hard to verify reports from the ground, but it is believed that hundreds, possibly thousands have already lost their lives in the fighting.

On Friday, Ethiopian defense officials sent a letter to foreign embassies in Addis Ababa, threatening their defense attaches with expulsion if they were working with enemies of the state.

"Some military attaches are working with those who endangered the security of the country, identified on blacklists and sought by an attorney of the court," the letter said.

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/ethiopia-army-says-it-is-in-control-of-tigray-capital/a-55757751

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

This has only just come to my attention, though I find there has been some runup.

Quote

‘Russia, Rwanda sent troops’ to Central African Republic

CAR gov’t says foreign troops were sent to the country after alleged coup bid ahead of presidential and parliamentary polls.

21 Dec 2020

The Central African Republic says Russia and Rwanda sent hundreds of troops into the country after an alleged coup bid that took place ahead of the presidential and parliamentary polls scheduled for next week.

On Saturday, the government of the CAR accused former president Francois Bozizé of an attempted coup after three powerful rebel groups merged and started to advance on the capital Bangui.

“Russia has sent several hundred soldiers and heavy weapons” in the framework of a bilateral cooperation agreement, government spokesman Ange Maxime Kazagui said on Monday.

“The Rwandans have also sent several hundred men who are on the ground and have started fighting.”

Rwanda confirmed the deployment, saying the move was in response to the targeting of its troops in the UN peacekeeping force by rebels supported by Bozizé, who ruled the CAR from 2003 to 2013.

There was no immediate confirmation from Moscow although the Kremlin voiced “serious concern” about events in CAR.

Private security guards employed by Russian companies already provide protection for President Faustin-Archange Touadéra and are involved in the training of local armed forces.

The opposition has called for the December 27 vote to be cancelled until “peace and security” are restored.

The CAR spiralled into a conflict in 2013 when Bozizé was overthrown as the president by the Seleka, a rebel coalition drawn largely from the Muslim minority.

The coup triggered a bloodbath between the Seleka and so-called “Anti-balaka self-defence forces”.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/12/21/russia-rwanda-send-troops-to-central-african-republic

 

Quote

December 21, 20201:46 PM Updated 11 hours ago

Russia, Rwanda send military support to Central Africa Republic to quell election violence

By Antoine Rolland

BANGUI (Reuters) - Rwanda and Russia have sent troops and supplies to the Central African Republic to help counter a surge in violence by rebel groups ahead of Sunday’s election, officials and a security source in Bangui said.

[...]

The CAR government said on Sunday that Rwanda and Russia “took steps to provide effective support which arrived on Central African territory today”.

The Rwandan Defence Ministry confirmed it had sent troops.

Russia, which has previously sent arms and military contractors to CAR as it seeks to increase its influence in Africa, denied media reports it had sent in troops and military aid.

“Apart from five employees of Russian defence ministry’s mission at the CAR’s defence ministry, there are no other Russian military personnel (in the country),” Russia’s ambassador to CAR, Vladimir Titorenko, was quoted as saying by Russia’s state RIA news agency.

“But instructors who teach the CAR’s army upon its government’s request do work here. Periodically there is a rotation of them, and this is well known to the U.N. Security Council and the world community,” Titorenko said.

But a security source in Bangui said over the past few days, Russian planes have landed carrying military personnel and supplies.

On Monday, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia considered the situation in CAR “a matter of serious concern”. Touadera has friendly ties with Moscow and has a Russian national as a security adviser.

[...]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-centralafrica-election-security/russia-rwanda-send-military-support-to-central-africa-republic-to-quell-election-violence-idUSKBN28V1IF

 

Quote

Rival disinformation campaigns targeted African users, Facebook says

Company said it removed almost 500 accounts and pages tied to France and Russia for ‘coordinated inauthentic behavior’

Reuters
Tue 15 Dec 2020 17.53 GMT

 

Rival French and Russian disinformation campaigns have sought to deceive and influence internet users in the Central African Republic ahead of an election later this month, Facebook said on Tuesday.

Facebook said it was the first time it had seen foreign influence operations directly engage on its platforms, with fake accounts denouncing each other as “fake news”.

The company said it had suspended three networks totaling almost 500 accounts and pages for “coordinated inauthentic behavior”. One network was linked to “individuals associated with French military”, it said, while the other two had connections to “individuals associated with past activity by the Russian Internet Research Agency” as well as the Russian businessman Evgeny Prigozhin.

[...]

Ben Nimmo, the head of investigations at social media analytics firm Graphika, said both campaigns used fake accounts to pose as local people, sometimes sharing doctored photos.

The French effort started in mid-2019 and pushed pro-French messages before targeting “Russian fake news” following Facebook’s suspension of a Russian-linked disinformation campaign in Africa in October last year.

The subsequent Russian operation attempted to promote Russian business and diplomatic interests, as well as the candidacy of President Faustin-Archange Touadera in the election, he said. Later, the Russian accounts tried to out the French accounts that were trying to out them.

But neither side built a significant audience in CAR, he added. “They looked like two troll teams arm wrestling, with nobody else really paying attention.“

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/dec/15/central-african-republic-facebook-disinformation-france-russia

 

Quote

Russia Opens Military Office in Central African Republic

Oct. 26, 2020

Russia has opened a Defense Ministry representative office and donated 10 armored vehicles to the Central African Republic in Moscow’s latest effort to expand its influence on the continent, Reuters reported Saturday.

The moves come amid President Vladimir Putin’s push to revive Soviet-era influence and challenge other powers’ foothold in resource-rich Africa. In the conflict-torn former French colony of CAR, Russia has donated small arms and sent trainers in recent years to bolster the government’s fight against militia groups.

Russia’s Ambassador in CAR Vladimir Titorenko said that Moscow airlifted a second batch of 10 BRDM-2 armored personnel vehicles to Bangui as a gift, according to Reuters. The first batch arrived on Oct. 15.

Russia also sent five members of the military, including senior officer Oleg Polguev, who will lead the Russian Defense Ministry’s representative office in CAR and will also advise the country’s defense ministry.

Titorenko said that Moscow was considering expanding its pool of military instructors in CAR, the Russian state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Russia’s strategic goal in the CAR is to establish full central government control over the entire territory of the country and strengthen the armed forces,” he told RIA Novosti after the first BRDM-2 delivery. 

[...]

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/10/26/russia-opens-military-office-in-central-african-republic-a71848

 

Quote

Thu, Oct 22, 2020

Central African Republic: Ground zero for Russian influence in Central Africa

Issue Brief by Nathalia Dukhan

For years, France and the United States maintained a strong presence in the Central African Republic (CAR)—until the end of military operations in 2016 and a withdrawal of forces in 2017. This disengagement turned out to be a major opportunity for Russia, which was seeking to advance its geopolitical and economic interests in the region.

Ever since, the Kremlin has rapidly expanded its influence by propping up CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadéra with presidential protection, military support, and the creation of a network of political allies to back the embattled leader. In exchange for this support, CAR has surrendered great parts of its sovereignty to pro-Kremlin security emissaries.

[...]

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/central-african-republic-ground-zero-for-russian-influence-in-central-africa/

 

Quote

Russia’s Favorite Mercenaries

Wagner, the elusive private military company, has made its way to Africa—with plenty of willing young Russian volunteers.

Neil Hauer August 27, 2018

In Russia, journalism is far from the safest profession—even more so when the subject of investigation happens to be a private mercenary army engaged in multiple active conflicts abroad. On July 30, three Russian journalists were killed in the Central African Republic (CAR) while investigating a particularly dangerous topic: the Russian private military company Wagner, a mercenary outfit highly active in the Syrian and Ukrainian conflicts. At least two other Russian journalists have also suffered while researching Wagner, including Maxim Borodin, who suddenly fell to his death from a balcony in Yekaterinburg in April, and Denis Korotkov, a Saint Petersburg journalist forced into hiding after receiving death threats owing to his work on Wagner. There are now indications that Wagner forces may be present with both rebels and government forces in the CAR. A unit of the group, filmed by the recently deceased journalists, was operating in rebel-held territory—contrary to Moscow’s assertions that Russian forces were present only to assist CAR authorities.

[...]

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/08/russian-mercenaries-wagner-africa/568435/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

Date 24.12.2020

Ethiopian army 'kills dozens of militants' over village massacre

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said he was sending more soldiers to secure Ethiopia's restive Benishangul-Gumuz area after armed gunmen killed more than 100 civilians.

Ethiopia's military on Thursday killed at least 42 people allegedly responsible for massacring over 100 civilians a day earlier, according to local officials.

The federal troops also seized firearms during a military operation in the western Benishangul-Gumuz region.

"The Ethiopia Defense Force has destroyed 42 anti-peace forces who attacked civilians yesterday" in the Metekel zone of Benishangul-Gumuz, the regional government said in a statement on Thursday.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Thursday he was sending more troops to secure the region bordering Sudan.

"The massacre in the Benishangul-Gumuz region is very tragic," Abiy wrote on Twitter, conceding the government's efforts to solve the problem "had not yielded results."

The government sent a "joint force" to the region "to solve the problem," Abiy said.

Ethnic conflict

Rights group Amnesty International confirmed the Wednesday killings, saying the death toll was likely to increase in Benishangul-Gumuz. It said the attack was reportedly ethnically motivated.

Ethiopia has been grappling with outbreaks of violence since Abiy came to power in 2018. The Nobel Peace laureate has accelerated democratic reforms in the African country, which has resulted in the state loosening its grip on regional rivalries.

Contests over land and resources in Benishangul-Gumuz have spurred ethnic violence in the troubled region.

Amnesty International said Wednesday the latest violence "underscores the urgent need for the Ethiopian government to act to stop violence against ethnic minorities."

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/ethiopian-army-kills-dozens-of-militants-over-village-massacre/a-56052766

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Quote

Date 03.01.2021

Niger: Dozens of civilians killed in militant attack

Niger's government says gunmen have killed more than 70 people in a suspected terror attack near the border with Mali. The onslaught comes amid election uncertainty.

Suspected militants stormed two villages in western Niger late Saturday, killing at least 70 civilians and wounding 20 others, Interior Minister Alkache Alhada said.

The suspected terror attack took place in the villages of Tchombangou and Zaroumdareye, near the border with Mali, Alhada said. He described the attackers as jihadists.

The troubled Sahel region, which lies on the borders of Mali, Nigeria and Burkina Faso, is home to extremists groups who have pledged allegiance to al-Qaida and the "Islamic State" (IS) armed group.

Niger has seen a rise in attacks by those groups vying for territory and hundreds of people have been killed over the past year.

Partial election results

The latest atrocity comes as the West African country counts the results of an election held last week.

A partial tally of ballots announced on Saturday put the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism in the lead but a runoff poll in February will be required after the country's ruling party candidate failed to secure enough votes in the first round.

Ruling party candidate Mohamed Bazoum secured 39.6% of the vote, while opposition candidate Mahamane Ousmane won 16.9%.

Ousmane was Niger's first democratically elected president until he was ousted in a coup in 1996. Bazoum is an ally of President Mahamadou Issoufou, who is stepping down after two terms.

https://www.dw.com/en/niger-dozens-of-civilians-killed-in-militant-attack/a-56117342

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Nigerian army carries out "Operation Tura Takaibango" against Boko Haram/ISWAP in the north east zone.

Quote

 

The operation code-named TURA TAKAIBANGO a Hausa phrase which literally means a state where one being pushed to the wall.

The operation was intended to be theatre-wide in terms of coverage and strategy on how best to take the war to the insurgent’s hideouts.

This was disclosed by the Chief of Training and Operations, Nigerian Army, Major Gen. Nuhu Angbazo.

Nuhu said, they observed that the current threat if not checked could result in further attacks on civilian territories and may lead to the migration of terrorists into Southern Borno and Yobe.

He said the best thing to do is to contain the situation in such a way the Boko Haram/ ISWAP components activities in the whole North East Zone put to a standstill.

According to him that is why the Nigerian Army has launched operation Tura Takaibango to checkmate abduction of travelers along Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.

Major Gen. Angbazo represented The Chief of Army Staff during the press briefing held at the Nigerian Army Special Forces Training School, Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government of Yobe State.

Operation “TURA TAKAIBANGO” was operationalized on the 3rd of January 2021 in the North East Theatre of operation comprising Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States by the Chief of Army Staff.

 

https://dandalkura.com/operanigerian-army-launches-tura-takai-bango-in-northeast/

 

A little footage of the army including a VT-4 tank.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
Quote

Date 30.01.2021

Over 200,000 displaced by conflict in Central African Republic, says UNHCR

Nearly half of those fleeing crossed over into the Democratic Republic of Congo. The national army has been battling rebels since a presidential vote took place in December.

Conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR) has displaced more than 200,000 people since violence erupted over a December election result, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday.

Nearly half of those fleeing crossed into the Democratic Republic of Congo, the agency said.

"Refugee arrivals into the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have reached 92,000 according to local authorities and some 13,240 people have crossed into Cameroon, Chad, and the Republic of Congo, since violence erupted in December 2020 ahead of CAR's general elections," the statement said. 

Some 100,000 people remain internally displaced within the country. 

"The continuing volatility has hampered the humanitarian response and made access to the internally displaced more difficult," the agency said.  

The CAR army, backed by UN Russian and Rwandan troops, has been battling rebels seeking to overturn a December 27 vote in which President Faustin-Archange Touadera was declared the winner.

"Refugees have told UNHCR that they fled in panic when they heard gunshots, leaving their belongings behind," spokesman Boris Cheshirkov told journalists in Geneva. 

Vast distances and extremely poor road conditions mean that humanitarian assistance takes time to reach people in need, the UNHCR said. 

The resource-rich nation, with a population of 4.7 million, has struggled to find stability since a 2013 rebellion ousted former president Francois Bozize. The country plays host to vast sources of gold, diamonds, uranium and oil. 

In 2019, Bozize returned to CAR and announced his intended candidacy for the elections, but the Constitutional Court ruled that he did not satisfy the "good morality" requirement, over official allegations of torture and assassinations.

https://www.dw.com/en/over-200000-displaced-by-conflict-in-central-african-republic-says-unhcr/a-56389120

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
Quote

Date 01.03.2021

Author Silja Fröhlich

Ethiopia's Tigray region: War behind a 'steel wall'

Ethiopia has claimed that an Amnesty report painting a dark picture of the Tigray crisis supports misinformation. Yet the country has tried to keep international journalists far from witnesses — and out of the region.

The stream of worrying news from Tigray, Ethiopia, does not stop. A harrowing report published last week by Amnesty International (AI) led to strong criticism — from Eritrea and Ethiopia.

AI described horrific scenes in the northern city of Axum, including "extrajudicial executions, indiscriminate shelling and widespread looting after Ethiopian and Eritrean military forces led an offensive to take control of the city." 

Eritrean troops "systematically killed hundreds of unarmed civilians, opening fire in the streets and conducting house-to-house raids in a massacre that may amount to a crime against humanity," according to the report.

Gunshots and looting

The international community reacted quickly and harshly.

"Hostilities must cease immediately and immediate, full and unfettered access to the whole of Tigray for all humanitarian actors and the media allowed," the European Union foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said in a statement, adding that "the level of suffering endured by civilians, including children, is appalling."

Aid workers on the ground had reported hearing gunshots from the main cities, including the region's capital Mekelle, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported.

"Residents and aid workers on the ground continue reporting incidents of house searches and indiscriminate looting, including of household items, farming equipment, ambulances and office vehicles, allegedly by various armed actors.''

[...]

Ethiopia's federal government has denied the presence of soldiers from neighboring Eritrea. However, dozens of witnesses, diplomats, and an Ethiopian general have reported seeing them there. 

The state-run Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said in a statement that preliminary investigations indicated that Eritrean soldiers had killed an unknown number of civilians in Axum, in retaliation for an earlier attack by Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) soldiers.

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/ethiopias-tigray-region-war-behind-a-steel-wall/a-56737354

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
Quote

Date 27.03.2021

Multiple people trapped in Mozambique hotel after militant attack

As militants launched an attack on Mozambique's Palma, workers are seeking refuge at the Amarula hotel. An operation is underway to rescue the workers, said the government.

More than 180 people are trapped inside a hotel in a town in northern Mozambique, as it has been under siege by insurgents for the last three days. Those trapped include expatriate workers.  

Militants launched an attack on Wednesday afternoon, forcing locals to flee into surrounding forest areas. 

The attacks occurred after French energy giant Total announced that work would gradually resume at the liquified natural gas project. Total is the principal investor in the region, with other firms such as ExxonMobil also involved in the area.

Rescue operation in progress

Some people have reportedly been killed, according to witnesses and rights groups, after the attack in Palma near a liquified natural gas site in Cabo Delgado province. Workers from the LNG site sought refuge in a local hotel. The military was trying to airlift workers from the hotel. 

"Almost the entire town was destroyed. Many people are dead. As locals fled to the bush, workers from LNG companies, including foreigners, took refuge in hotel Amarula where they are waiting to be rescued," a worker told the AFP news agency, on the condition of anonymity. 

[...]

According to the AP news agency, hundreds have sought refuge in Quitunda, a village near the Total project.

Palma had largely been cut off from the rest of the province, as insurgents made road travel unsafe, leaving only the airport and seaport as modes of transport. 

Militants affiliated with the so-called Islamic State group have attacked several towns and villages in the region, causing nearly 700,000 to flee their homes.

According to the US-based data collecting agency Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED), the violence has caused the death of more than 2,600 people. Half of those killed have been civilians.

https://www.dw.com/en/multiple-people-trapped-in-mozambique-hotel-after-militant-attack/a-57022393

 

Quote

Date 22.03.2021

Niger: Suspected jihadi attack kills 'at least 137'

Gunmen, believed to be jihadis, have raided villages near Niger's border with Mali shooting "at everything that moved," local officials have said.

The death toll in an attack on villages in southwestern Niger has risen to at least 137 people, a government spokesman said Monday.

The attack constitutes the deadliest suspected jihadi massacre to hit the African nation in recent times.

"In treating civilian populations systematically as targets now, these armed bandits have gone a step further into horror and brutality," government spokesman Zakaria Abdourahamane said in a statement on public television.

The government has revised the death toll of the attack, which was previously estimated to be 60.

What happened in the attack in Niger?

Armed men on motorbikes struck the villages of Intazayene, Bakorat and Wistane near the border with Mali, shooting "at everything which moved," a local official said.

"The government condemns these brutal acts perpetrated by individuals who know neither faith nor the law," the government spokesman said.

He also announced three days of national mourning starting Tuesday, adding that the government vowed to reinforce security in the region and bring "the perpetrators of these cowardly and criminal acts" to justice.

Rising extremist attacks

The massacre comes amid an escalation in attacks following the election of President Mohamed Bazoum in late February. His election was confirmed by the country's constitutional court on Sunday.

Last week, 66 people were killed in a similar attack in the Tillaberi region, a "tri-border area" where the frontiers of Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali converge.

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/niger-suspected-jihadi-attack-kills-at-least-137/a-56956180

 

Quote

Date 23.03.2021

Ethiopia PM admits Eritrean troops were in Tigray

It's the first time that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed confirmed Eritrean forces were present during the conflict in Tigray. He also admitted that rape and other atrocities were committed during the fighting.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed confirmed on Tuesday that troops from Eritrea were involved in fighting in northern Tigray.

It's the first official acknowledgement of neighboring Eritrea's involvement in the conflict, coming after months of denials and reports of human rights abuses.

What did Abiy say about Eritrean troops?

In a wide-ranging parliamentary address, Abiy said that Eritrean troops crossed the border into northern Tigray after fighting broke out in November last year.

The prime minister said Eritrea was concerned it would be attacked by forces loyal to the then-governing party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The party has long been at odds with Eritrea.

"Eritrea told us it had national security issues and as a result had seized areas on the border," Abiy said, adding that Eritrea promised to leave once Ethiopian troops were able to secure the border.

He also said Eritrea argued that the TPLF had pushed them to enter the battle "by firing rockets" across the border.

What did the PM say about rights abuses?

Abiy also acknowledged that human rights atrocities had been committed during the conflict, including rape and looting.

"Battle is destructive, it hurts many, there is no question about it. There has been damage that happened in the Tigray region, notwithstanding the propaganda and lies, information indicates there have been rapes of women and looting of properties."

Abiy did not explicitly name which forces were behind the atrocities, but he appeared to imply that Ethiopian as well as Eritrean forces might have been involved.

"The Eritrean government has severely condemned alleged abuses and has said it will take measures against any of its soldiers accused of such," he said.

Abiy also said any member of Ethiopia's troops "who committed rape and looting against our Tigrayan sisters will be held accountable."

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/ethiopia-pm-admits-eritrean-troops-were-in-tigray/a-56963424

Edited by BansheeOne
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

Date 28.03.2021

Mozambique: Militants seize town, Total halts LNG operations

Jihadis have seized a town and also allegedly attacked a convoy of fleeing civilians, including foreign workers, as fighting continued in the gas-rich region.

Islamist militants have seized control of the town of Palma in Mozambique's northern province of Cabo Delgado, killing several people, including a foreign worker.   

They also allegedly attacked a convoy of fleeing civilians. At least one person was killed and a number wounded in the attack.

Nearly 200 people had been sheltering in the Amarula Palma hotel during the attack, three diplomats and one of the organizations with people inside told Reuters news agency.

Around 80 people were taken away from the hotel in military trucks on Friday, but some of the vehicles were ambushed, an official from a private security firm involved in the rescue operation, told AFP news agency.

It was not immediately clear how many people, if any, remained in the hotel and how many were missing.

Most means of communication with Palma are down.

Security concerns in the region

Fighting in the region began on Wednesday, hours after the French energy giant Total announced that it would gradually resume work at its $20 billion (€16.9 billion) project in the area after halting operations in January due to security concerns.

Human Rights Watch said witnesses had spoken of seeing "bodies on the streets and residents fleeing after the ... fighters fired indiscriminately at people and buildings."

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

But recent attacks have increasingly been claimed by the Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP), affiliated with the "Islamic State" group.

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/mozambique-militants-seize-town-total-halts-lng-operations/a-57028784

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, NickM said:

Wait, Jihadists? In Southeast Africa?

According to Wikipedia, about 18% of Mozambique's population are Muslim and there has been IS activity since 2015.  IDK if the insurgency is well supported.  There is also some conflict between the two main political parties.  The ruling party has been in power since the seventies and elections have not been considered fair or free.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, R011 said:

According to Wikipedia, about 18% of Mozambique's population are Muslim and there has been IS activity since 2015.  IDK if the insurgency is well supported.  There is also some conflict between the two main political parties.  The ruling party has been in power since the seventies and elections have not been considered fair or free.

OK, thanks; FRELIMO is probably still thinking it's a 'one party communist' state or something.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, NickM said:

OK, thanks; FRELIMO is probably still thinking it's a 'one party communist' state or something.

They were for a while, but Mozambique became more or less a democracy in the early nineties.  FRELIMO seems to be legitimately the most popular party and they've avoided the President-for-Life habit of some other countries in the region.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

Date 31.03.2021

Niger: Attack on presidential palace an 'attempted coup'

A military unit attempted to seize the presidential palace in Niger's capital, according to the government, just days before the country's new president Mohamed Bazoum takes office.

A military unit made a failed coup attempt in Niger's capital Niamey on Wednesday, a government spokesman said, coming just two days before the country's first ever democratic transition of power. 

President-elect Mohamed Bazoum  is due to be sworn in on Friday — taking over from President Mahamane Ousmane, who disputed the election results.

Spokesman Abdourahamane Zakaria said the coup attempt was intended to "imperil democracy." 

The government claimed the security situation was under control after the militants attempted to seize Niamey's presidential palace, with several arrests having been made.

What we know so far

Gunfire reportedly began around 3 a.m. local time (0400 CET) and lasted for around 30 minutes. 

Local residents told news agency AFP that there was "intense shooting, with heavy and light weapons." 

The United States Embassy in Niamey issued a security alert saying it would not open its doors on Wednesday "due to gunshots heard near our neighborhood.''

The situation is 'calm'

DW correspondent Abdoulkarim Mahamadou said Niger's state broadcaster initially began its program as usual at 6:30 a.m. with no mention to the reported shooting. 

"The situation here is calm and seems to be under control [of security forces]. Traffic is dense, officials are going to work, cabs are running normally and people are going about their business," Mahamadou said.

Violence escalated after elections

Attacks by militants have grown since Bazoum's victory in February presidential election. 

Niger's former president, Ousmane, has deemed the election fraudulent after he lost in the runoff against Bazoum. 

Ousmane served as president for three years until a military coup toppled him in 1996. He has since tried to regain power, most recently through the February election. 

Niger has had four coups since its independence from France in 1960. 

The spread of deadly extremist violence has long plagued the West African country, after Islamist insurgencies spilled over from Mali and Nigeria.

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/niger-attack-on-presidential-palace-an-attempted-coup/a-57060812

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/30/2021 at 11:11 PM, R011 said:

They were for a while, but Mozambique became more or less a democracy in the early nineties.  FRELIMO seems to be legitimately the most popular party and they've avoided the President-for-Life habit of some other countries in the region.

thanks; I must have missed that transition since cold war's end.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

Date 02.04.2021

Mozambique: South Africa deploys forces after jihadist attack

South Africa has deployed troops in Mozambique following a jihadist attack on the northern town of Palma. This comes as French energy giant Total withdraws all staff from the region.

South Africa deployed troops to Mozambique on Friday following an attack by "Islamic State" (IS) militants in the northern town of Palma last month. The announcement was made during a televised address by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who emphasized the need to protect South African nationals in neighboring Mozambique.

"We remain involved with securing the safety of our people in Mozambique — in Pemba and in Palma," Ramaphosa said.

The attack on Palma has forced thousands of people to flee the town and seek safety in the port town of Pemba, which serves as the capital of Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province.

Ramaphosa said the South African military began rescuing nationals stranded in Mozambique and recovered the body of a South African killed in the attack.

French energy giant ceases operations in the region

Many of the foreign workers in the gas-rich town are employed by French energy giant Total, with security sources telling news agencies as of Friday that the company has ceased operations in the area and withdrawn all staff.

Total planned to invest $20 billion (€16.9 billion) in a liquified natural gas plant located near Palma, but suspended construction on the site last week.

The Mozambican military has claimed that the Total plant is protected, yet drone surveillance had reportedly shown that the jihadists were close to the gas site, which is located on the Afungi peninsula.

What happened during the attack?

The attack began on March 24, when around 100 jihadists seized control of Palma. IS announced in a statement that the group had killed 55 members of the Mozambican security forces during the assault.

Dozens of Palma residents are believed to have died in the siege, including at least two foreign workers in the area.

The UN said Friday that at least 9,150 people have fled from Palma to other areas in northern Mozambique. Thousands are still believed to be displaced within the Palma district.

The assault on Palma is the latest in a string of jihadist-led attacks in northern Mozambique, which began in 2017, So far, more than 2,600 people have died from the raids over the past three years.

https://www.dw.com/en/mozambique-south-africa-deploys-forces-after-jihadist-attack/a-57089417

 

Quote

Portugal to send troops to Mozambique after brazen Palma attack by Islamic insurgents

Issued on: 30/03/2021 - 14:06

Text by: FRANCE 24

Portugal will dispatch soldiers in the first half of April to Mozambique where they will train local troops following an attack by Islamist insurgents on the town of Palma, Lusa news agency said on Tuesday, citing a defense ministry source. 

The Portuguese news agency said a bilateral agreement calling for a total of 60 special forces troops to Mozambique was being finalised.

Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva also told the state TV channel RTP late Monday that a team of "around 60" soldiers were "getting ready" to be sent to Portugals's former colony "in the coming weeks".

The team would "support the Mozambican army in training special forces," he said.

[...]

Helping governments that fail to address social problems

The insurgents are known locally as al-Shabab, although they are not believed to have links with the Somali jihadist organisation by that name.

The US State Department earlier this month said the group reportedly pledged allegiance to IS group in April 2018. It named its leader as Abu Yasir Hassan, and declared him a global terrorist.

On Monday, the US said it was "committed to working together with the government of Mozambique" to counter terrorism and defeat the IS group.

Critics have, however, slammed the international community for once again focusing on a counterterror strategy in yet another African country that involves cooperating with and propping up governments that fail to provide for their marginalised citizens.

Mozambique became independent from Portugal in June 1975 following a prolonged war that ended centuries of colonisation.

https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20210330-portugal-to-send-troops-to-mozambique-after-brazen-palma-attack-by-islamic-insurgents

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

Date 08.04.2021

Mozambique: Southern African leaders condemn violent insurgency

Five presidents have conveyed for a crisis summit in Maputo to discuss how to combat rebels in Mozambique. The meeting comes just after 12 people were beheaded following an attack claimed by the "Islamic State."

Southern African leaders issued a joint statement of concern on Thursday over the ongoing extremist violence in northern Mozambique, which has left thousands of people dead and displaced many more.

The presidents of Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, and Zimbabwe met with President Filipe Nyusi in the Mozambican capital, Maputo, to seek solutions to an "Islamic State"-tied insurgency that threatens to spread further instability in the region.

The leaders "noted with concern the acts of terrorism perpetrated against innocent civilians, women and children" in the Cabo Delgado province and "condemned the terrorist attacks in strongest terms; and affirmed that such heinous attacks cannot be allowed to continue," according to a press release.

Islamic State-tied rebels claim beheadings

The leaders, who met as part of the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC), said they would convene for another crisis summit on April 29 to consider a "proportionate regional response" to the violence. No further details of counterterrorism measures were provided.

The summit comes just after 12 victims, possibly foreigners, were beheaded following an attack claimed by the "Islamic State" in the port town of Palma in Cabo Delgado.

A day before the beheadings, Nyusi declared government forces had regained control of Palma after a prolonged confrontation with armed rebels.

More than 100 insurgents attacked Palma on March 24. At least 50 people were killed over 10 days of fighting. Several of the victims were beheaded.

Thousands fled the town, which had more than 70,000 residents before the attack.

[...]

https://www.dw.com/en/mozambique-southern-african-leaders-condemn-violent-insurgency/a-57139094

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...