Troops
Red Cross condemns ‘horrific’ sexual violence in Ethiopia’s Tigray
The Red Cross voiced alarm Thursday over “horrific” accounts of sexual violence in Ethiopia’s conflict-hit Tigray region, amid fears that rape was being used as a weapon of war. Robert Mardini, director-general of the Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross, said the organisation’s staff in hospitals and clinics in the region were hearing first-hand of extreme sexual violence. “Those reports are extremely horrific, very shocking,” he told AFP in an interview, adding that this was a “matter of grave concern”. “I haven’t heard such terrible accounts for more than two decades in the humanitarian sector,” said Mardini, who among other things closely followed the civil wars in Syria and Yemen when he headed ICRC’s Near and Middle East division from 2012 to 2018. “Many of my humani...
UN: 40 people killed in ethnic clashes in West Darfur
At least 40 people have been killed in Sudan’s West Darfur region after three days of ethnic clashes that have prompted the government to declare a state of emergency, the United Nations announced Monday. The clashes in El Geneina, which is close to the border with Chad, also left at least 58 people wounded. Fighting among members of the Arabi Rizeigat and Masalit tribes in El Geneina began after armed men shot two people and wounded two others in the Masalit tribe, according to the U.N. While authorities have yet to determine the cause of the shootings, gunfire exchanges between the two tribes continued into Monday, claiming at least 40 residents. Residents told Agence France-Presse they heard fresh gunfire accompanied by loud explosions at dawn Monday as the violence spread to the suburb...
Troop arrests 23 ‘bandits’ in Plateau
The Operation Safe Haven also known as the Special Task Force (STF) has arrested 17 suspected kidnappers and five Armed robbers for attempted kidnapping and robbery in at Lishin village, in Pengana Chiefdom in Bassa and Lamingo in Jos North Local Government Areas of Plateau State. Commander, Operation Safe Haven, Major General Dominic Onyemulu stated this while parading the suspects at the Command headquarters in Jos and vowed to make his area of operation uncomfortable for kidnappers and other criminal elements. “On the 16 of March, troops of Operation Safe Haven responded to a distress call on an attempted kidnap of one Alh. Gambo Yawurp from his residence at Lishin village in Pengana Chiefdom Bassa LGA. “Troops in collection with vigilante members and locals foiled the attempt kidnappin...
Troops eliminate terrorists on looting spree, burst Boko Haram tax collectors
The Nigerian troops on the evening of Monday, 22 March, ambushed and killed scores of Boko Haram/ISWAP elements who were reportedly on looting spree at Magumeri axis of Borno State. This is coming as troops from another sector bursted Boko Haram elements who were collecting taxes and levies from Villagers and herdsmen in Geidam area of Yobe State. Sources told PRNigeria that following a tip off, troops led by Lt Col Ibrahim Bunu, sighted scores of terrorists around 5pm on about 10 motorcycles heading towards Ngowala ward in Magumeri Local Government Area, laid ambush and eliminated them. The troops who were accompanied by civilian joint task force members, captured sophisticated weapons from the neutralized terrorists including AK 47 Rifles, Barreta assault rifles, hand grenade and Bandoli...
Bandits kill 13, injure 7 in Kaduna
Thirteen persons have been killed by bandits following multiple attacks on communities in Zangon Kataf, Kauru and Chikun Local Government Areas of Kaduna state. Seven people were also injured while 56 houses and 16 motorcycles were burnt by the hoodlums. The Kaduna state commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan confirmed the killings in a statement on Friday in Kaduna. According to him, the killings were reported to the Kaduna State Government by troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH). He said, in Gora Gan village, Zangon Kataf LGA, bandits killed one Irmiya Godwin who was returning from the farm while his brother escaped. The commissioner said, in another incident in Kizachi village, Kauru LGA, bandits killed 10 people, while four others were injured, adding t...
Russia hopes for progress as U.S. joins Afghan peace talks in Moscow
Russia said it hoped international talks in Moscow on Thursday would breathe new life into the Afghan peace process, after a high-level U.S. official joined the Russian-hosted talks for the first time. The talks, which also include representatives of Pakistan and China, are designed to give a boost to negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban in Qatar’s capital Doha, stalled lately by government accusations that the insurgents have done too little to halt violence. “We regret that so far the efforts to launch a political process in Doha have yet to yield a positive result,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in his opening remarks at the talks. “We hope today’s talks will facilitate the creation of conditions to achieve progress in intra-Afghan negotiations.” U.S. envoy Z...
COAS reiterates troops commitment to annihilate Boko Haram
Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, has reiterated Nigerian troops commitment to ensure that Boko Haram terrorists are completely eliminated from Borno, Yobe , Northeast and the country in general . Attahiru stated this on Monday in Maiduguri while inspecting the second phase of large cache of weapons recovered from the Boko Haram terrorists by troops of Operation Lafiya Dole in various encounters with the insurgents in northern part of Borno state and fringes of Lakechad. The Army Boss who is on one week operational visit to the Theatre of Operation Lafiya Dole , had yesterday inspected another sets of heavy weapons recovered by the troops from the terrorists, which were displayed at the headquarters of 7 Division Nigerian Army, before later display of another sets of recovered...
Official: Three teachers kidnapped in Kaduna school attack
Three teachers were kidnapped in the attack Monday morning by bandits on a primary school in Kaduna State. According to the state government, two pupils initially declared missing after the attack have been found. The state goverment had earlier on Monday announced the attack on the primary school in Rema, about 150 kilometres from the state capital, but said it was awaiting details on the incident. In an update he provided later, the state’s Commissioner of Internal Security and Homeland Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said only three teachers were kidnapped in the attack. He said this was according to the report provided by the school authorities and as gathered by security operatives and the state government. According to Mr Aruwan at a press conference in Kaduna, after the state government com...
Chad president kicks off campaign for sixth term
President Idriss Deby of Chad kicked off his campaign for a sixth term on Saturday, calling for unity after rival protests were banned. The first rally since the start of the official election period on Thursday was held by Deby’s Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS) at a packed stadium in the capital, N’Djamena. Deby, who has ruled for 30 years and is widely deemed a shoo-in for another term, said he had fought for national unity, while also drawing a line in the sand for his opponents. “People must know that democracy is not synonymous with disorder,” the incumbent warned. “Those who believe that should go elsewhere.” On Thursday, three opposition candidates quit the race ahead of the April 11 ballot with one of them — Mahamat Yosko Brahim — saying the climate was “not favourable for fair ...
Official: 39 students missing from forestry mechanization college
Kaduna state government has said further checks in the wake of the attack by armed bandits on the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Igabi LGA indicated that 39 students are currently unaccounted for. In a statement issued by Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner, Internal Security and Home Affairs, said the missing students included males and females. The statement said: “In an earlier update, citizens were informed that troops rescued 180 persons following an attack by armed bandits on the College late Thursday night, with about 30 still missing. The number of missing students is now confirmed to be 39, comprising 23 females and 16 males. Aruwan said the state government, “is maintaining close communication with the management of the College as efforts are sustained by security agen...
Oyo governor urges army to deploy troops to border towns
Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has appealed to the Nigerian army to deploy troops to border towns in the state to check the influx of criminal-minded people into the country. Makinde made the call while receiving the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, who led other top military personnel on a courtesy visit to the governor on Thursday in Ibadan. The governor, who was represented by his deputy – Alhaji Rauf Olaniyan, noted that the border towns in Oke-Ogun area of the state were porous. He said the challenge of insecurity was not peculiar to Oyo State alone, saying the problem was across the country. He urged the security agencies to intensify efforts in tackling the menace and restore permanent security of lives and property across the country. The governor, who said there was an e...
Boko Haram: Nigerian Army commanding officer, four others laid to rest in Borno
The Nigerian Army has buried a commanding officer and four other soldiers killed in the attack on the military base in Marte local government of Borno state. The attack occurred on February 14 when the Commanding officer Bedan Ishaya, now late, a Major from the 22 battalion led a reinforcement to Marte to support dislodged troops. The insurgents had hoisted their flags in Marte for at least a week before the Chief of Army Staff’s 48 hours ultimatum to troops (at the 81 DIV Task Force battalion which is also the headquarters of Super Camp 9 Dikwa) leading to Marte’s recapture. The bodies of Major Ishaya, a sergeant, two lance corporals and a private soldier were retrieved from the battlefield; they were all laid to rest today at the Maimalari Cantonment Military Cemetary. Deputy Theatre Com...
