Warzone News: Week of October 21, 2015
In Afghanistan, the U.S. has decided to slow it’s withdrawal of troops because of recent advances by the Taliban, including this week’s attack on Lashkar Gah, the capital of a southern province. Some are speculating if Russia plans to get involved in Afghanistan once again, after their recent intervention in Syria and rumors about involvement in Iraq.
In Angola, a new research report about the country’s 27 year civil war reveals that the conflict held little meaning for most of the population, yet devastated many people’s lives.
In Cameroon, the U.S. is deploying troops to help fight Boko Haram.
In the Central African Republic, armed groups and politicians are boycotting a political forum, which could further delay elections. Three people were killed and some were wounded in a clash between militias in Bangui.
In Iraq, a new report claims that Christianity could be extinct in the country in five years.
In Israel and Palestine, violence has continued in and around Jerusalem, with around 50 people killed in a number of different clashes, including?Israeli police killing an armed man near the gates of the Old City, Palestinians setting fire to a Jewish holy site, stabbings and thwarted stabbings, and a clash between an Israeli solider and an attacker that left both dead, as well as an innocent Eritrean migrant who was mistaken for an accomplice. Violence has continued in Jerusalem despite Israeli security operations in Arab parts of the city. The U.S. State Department has said that violence and settlements are the biggest challenges to establishing a two-state solution, and the head of the U.N. is in Jerusalem to meet with leaders from both sides and urge peace.
In Myanmar, eight groups have signed a ceasefire deal with the government, but the largest groups are not part of the deal. Thousands of migrants are expected to flee the country by boat in the coming weeks as the monsoon season ends. Amnesty International has released a report about the “horrific” abuses the Rohingya suffer during these trips, including trafficking and torture.
In Somalia, a clan conflict left 14 dead in the central region of the country.
In South Sudan, civilians are continuing to suffer from the violence despite the recent peace deal.
In Sudan, the government is being accused of withholding food rations and other supplies from peacekeepers in Darfur.
In Syria, the U.S. is providing ammunition to Syrian rebel forces as part of a re-vamped strategy. An airstrike killed a prominent Al Qaeda leader. The U.S. and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding, agreeing to take precautions to avoid air crashes over Syria. Experts discuss whether Syria is becoming a proxy war and this graphic depicts the many players in the conflict.
In Turkey, the war against ISIS is becoming entangled with the country’s on-going conflict with the Kurdish PKK group.
In Yemen, the Saudi-led coalition is being accused of restricting much-needed aid from getting into the country. On the other side of the conflict, Houthi rebels are accused of dropping bombs indiscriminately in civilian areas, which violates the laws of war. Troops from Sudan are reportedly traveling to Yemen to join the Saudi coalition. Landmines are being used as a weapon in the conflict, having killed 17 people so far.