Warzone News: Week of February 24, 2016
In Afghanistan, peace talks between the government and the Taliban are expected to begin next week after last year’s round of talks ended without a resolution. The U.N. is urging all parties of the conflict to take all possible precautions to avoid attacks on health care facilities after recent incidents have targeted hospitals. Despite mutual interests, Russia appears to be ending its cooperation with the U.S. in Afghanistan.
In Burundi, the president met with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. Following the meeting, he announced upcoming moves towards peace, including talks, release of political prisoners, and lifting media restrictions. Meanwhile, the country is on the verge of a crisis as the violence has interrupted education, healthcare, and nutrition.
In Central African Republic, Faustin Touadera, a former prime minister and university professor, was named the winner of presidential elections. Despite concerns by experts, the elections were free, fair, and peaceful. Despite the success of elections, challenge remain, especially disarming and reintegrating armed groups.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, residents of the capital observed a one day strike to protest the president’s possible decision to seek a third term.
In Iraq, 40 men have been sentenced to death for a massacre at Camp Speicher in 2014 that killed 1,700 military recruits. Three American citizens who were kidnapped last month have been released.
In Israel and Palestine, tunnels between the territories could lead to an underground conflict. Violence in the West Bank continues as two boys attacked Israeli soldiers, killing one and wounding another. An Israeli air force officer was also killed in a separate clash.
In Libya, U.S. airstrikes on an ISIS camp killed 49. The presence of ISIS in Libya is growing and drawing recruits from across Africa.
In Myanmar, fighting among ethnic militias in the country’s northern states continues despite a recent peace deal.
In Somalia, an airstrike by the Kenyan army has killed 52 members of Al-Shabaab. Kenya is claiming that the terrorist group’s intelligence head was killed, but some sources are denying that claim. New research shows what Somalia’s refugee crisis can tell us about conflict and displaced people around the world.
In South Sudan, clashes at a U.N. compound killed 18 people, including 2 aid workers. Meanwhile the food crisis in South Sudan is being called a “borderline famine situation.”
In Sudan, the number of people fleeing recent conflict in parts of Darfur has almost doubled. South Africa has announced that it will withdraw it’s peacekeeping troops from Darfur.
In Syria, ISIS attacks in government strongholds killed 122 people last weekend. Yesterday, government forces and rebel groups agreed to a ceasefire set to begin Saturday. Aid has finally reached five besieged towns and about 80,000 people. New statistics were released that estimate Syria’s five year long civil war has left more that 370,000 people dead.
In Ukraine, fighting is escalating once again as peace plans are not fully implemented.
In Yemen, evidence that Al-Qaeda is joining with the Saudi coalition to take the city of Taiz from Houthi rebels. How did uprisings in 2011 and a failed transition lead to war in Yemen today?
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