Amnesty: Russia airstrikes killed 200 civilians in Syria
Amnesty: Russia airstrikes killed 200 civilians in Syria Amnesty: Russia airstrikes killed 200 civilians in Syria By Abdullateef Salau Amnesty International has disclosed that at least 200 civilians were killed in series of Russian air strikes in Syria from 30 September to 29 November, 2015. The human rights watchdog, in a report published on Wednesday, […]
Amnesty: Russia airstrikes killed 200 civilians in Syria
Amnesty: Russia airstrikes killed 200 civilians in Syria
By Abdullateef Salau
Amnesty International has disclosed that at least 200 civilians were killed in series of Russian air strikes in Syria from 30 September to 29 November, 2015.
The human rights watchdog, in a report published on Wednesday, accused Russia of using cluster munitions and unguided bombs on civilian areas in Syria in attacks which it said could constitute war crimes.
Quoting witnesses, survivors as well as video evidence and images showing the aftermath of attacks, Amnesty said “Some Russian air strikes appeared to have directly attacked civilians or civilian objects by striking residential areas with no evident military target and even medical facilities, resulting in deaths and injuries to civilians.”
“Such attacks may amount to war crimes,” said Philip Luther, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Amnesty International.
Amnesty said that Russian bombers targeted residential areas and killed 119 civilians in five of the attacks it studied. They included 49 people who died when three missiles struck a busy market in the center of Ariha in Idlib province on Nov. 29. Thirteen civilians died in the sixth attack, which involved airstrikes in the immediate vicinity of a hospital.
“The research into these strikes indicate that there were no military targets or fighters in the immediate vicinity of the areas that were struck. This suggests that the attacks may have violated international humanitarian law,” Amnesty said.
Russia began its bombing campaign September 30 in support of President Bashar Al-Asad against ISIS and other militant groups.
However, Russian authorities have repeatedly denounced the allegations that innocent civilians have been killed or injured.
President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Dec. 21 that Russia is conducting the operation in full compliance with international law.
Somalia bans Christmas celebrations
Somalia’s government has banned the celebration of Christmas, warning that such Christian festivities could threaten the nation’s Muslim faith.
“Those celebrations are not in any way related to Islam,” an official at the religious affairs ministry said.
Security agencies have been directed to stay alert to stop any gatherings.
Foreigners are free to mark the Christian holiday in their own homes, but hotels and other public places have been prohibited from marking the day.
“Having Muslims celebrate Christmas in Somalia is not the right thing, such things are akin to the abandonment,” local media quote Mohamed Kheyrow, a top official at Somalia’s justice and religious affairs ministry, as saying.
Christmas is not widely celebrated in Somalia, which officially adopted Sharia in 2009, but the odd event was held – especially as an excuse to hold a party.
French forces ‘neutralize’ 10 militants in Mali operation
French forces in Mali “neutralized” around 10 fighters in a weekend operation against the al Mourabitoun Islamist group, which claimed responsibility for an attack on a luxury hotel in the capital last month, France’s defense ministry said on Tuesday.
Nineteen victims and two gunmen died in the Nov. 20 assault on Bamako’s Radisson Blu hotel. The victims included six Russians, three Chinese, an American, a Belgian, a Senegalese and an Israeli.
A statement released by the defense ministry said fighting during the night from Dec. 19 to Dec. 20 lasted nearly four hours.
“French forces carried out an operation in the region of Menaka in Mali against an element of the terrorist group al Mourabitoun responsible for numerous attacks,” the statement said ,without identifying the operation’s target.
“Some 10 terrorists were neutralized. A large quantity of arms and explosives were seized,” it added.
Al Mourabitoun, headed by veteran Algerian jihadist Mokhtar Belmokhtar, and al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) said the Radisson attack was a joint operation between the two groups.
Homegrown Malian Islamist group the Massina Liberation Front also claimed responsibility for the raid.
Guinean president says PM and government quit
Guinea’s prime minister and government have resigned, President Alpha Conde said on Wednesday, clearing the way for him to appoint a new administration two months after being elected to a second five-year term.
The West African country is a major producer of bauxite, an aluminum ore, but growth has been hamstrung by a slump in metals prices and a two-year Ebola epidemic that killed more than 2,500 people and has driven away some investors.
Conde gave no reason for the departure of Prime Minister Mohamed Said Fofana, but a change of cabinet is typical after a presidential election.
“The President salutes the work of the outgoing team and its contribution to reforms under way since 2010 and asks the government to finish off its remaining work until a new one is formed,” Conde said in a statement.
Among the economic challenges facing the next government will be the future of Simandou, the world’s biggest untapped iron ore deposit. In October, Conde suspended an auction for the right to develop half of it, without explanation.
Burundi Rejects AU Force Deployment
Burundi has rejected a 5,000 member peacekeeping mission the African Union said last week it would send to the country amid fears it is sliding back towards civil war.
Burundi’s National Security Council (NSC) — including President Pierre Nkurunziza and his entire cabinet rejected the proposed force on Tuesday. A day earlier, the Burundian parliament said it would be considered an invasion force.
Foreign Minister Alain Nyamitwe criticized the African Union for not consulting his government before deciding on sending peacekeepers.
“The decision of the Peace and Security Council contained a provision by which the government of the Republic of Burundi has to have a say in the deployment of those troops. In reality the decision itself was that the government of the Republic of Burundi was to be by the AU, but it has not happened and we do regret it so very much because it is contrary to good diplomatic practices,” he said.
Paris attacks: France unveils tough anti-terror plan
Dual citizens born in France and found guilty of terror offences will be stripped of their French nationality under tough new proposals detailed by Prime Minister Manuel Valls.
The proposals come a month after 130 people died in attacks in Paris led by French and Belgian nationals.
Anyone born in France is currently eligible for French nationality.
The proposed constitutional amendment is likely to meet stiff opposition when it goes before parliament in February.
Divisions have emerged between parties and within the ruling Socialist party itself.
On Tuesday, Justice Minister Christiane Taubira said the amendment allowing French nationality to be revoked had been dropped from the bill.
She told an Algerian radio station it was a “decision that would not help the fight against terrorism in any way”.
China landslide: Man rescued alive in Shenzhen after 67 hours
A man buried in rubble for almost three days after a landslide hit an area of the south Chinese city of Shenzhen has been pulled out alive.
The landslide, which struck early on Sunday, engulfed more than 30 buildings in an industrial district.
At least four bodies have been recovered so far. More than 70 people are still missing.
The landslide happened when a huge man-made mound of earth and construction waste collapsed after heavy rains.
The government has opened an official investigation into the incident, after it emerged that authorities had previously issued warnings about the mound.
The 19-year-old survivor was found around 04:00 local time on Wednesday (20:00 GMT Tuesday), after being buried for 67 hours. He has been named as Tian Zeming, a migrant worker from Chongqing in south-western China.
Saudi Arabia ‘spares’ Sri Lankan maid in adultery case
The life of a Sri Lankan maid due to be stoned to death in Saudi Arabia for adultery has been spared, Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry says.
She will instead be imprisoned, Sri Lankan Deputy Foreign Minister Dr Harsha de Silva announced.
An appeal by Sri Lanka was considered by Saudi Arabia and the execution order was withdrawn, he said.
The woman was convicted in August, along with an unmarried Sri Lankan man.
She was sentenced to death by stoning, while the man was sentenced to 100 lashes.
Saudi Arabia agreed to reopen the case of the woman – a 45-year-old mother of two – earlier this month.
There was no immediate comment in Saudi state media on the news the woman had been spared.
Spain Socialists reject Rajoy or PP-led government
Spanish Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez has said he will not support a government led by acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy or his conservative Popular Party (PP).
After a brief meeting with the prime minister, Mr Sanchez insisted Spain needed a change of government.
“No to Rajoy means yes to change,” he said, adding that he did not want fresh elections.
The Popular Party won Sunday’s vote but fell well short of securing a majority.
For decades the Socialists and PP have alternated in government but the rise of two new parties, the left-wing Podemos (We Can) and liberal Ciudadanos (Citizens), has left Spanish politics fragmented.