Latest news with #Al-Qaeda-linked
eNCA
a day ago
- eNCA
Kenyans jailed for 30 years over 2019 hotel attack
A Kenyan court on Thursday sentenced two men to 30 years in prison on terrorism charges for their role in a deadly attack on a luxury hotel in the capital in 2019. The attack on the DusitD2 hotel and office complex in central Nairobi left 21 people dead, with police rescuing some 700 civilians as events unfolded over the 20-hour siege. Five gunmen with the Al-Qaeda-linked Somali militant group Al-Shabaab stormed the complex on the afternoon of January 15, 2019 with one detonating a suicide bomb outside and four others shot dead by police. A court last month found two Kenyan citizens, Hussein Mohamed Abdille Ali, 22, and Mohamed Abdi Ali, 61, guilty of conspiracy to commit and facilitating terrorism for their role in preparing the attack. Sentencing them at a Nairobi courthouse on Thursday, judge Diana Kavedza said: "The convicts may not have physically wielded the weapons that caused harm to the victims, but their facilitation directly enabled attackers who were heavily armed with guns, grenades, and suicide vests." "This was not a crime with isolated harm, 21 lives were lost," she added, acknowledging statements from survivors about their ongoing psychological struggles. "The emotional scars of the attack runs deep," she said. Al-Shabaab has carried out multiple attacks in Kenya in part because of its decision to send troops into Somalia in 2011 to fight the group. An assault on the high-end Westgate mall in Nairobi in 2013 left 67 dead in a siege that stretched out over four days.
Hindustan Times
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Karachi university student disappears, 3 bodies found amid ongoing abuses in Balochistan
Three bodies were discovered in separate incidents in Panjgur and Khuzdar districts, while a University of Karachi student was reportedly forcibly disappeared in Turbat, according to a report by The Balochistan Post. In Panjgur, the body of Zafarullah, son of Ismail and a resident of Tasp, was discovered in the Rakshan seasonal stream, which runs between Bonistan and Tasp. Zafarullah had been missing since June 4. His body was found days later, sparking suspicions of foul play, though no official cause of death has been determined, TBP reported. In separate events, two unidentified bodies were discovered in the Khuzdar district's Gresha and Rangu areas. According to local sources, both victims appeared to have been fatally shot. The motive for the killings remains unknown, according to the TBP report. READ | What is Brigade 313? Al-Qaeda-linked group in focus after Pakistan senator's Sky News interview Meanwhile, reports of the enforced disappearance of a University of Karachi student in Turbat,Extra Ketch district, have emerged. Pakistani security agents seized Uzair Saleem, son of Saleem Essa, in Turbat's Zor Bazaar region. He has now gone missing. Uzair was taken into custody while visiting his hometown during the university's break, according to a TBP report. Human rights organisations and activists have long expressed concern about the ongoing epidemic of enforced disappearances in Balochistan. Students, teachers, journalists, and political workers are routinely targeted, with many abducted without formal charges or judicial proceedings, according to the TBP report. Despite repeated assurances from the authorities, Balochistan's security situation remains dismal. Local inhabitants and civil society contend that the government's control over the region is almost non-existent in numerous locations, despite official assertions of stability, according to TBP. The Baloch people have faced systematic oppression and torture through the misuse of several laws, particularly in regions like Pakistan's Balochistan. Laws such as the Anti-Terrorism Act and special security ordinances have been used to justify arbitrary arrests, prolonged detention without trial, and denial of basic legal rights. Under these laws, security forces often operate with broad powers and legal immunity, leading to widespread reports of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and torture, including physical and psychological abuse. Military courts and special tribunals frequently try Baloch activists without fair trial standards, further denying them justice. Additionally, media censorship laws suppress Baloch voices and conceal these abuses from the public, perpetuating a cycle of violence and impunity against the Baloch people.
First Post
10-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Twin Attacks on Malian Army Bases: 30 Soldiers Dead, Timbuktu Airport Hit Firstpost Africa
Twin Attacks on Malian Army Bases: 30 Soldiers Dead, Timbuktu Airport Hit | Firstpost Africa | N18G Twin Attacks on Malian Army Bases: 30 Soldiers Dead, Timbuktu Airport Hit | Firstpost Africa | N18G Two deadly attacks have struck Mali, targeting army bases and the strategic Timbuktu airport. In Boulikessi, terrorists seized a military base, killing over 30 soldiers and taking others hostage. The following day, the airport in the historic city of Timbuktu came under heavy fire, where Russian mercenaries are stationed. Mali's army reports killing 14 attackers and arresting 31 during the Timbuktu assault. Both attacks were claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). These incidents highlight the ongoing security challenges in Mali and the broader Sahel region, despite military efforts and foreign partnerships aimed at stabilizing the area. See More
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'We're keeping a good eye': Top US general warns of African terror groups attack on American homeland
Gen. Michael Langley, USMC, Commander, US Africa Command, center, and Major General Mohammed Berrid, Inspector General of Moroccan Royal Armed Forces, attend the 21st edition of the African Lion military exercise, in Tantan, south of Agadir, Morocco. (Pic credit: AP) A senior US military leader issued a grave warning on Thursday about the growing threat of African terror networks, saying the risk of attacks reaching American shores is increasing as extremist groups expand and evolve across the continent. General Michael Langley, head of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), called the Sahel region the new "epicentre of terrorism on the globe," citing explosive growth in the size and reach of jihadist groups operating there. " The Sahel is now the flashpoint of prolonged conflict and growing instability," Langley told reporters. 'We're keeping a good eye on this because they could have the capacity to attack the homeland.' Terrorist expansion across West Africa Langley highlighted two Al-Qaeda-linked organisations that have rapidly multiplied in strength and geographic reach over the past three years. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) is now three times larger than it was in 2022, with operations spanning Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), another Al-Qaeda affiliate, has grown fourfold, with most of its expansion in Burkina Faso. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo These groups, Langley said, are actively seeking access to West Africa's coastline, a strategic move that could enable them to broaden revenue streams through smuggling, arms trafficking, and human trafficking, while also enhancing their operational reach. 'If they gain access to the vast coastline, they can diversify their revenue streams and evolve their tactics, more easily exporting terrorism to American shores,' he said. US response and global competition In response to the intensifying threat, US has ramped up its counterterrorism operations. Over the weekend, American forces conducted an airstrike in Somalia against al-Shabab, another Al-Qaeda-linked group that, along with Isis, has plagued the East African nation for decades. Langley emphasised that combating terrorism in Africa is not only a matter of security but also of geopolitical strategy, as both China and Russia move aggressively to establish military partnerships and influence across the continent. 'There is increasing concern about the number of African soldiers going to Beijing for military training,' Langley said. 'They're trying to replicate what we do best in our [US International Military Education and Training] program.' He warned that Chinese and Russian efforts to build security alliances in Africa may undermine US influence and allow adversaries to gain a stronger foothold in a region already destabilised by extremism. A race against time Langley's remarks come amid heightened urgency to stabilise regions like the Sahel, where years of violence, coups, and insurgency have weakened governments and created fertile ground for terror recruitment. The US military withdrew from Niger last year, one of several setbacks that have complicated efforts to contain terrorist groups. As AFRICOM works to re-establish partnerships and monitor terror hotspots, Langley stressed that the fight to contain extremist threats in Africa is directly tied to the security of the United States. 'This isn't just Africa's problem,' he said. 'It's a global one — and we have to act now before these groups gain the power to strike far beyond the borders of the continent.'
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Eto'o, Adebayor, Okocha play exhibition game in Somalia
THREE AFRICAN football legends -- Samuel Eto'o, Emmanuel Adebayor and Jay-Jay Okocha -- took to the pitch in Somalia on Tuesday for an exhibition match aimed at restoring the country's image. The three superstars were part of a FIFA-backed 'peace tour' that Somalia hopes will help it once again host international fixtures. Somalia has been in a state of near-constant internal conflict since 1991 and its national team has had to play matches mostly in neighbouring Djibouti. The national stadium in Mogadishu, the capital, was heavily damaged after being used as a base by Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab insurgents from 2008 and then by African Union peacekeepers who chased them out of the city. It was renovated and reopened for sports in 2020. The arrival of Cameroon icon Eto'o, former Togo striker Adebayor and ex-Nigeria playmaker Okocha for what was billed as the first high-profile match in three decades was labelled 'a historic day' by the sports ministry. The three stars led an international team to an 8-4 victory against a team of local players. 'We just pray for God to give you guys peace, so that you can build your country,' Adebayor told reporters after the match, adding that the occasion was 'beautiful and incredible'. Security Minister Mohamed Ali Haga described the match as a chance to 'change the perception of the world towards Somalia... and show the world that Mogadishu is peaceful and can host other African matches'. Security was tight around the stadium in southern Mogadishu. Hundreds of fans showed up hours in advance of the match, many waving the Somali flag. 'This is a great day for me -- to watch a player like Eto'o who has inspired me so much -- I cannot miss such a great occasion. It is like I'm seated in the Barcelona stadium,' one fan, Mowlid Ali, told AFP. 'The game here today is not a simple football match. This match will definitely demonstrate how Somalia is reviving from the war that has ravaged the country for a long time,' added another, Abdirahman Dhere. Somalia has reportedly asked FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF) to re-evaluate its security situation to be able to hold future fixtures. Delegates from the CAF and Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations were present for the match.
