Latest news with #Al-Shabaab
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.
News18
05-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
Donald Trump's New Travel Ban: Why These 19 Countries Have Been Targeted
Last Updated: 19 countries face new US travel restrictions. The reasons go beyond just national security In the wake of the Colorado attack on a pro-Israel group, US President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping new proclamation imposing travel restrictions on citizens from 19 countries, citing national security threats. The attack, carried out by an Egyptian man who set fire to peaceful protesters seeking the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, was directly referenced by Trump as he announced the decision on his social media platform, Truth Social. The New Ban: Who's Affected? The proclamation fully bans entry from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. An additional seven countries — Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela — face partial restrictions across both immigrant and non-immigrant visa categories, including B-1, B-2, F, M, and J visas. According to a statement from the White House, the countries facing the full ban were found 'to be deficient with regards to screening and vetting and were determined to pose a very high risk to the United States." National Security Concerns And Terrorism Threats Central to the administration's justification is the claim that many of these countries pose heightened risks due to terrorism links, extremism, or state-sponsored activities: Trump stated while signing the order: 'We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen… That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others." 'We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen… That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others." –President Trump — The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 4, 2025 Fragile Or Failing States Beyond direct terrorism links, many of the countries targeted in Trump's travel ban share one common trait: deep state fragility. This limits their ability to maintain civil registries, criminal databases, or cooperate with international law enforcement — core issues for US visa screening. The 2024 Fragile States Index, which ranks countries on political, security, economic, and humanitarian stability, places several of the fully banned nations among the world's most unstable: Somalia (Rank 1): Racked by decades of civil war, Somalia has no fully functioning central government, with large swathes controlled by Al-Shabaab militants. Law enforcement capacity remains minimal, with rampant corruption and limited border control. Yemen (Rank 2): Still locked in a brutal conflict between Houthi rebels and a Saudi-backed coalition, Yemen's infrastructure has collapsed. Its civil registry and identity databases are virtually non-existent in many regions, making background checks extremely difficult. Sudan (Rank 5): Engulfed in a devastating power struggle between military factions (RSF vs SAF), Sudan's state institutions have broken down, leading to lawlessness, mass displacement, and zero functional cooperation with international law enforcement. Congo (DRC) (Rank 6): Plagued by multiple armed groups, internal displacement, and ongoing instability in its eastern provinces, Congo faces chronic governance failures. Border controls are weak, and internal vetting mechanisms unreliable. Chad (Rank 8): Marked by authoritarian rule, weak security infrastructure, and frequent insurgencies along its borders, Chad's institutional capacity for identity verification is severely limited. Afghanistan (Rank 9): Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, Afghanistan's legal and civil systems have collapsed. The US has cut nearly all security cooperation, and Taliban-controlled ministries offer little transparency or credible data on citizens. Libya (Rank 16): With rival governments competing for power and various militias controlling key regions, Libya's state institutions are fragmented. The absence of centralised governance makes security vetting highly challenging. Even beyond these top-tier fragile states, several others on Trump's list — including Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, and Myanmar — are viewed as authoritarian or dysfunctional states with limited transparency, cooperation or control over security vetting. Eritrea operates under a closed authoritarian regime with strict exit controls but little external cooperation. Equatorial Guinea has been cited for widespread corruption and opaque governance. Haiti faces political paralysis, gang violence, and frequent disruptions to government functions. Myanmar remains internationally isolated following its 2021 military coup, with sanctions and political repression further weakening state capacity. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said the new order fulfils Trump's promise to 'protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm." President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us commonsense restrictions are country-specific and include places that lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates, or… — Abigail Jackson (@ATJackson47) June 4, 2025 Visa Overstay Violations The partial bans also heavily cite immigration violations, particularly high visa overstay rates, as a factor for restricted entry. Other countries like Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, Burundi, Cuba, and Venezuela have been flagged for non-compliance with US visa tracking and insufficient cooperation with law enforcement. A Revival Of Trump's 2017 Travel Ban The latest order revives and broadens Trump's earlier 2017 travel ban, which initially targeted seven Muslim-majority nations, including Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen. That policy was rescinded by former President Joe Biden in 2021, who called it 'a stain on our national conscience." President Trump reinforced the rationale behind the decision, saying: 'We will restore the travel ban, some people call it the Trump travel ban, and keep the radical Islamic terrorists out of our country that was upheld by the Supreme Court." top videos View all Conclusion While officially framed as a national security measure, Trump's revived travel ban reflects a combination of terrorism threats, fragile state risks, and visa enforcement failures. The move also aligns with his broader 'America First" approach to immigration and border security. With implementation set to take effect at 12:01 am on Monday (June 9), thousands of travellers, students, and families across these nations will now face an uncertain future. About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @ More Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : donald trump Travel ban Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 05, 2025, 09:51 IST News explainers Donald Trump's New Travel Ban: Why These 19 Countries Have Been Targeted
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.
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Eto'o, Adebayor, Okocha Play Historic Match 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.
Al-Ahram Weekly
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Eto'o, Adebayor, Okocha play exhibition game in Somalia - Africa
Three African football legends -- Samuel Eto'o, Emanuel 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", which 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 currently has to play its matches in neighbouring Djibouti or Morocco. The national stadium in Mogadishu 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 considered "a historic day" by the sports ministry. 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 great day for me -- to watch a player like Eto 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 requested FIFA and CAF to re-evaluate its security situation to be able to hold future fixtures. Delegates from the Confederation of African Football and Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations were present for the match. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
