Latest news with #SOFA
The South African
6 days ago
- Politics
- The South African
South African troops: Withdrawing from the DRC peace mission
South African troops joined the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) under Operation THIBA. The mission aimed to assist the Congolese army in neutralising rebel armed groups while securing humanitarian routes in North Kivu. On 17 November 2023, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the SADC signed a Status-of-Forces Agreement (SOFA). The presidential report of 12 February 2024 states that President Cyril Ramaphosa authorised 2 900 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) under Section 201(2)(c). The SADC Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government approved SAMIDRC on 8 May 2023. The March 23 Movement (M23), founded in 2012 by Sultan Makenga and Bertrand Bisimwa, resumed fighting in late 2022. The M23 accuses the DRC of breaking the 2009 peace agreement on rebel integration and discriminating against the Congolese Tutsis. The DRC charges M23 with war crimes and accuses it of acting as a proxy for Rwanda. United Nations (UN) Report S/2024/969 described Rwanda's military assistance to M23, including its troop presence in the east of the DRC. The UN Resolution 2773 condemned foreign support for armed groups in eastern DRC, specifically M23. The SAMIDRC mission, including troops from Tanzania and Malawi, operated in the eastern DRC, including Sake and Rutshuru. M23 mortar attacks near Sake killed nine of the South African soldiers; a further fatality later brought the total to 14 through the mission. Tanzania and Malawi troops also suffered losses. Defence analyst Helmoed Heitman told SABC News the mission's success was limited due to a lack of air support and unrealistic terrain expectations. After the 13 March 2025 summit, SADC leaders agreed to end SAMIDRC. South Africa began withdrawing troops on 29 April 2025. According to the SADC communiqué, M23's takeover of Goma and Bukavu and blockade of aid routes made the mission impossible. Rising costs and casualties were also key factors in the decision to terminate the mission. During the withdrawal, the military evacuated equipment via Rwanda due to damage to Goma's airstrip. 249 members of the SANDF returned to Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria from the DRC on 13 June 2025. Defence Minister Angie Motshekga welcomed the troops and reaffirmed South Africa's commitment to a peaceful, stable, and prosperous African region. South African troops began a four-day demobilisation programme with reintegration assistance, health examinations, and trauma counselling. The remaining soldiers are expected to be home by the end of June 2025. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news
Mint
04-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
DGCA surprise audit finds 4 violations in Turkish Airlines operations, including dangerous goods handling lapses
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) carried out surprise Safety Oversight and Ramp (SOFA/RAMP) inspections of Turkish Airlines' passenger and cargo flights at four major Indian airports — Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru — between 29 May and 2 June 2025. The inspections were conducted under Article 16 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (ICAO) to assess compliance with international safety standards and DGCA regulations. Following the inspections, the DGCA has directed Turkish Airlines to ensure full adherence to ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices as well as Indian civil aviation rules. The regulator warned that follow-up inspections will be conducted to verify ongoing compliance and urged the airline to promptly address the identified shortcomings. Marshaller competency: At Bengaluru airport, the marshaller responsible for ground operations lacked proper authorisation and did not possess a valid competency card for marshalling functions, raising concerns about safe aircraft guidance on the apron. Aircraft maintenance: During the arrival of an aircraft, a licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) was absent, and a technician performed the required arrival procedures instead. M/s Airworks is the authorised engineering service provider for Turkish Airlines. Dangerous goods handling: Cargo was found to contain dangerous goods requiring explicit DGCA permission for carriage of explosives to, from, or over Indian territory. However, the necessary permission documentation was neither attached nor mentioned in the Dangerous Goods Declaration. Ground handling agreement and equipment accountability: No formal Service Level Agreement (SLA) existed between Turkish Airlines and its Ground Handling Agent (GHA) at Hyderabad and Bengaluru. Ground support equipment such as ladders, step ladders, trolleys, and Ground Power Units (GPUs) lacked proper accountability and monitoring. Globe Ground India was providing ground services without a formal handover from the previous provider, Çelebi. The DGCA has instructed Turkish Airlines to rectify these issues immediately to maintain the highest safety standards. Failure to comply could result in regulatory action, including restrictions on operations.
Pembrokeshire Herald
04-06-2025
- Business
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Sofa distributor banned after driving with seven times the cannabis limit
A SOFA delivery driver has been banned from the roads for 12 months after being caught driving through Pembroke Dock while seven times over the legal cannabis limit. Dean Binks, 40, was stopped by police on London Road on February 2 during a routine check. Officers noted a strong smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle and carried out a roadside drugs wipe. 'There was a strong smell of cannabis inside the vehicle, and as a result of the driver's demeanour, a drugs wipe was carried out,' Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest magistrates. Further blood analysis revealed Binks had 16 micrograms of Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in his system. The legal limit is 2 micrograms. Binks, of Pant Road, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, pleaded guilty to drug driving. He was represented by solicitor Fenn Richards, who told the court that her client had been a daily cannabis user but was now attempting to turn his life around. 'He's extremely remorseful for his actions and is now trying to make things better for himself,' she said. Binks is employed as a distribution manager for Bespoke Sofa Wales, which involves driving across South Wales to deliver furniture. His conviction and disqualification are likely to have serious implications for his job. Magistrates imposed a 12-month driving ban, fined him £300, and ordered him to pay a £120 court surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs.
Express Tribune
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Japanese authorities investigate US marine over assault, rape allegations
Listen to article A United States Marine stationed in Japan's Okinawa prefecture has been charged with the rape of a Japanese civilian woman and the assault of another woman who tried to intervene, according to officials familiar with the investigation. The incident allegedly took place in March in a restroom located within a US military base in Okinawa. Japanese police, in coordination with US military authorities, launched an investigation shortly afterward. The suspect, a man in his 20s whose identity has not been disclosed, remains under American jurisdiction by the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), which governs the legal handling of US personnel in Japan. According to sources cited by local media, the second woman involved sustained injuries while attempting to rescue the victim from the assault. The case was formally referred to prosecutors by Okinawa police on April 7. This case marks the third alleged sexual assault involving US military personnel in Okinawa since June 2024, further inflaming longstanding tensions between the local population and the American military presence on the island. Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki, a long-time critic of the US military footprint in the region, condemned the alleged assault as 'very deplorable' and reiterated calls for stricter safeguards. 'We strongly urge the US military to implement concrete and effective measures to prevent such incidents from happening again,' said Tamaki during a press briefing. The US Ambassador to Japan, George Glass, also released a statement expressing deep concern. 'We deeply value the bonds we've built with our Japanese partners and host communities. These incidents jeopardise the trust we've cultivated over many decades,' Glass stated. Public frustration in Okinawa continues to rise. Despite agreements between the US and Japanese governments to reduce the military presence and relocate certain bases, implementation has faced repeated political and legal obstacles. In 2012, Tokyo and Washington agreed to relocate 9,000 Marines from Okinawa and move key facilities to less populated areas or other locations such as Guam. Yet, over a decade later, only a fraction of that plan has been realised. This week, in a rare show of joint coordination, Japanese police and US military personnel conducted joint patrols in Okinawa City's entertainment districts, an effort to deter future crimes and reassure residents. The patrols were the first of their kind since 1974. Okinawa hosts more than half of the 47,000 US troops stationed in Japan and nearly two-thirds of all American military installations in the country. Tensions over the US presence date back decades and have periodically erupted in protest following major incidents, most notably the 1995 rape of a 12-year-old girl by three US servicemen—a crime that triggered national outrage and demands for change. In 2024 alone, 80 individuals connected to the US military were charged with crimes in Okinawa. With this latest case, three servicemen have now been formally accused of sexual violence on the island in less than a year. While the suspect in the March assault remains under US control, Japanese prosecutors will ultimately decide whether to pursue formal charges under Japanese law. If indicted, a request could be made for custody transfer in line with SOFA provisions, though such outcomes are rare and often politically sensitive.
Asahi Shimbun
24-04-2025
- Asahi Shimbun
Okinawa police: 2 U.S. Marines suspected of sexual assault
NAHA—Less than a week after joint Japan-U.S. anti-crime patrols started in Okinawa Prefecture, police here on April 23 announced that two U.S. Marine Corps members have been accused of sexual assault. Okinawa prefectural police said they sent papers on the Marines to the Naha District Public Prosecutors Office on April 7. They did not say if the suspects have admitted to or denied the allegations. According to police, one of the Marines in his 20s is suspected of sexually assaulting a woman in a restroom at a U.S. military base on the main island of Okinawa in March. The woman was an employee of the base. The suspect is also believed to have caused a minor injury to another woman after the assault. Police sent papers to prosecutors regarding this injury, too. The other Marine, also in his 20s, allegedly sexually assaulted a female acquaintance on the main island of Okinawa in January. The three women each contacted prefectural police. The U.S. military, informed of the incidents, has identified the two service members. Under the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), Japan has jurisdiction over U.S. military personnel suspected of committing crimes while off-duty. However, if the United States detains the suspect, the U.S. military can hold that person until indictment by Japanese prosecutors. The two Marines are being held by the U.S. side, so Okinawa police are limited to questioning the suspects on a voluntary basis. A number of sex crimes linked to U.S. military personnel in Okinawa Prefecture were revealed in succession since June last year, reigniting anger within the prefectural government and among the local population. U.S. Forces Japan in July announced countermeasures to prevent a recurrence, including joint patrols conducted by prefectural police and the U.S. military, which started on April 18. The U.S. military had also announced it would hold a 'forum' to exchange opinions with the Okinawa prefectural government and local residents. But it has not held one yet. Last year, Okinawa police identified four cases of suspected sexual misconduct by U.S. military personnel, but one case was dropped. So far this year, three similar allegations have emerged. But one case sent to prosecutors in January was dropped due to insufficient evidence.
