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Latest news from and about the homeland

Photograph: Screenshot/ BLA video A fresh wave of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances has been documented across Balochistan this month, as Baloch rights groups recorded the recovery of several bodies of men who had earlier been forcibly taken, and appealed once more to international institutions that have largely ignored the province. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC)…

Mass grave found in Peru

A mass grave containing 17 bodies has been found in the Andes mountains of Peru.

The dead are thought to have died in the 1980s, when local farmers were kidnapped by Shining Path rebels and disappeared.

Prosecutor Honorio Casallo Diaz said investigations carried out by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission suggested the farmers had been abducted in the 1980s from the town of Vilcashuaman.

Senior army officers 'knew of extrajudicial killings' in Colombia

Senior army officers in Colombia knew of extrajudicial killings of civilians, Human Rights Watch said in a report.

The rights organisation said it had seen evidence which strongly suggests "numerous generals and colonels knew or should have known about 'false positive' killings, and may have ordered or otherwise actively furthered them", including transcripts or recordings of testimony provided to prosecutors directly accusing several of Colombia's highest ranking officers of "having known of, planned, or attempted to facilitate false positive killings while holding those positions".

“False positive killings amount to one of the worst episodes of mass atrocity in the Western Hemisphere in recent years, and there is mounting evidence that many senior army officers bear responsibility,” said José Miguel Vivanco, executive Americas director at Human Rights Watch.

Rwandan general arrested in London over genocide

The head of Rwanda's intelligence services has been arrested in London, over accusations about his involvement in massacres during the country's genocide.

General Karenzi Karake, 54, was arrested at Heathrow Airport on Saturday, under a European Arrest Warrant issued by Spain, which obliges Britain to act. It is understood the general previously travelled to Britain without trouble.

Kurds capture town near Raqqa

Kurdish forces and their Syrian allies have captured a key town from Islamic State fighters, just 50 km from Raqqa, the de-facto capital of the self-declared caliphate.

A spokesman for the the Popular Protection Units (YPG) said Ain Issa and its surrounding villages were now under the militia's "total control".

US-led coalition air strikes supported the assault on the town, the latest to fall to the Kurds.

UN Inquiry accuses Israel and Hamas of potential war crimes

A United Nations commission of inquiry into the 2014 Gaza war accused both Israeli and Palestinian factions of potential “serious violations of international law” including war crimes.

The report, commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), placed most of the blame on Israel and called on the government to hold those responsible for violations accountable, stating,

Serbia seeks to extradite former Bosnian general from Switzerland

The Serbian government has requested the extradition for a wartime Bosnian general who was arrested in Switzerland this month.

Naser Oric was acquitted by a UN court of war crimes against Bosnian Serb Civilians, however was arrested earlier this month due to an outstanding Serbian arrest warrant issued last year.

Al-Jazeera journalist arrested in Germany

A senior al-Jazeera journalist was arrested in Germany, after Egypt issued an international arrest warrant.

Ahmed Mansour was sentenced to 15 years in absentia, by a court in Egypt, which found him guilty of torture.

In a video recorded while detained, Mr Mansour, who works for the channel's Arabic service, described the incident as a "misunderstanding" and said he hoped it would be resolved quickly.

CMA militants sign peace deal granting greater autonomy to northern Mali

The Tuareg led militant alliance in Mali signed a landmark deal which looked to end a 5 decade long conflict that saw many die in the northern regions of the country.

The Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), a coalition of rebel groups signed a deal that called for the creation of an elected regional assembly that granted some levels of autonomy for northern Mali.

Serb PM to attend anniversary of Srebrenica massacre

The prime minister of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic says he was prepared to attend ceremonies to mark the 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre.

Nearly 8,000 Bosniak Muslims were killed by Bosnian Serb soldiers, in the town of Srebrenica, called by the UN an act of genocide.

"As prime minister, I am ready to bow my head to show the stand we take towards the innocent victims of Srebrenica," said Mr Vucic.

He described Srebrenica as "hell", but stopped short of calling it genocide.

But the mayor of Srebrenica, Camil Durakovic said Mr Vucic's statement was a "provocation".

AU calls on UN to set date for Saharawi self-determination referendum

The African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government,  called on the United Nations General Assembly to finalise a date for holding a referendum for self-determination of the Saharawi people in Western Sahara.