WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Rwandan genocide memorial in Nyamata (Fanny Schertzer) German prosecutors have arrested a German-Rwandan national on suspicion of complicity in genocide and 25 counts of murder during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda. The suspect, identified only as Innocent S. under German privacy rules, was arrested in the central German state of Hesse on Wednesday. According to Reuters,…

Taliban rejects peace talks in Islamabad

The Taliban on Saturday rejected reports that members of the group would be taking part in peace talks organised by the Afghan government, Pakistan, China and the US, Reuters reported.

"We reject all such rumors and unequivocally state that the leader of Islamic Emirate [of Afghanistan] has not authorized anyone to participate in this meeting," the Taliban said on Saturday.

"[Islamic Emirate] once again reiterates that unless the occupation of Afghanistan is ended, black lists eliminated and innocent prisoners freed, such futile misleading negotiations will not bear any results," the statement went on to state.

Congo agrees to extradition of genocide suspect to Rwanda

The Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday agreed to the extradition of a genocide suspect to Rwanda.

The suspect, a former Rwandan mayor named Ladislas Ntaganzwa was indicted for his role in the killing over over 800,000 Tutsies. He was arrested in Congo in December 2015.

Asked about the extradition, Congo's justice minister, Alexis Thambwe, said Mr Ntaganzwa would be extradited within one month.

"At the moment, there are just a few formalities to take care of. It could happen at any moment," Mr Thambwe said.

Syria opposition to uphold ceasefire despite government violations

Syria’s opposition will stick to the cessation of hostilities despite alleged violations by the Syrian government on Saturday, reports Reuters.

The Syrian opposition alleged that Syria’s government violated the ceasefire 15 times  with more breaches on Sunday.

The spokesperson for the opposition High Negotiating Committee (HNC) Salim al-Muslat said,

“The decision to remain quiet, not to do anything, and I believe they will stick to the truce. Yesterday was the first day people can really go out and walk on the streets.”

Saudi Arabia continues bombing campaign in Yemen

Air strikes by the Saudi-Arabia led coalition continued in Yemen and killed at least 40 people.

The air-strike campaign against Houthi militants in Yemen continued despite the EU voting for an arms embargo on Saudi Arabia for their involvement in the death of civilians in Yemen, reports Reuters.

Almost 6,000 people are thought to have been killed since the start of the Saudi-led bombing campaign last year.

EU votes for arms embargo on Saudi Arabia (26 Feb 2016)

Fighting halts in western Syria

Fighting in western Syria halted on Saturday as the Russia-US plan for a temporary "cessation of hostilities" took effect.

 "Let's pray that this works because frankly this is the best opportunity we can imagine the Syrian people has had for the last five years in order to see something better and hopefully something related to peace," the UN's envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura was quoted by Reuters as saying.

The temporary pause in fighting does not include the Islamic State or Nusra Front.

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Guatemala court sentences 2 former soldiers over war time rape

A Guatemalan court this week sentenced two former soldiers for crimes against humanity for the systematic rape of women during 1982 and 1983 at the Sepur Zarco military base.

The two men, Coronel Esteelmer Reyes Giron and Valdez Asig were also found guilty for the enforced disappearance of seven men. They have been sentences for 120 and 240 years.

“We find the treatment of the women of Sepur Zarco to have been completely humiliating and degrading," the judge, Jazmin Barrios said.

“There was a strategic design to pulverize the social fabric and to prevent its reproductive," she added.

African Union to send human rights and military monitors to Burundi

The African Union will send 100 human rights monitors and 100 military monitors to Burundi, announced South Africa’s president after a visit to the country, reports Reuters.

Speaking after his two day visit to the country where 400 people have been killed since April last year, President Zuma said,

“We believe strongly that the solution to Burundi’s political problems can be attained only through inclusive and peaceful dialogue.”

EU votes for arms embargo on Saudi Arabia

The European Union has voted for an arms embargo against Saudi Arabia in response to the states heavy bombing of Yemen during its campaign against Houthi militants.

The non-binding motion was passed by 359 votes to 212, and adds to a code of conduct agreed by the EU in 2008 where countries promised to not sell weapons to countries where they might be used “to commit serious violation of international humanitarian law.”

A British lawmaker and Labour MEP Richard Howitt, who helped draft the motion, said,

US proposes 'strongest ever' UN sanctions on North Korea

The United States presented a draft to the United Nations Security Council resolution seeking to dramatically tighten existing restrictions on North Korea, reports Reuters.

The draft calls on UN member states to conduct inspections of all cargo passing through their territory to or from North Korea to look for illicit goods.

The resolution added further calls for bans on all supplies of aviation and rocket fuel to North Korea.

All sides guilty of war crimes says UN Libya report

A report by released by the UN on Thursday states that all sides of the conflict in Libya are likely to have committed war crimes, including rape, extrajudicial executions and torture.

“A multitude of actors, both state and non-state, are accused of very serious violations and abuses that may, in many cases, amount to war crimes,” the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said.

The UN investigative team, examined the conflict during 2014 and 2015. The team was only able to visit Libya once due to security concerns, however over 200 witnesses and victims were interviewed.