Saturday 23, Nov 2024 {HMC}  South Sudanese authorities say a confrontation between the People’s Defense Forces and personnel protecting former spy chief General Akol Koor has been resolved peacefully, with both sides reaching an agreement to prevent further conflict.

Heavy gunfire echoed for about an hour Thursday night around Koor’s residence in the Thongpiny neighborhood of Juba, creating panic and raising concerns the confrontation between the two sides might escalate.

Major General Lul Ruai Koang, a spokesperson for South Sudan People’s Defense Force, told journalists that the gunfire resulted from a misunderstanding during an operation to relocate Koor to his secondary residence, as directed by President Salva Kiir.

“Let me make it very clear that he was not being effectively placed under house arrest,” Koang said. “He was simply being told to relocate from Thongpiny to Jabal because of the presence of the security forces.”

News agencies report that Koor has been under house arrest since early October when he was fired from the intelligence service. Government officials deny he has been under house arrest.

The gunfire left two servicemen dead, while two civilians were crushed by an armored vehicle, according to Koang. Two others, including a university student, sustained injuries and are receiving medical care.

Koor has since been moved to his residence in Jebel, accompanied by his wife, a single bodyguard, and a cook, under the protection of a senior officer. Authorities say the situation could have been much worse.

Army spokesperson Koang reiterated that Thursday’s gunfire was not planned.

“Nobody had ordered for it,” he said. “It was a misunderstanding, and as a result we are able to successfully resolve it without unnecessary more bloodshed.”

A Juba resident who did not give his name said, “As South Sudanese, I don’t like this kind of things. I heard too much shooting, and they told me it is next to my residence.”

The man echoed the sentiments of many in Juba who were shaken by Thursday’s events. Concerns over public safety have heightened, especially given the use of heavy weaponry in a residential area.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing, particularly surrounding the decisions leading to the confrontation and the broader implications for governance and security.

SOURCE VOA

Saturday Nov, 23, 2024 {HMC} At least 32 people have been killed and dozens wounded in renewed fighting between Sunni and Shia Muslim groups in northwestern Pakistan, officials say.

The violence overnight on Saturday was the latest to rock Kurram, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, just days after a deadly attack on a convoy in the same area killed dozens of people.

Speaking to AFP news agency on condition of anonymity, a senior administrative official said the death toll in the latest incident included 14 Sunni and 18 Shia Muslims. Another 47 were wounded, the official added.

A senior Pakistani police officer also confirmed Saturday’s fighting to The Associated Press news agency, putting the death toll at 33 and the injuries at 25.

The officer, who also spoke anonymously because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said armed men in Bagan and Bacha Kot torched shops, houses and government property.

“Educational institutions in Kurram are closed due to the severe tension. Both sides are targeting each other with heavy and automatic weapons,” the officer said.

Videos as well as images posted on social media showed a market engulfed by fire and orange flames piercing the night sky. Gunfire can also be heard.

Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder, reporting from Islamabad, said a curfew has been imposed in the area and mobile services have been suspended.

“Officials are describing this as a very tense situation,” he added.

Escalating violence between Sunni and Shia Muslims in the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan has killed about 150 people in recent months.

On Thursday, gunmen opened fire on two separate convoys of Shia Muslims travelling with police escorts in Kurram, killing more than 40. At least 11 others were wounded.

A group of Shia Muslims then on Friday evening launched an attack targeting Sunni locations, including the Bagan bazaar, in the Kurram district, once a semi-autonomous region, where sectarian violence has resulted in the deaths of hundreds over the years.

“After firing, they set the entire market ablaze and entered nearby homes, pouring petrol and setting them on fire. Initial reports suggest over 300 shops and more than 100 houses have been burned,” a senior police officer stationed in Kurram told AFP

Source Al-Jaziira News

Saturday Nov, 23, 2024 {HMC} Russia has a stock of powerful new missiles “ready to be used”, President Vladimir Putin has said, a day after his country fired a new ballistic missile at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.

In an unscheduled TV address, the Russian leader said the Oreshnik missile could not be intercepted and promised to carry out more tests, including in “combat conditions”.

Russia’s use of the Oreshnik capped a week of escalation in the war that also saw Ukraine fire US and British missiles into Russia for the first time.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for world leaders to give a “serious response” so that Putin “feels the real consequences of his actions”.

His country was asking Western partners for updated air defence systems, he added.

According to news agency Interfax-Ukraine, Kyiv is seeking to obtain the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), or to upgrade its Patriot anti-ballistic missile defence systems.

In Friday’s address Putin said the Oreshnik hypersonic missiles flew at 10 times the speed of sound and ordered them to be put into production. He had earlier said that use of the missile was a response to Ukraine’s use of Storm Shadow and Atacms missiles.

Thursday’s strike on Dnipro was described as unusual by eyewitnesses and triggered explosions which went on for three hours.

The attack included a strike by a missile so powerful that in the aftermath Ukrainian officials said it resembled an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Justin Crump, CEO and founder of the risk advisory company Sibylline, told the BBC that Moscow likely used the strike as a warning, noting that the missile – which is faster and more advanced that others in its arsenal – has the capacity to seriously challenge Ukraine’s air defences

This week’s escalation has also prompted several warnings from other world leaders about the direction of the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the war was entering a decisive stage – with a real risk of global conflict.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban meanwhile said the West should take Vladimir Putin’s warnings “at face value” because Russia “bases its policies primarily on military power”.

And North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un warned “never before” had the threat of a nuclear war been greater and accused the US of having an “aggressive and hostile” policy towards Pyongyang.

North Korea has sent thousands of troops to fight on Russia’s side and Ukrainian forces have reported clashes with them in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops are occupying some territory.

US President Biden has said he gave Ukraine permission to use longer-range Atacms missiles against targets inside Russia as a response to Moscow’s use of North Korean troops.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Both countries are now trying to secure a battlefield advantage before Donald Trump becomes US president in January.

Source VOA NEWS

Saturday Nov, 23, 2024 {HMC} Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur met in Ankara on Wednesday to discuss strengthening military and security collaboration between their nations.

The meeting at the Presidential Complex centered on enhancing joint efforts in defense and counterterrorism, addressing regional security challenges, including Somalia’s ongoing fight against Al-Shabaab. Both leaders explored opportunities to expand trade, energy, and humanitarian aid cooperation.

“We are pleased to see our strategic partnership with Somalia continue to grow across all fields,” Yilmaz stated on X, formerly Twitter. “Turkiye will maintain its dedicated efforts to contribute to the well-being and prosperity of the Somali people through all our institutions.”

Minister Nur expressed gratitude for Turkiye’s steadfast assistance, particularly in the security sector.

Beyond defense, the discussions highlighted Turkiye’s contributions to Somalia’s infrastructure, healthcare, and humanitarian sectors. The leaders reviewed ongoing joint projects aimed at stabilizing the country and improving the quality of life for its citizens.

Yilmaz also addressed regional developments, commending Somaliland’s recent peaceful elections. “We hope the elections bring peace, stability, and prosperity to all Somali people, including those in Somaliland,” he added.

Turkiye has been a key ally of Somalia since 2011, when then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a historic visit to Mogadishu during a severe famine. Since then, Turkiye has established itself as a key partner in Somalia’s recovery, investing heavily in infrastructure, education, and defense. The opening of a military training academy and Turkey’s largest overseas embassy in Mogadishu stands out as a major milestone in this partnership.

Source Hiiraan Online

Saturday Nov, 23, 2024 {HMC} Kenya’s President William Ruto has cancelled two major deals involving Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, after the tycoon was indicted for fraud by US prosecutors.

In his state-of-the-nation address on Thursday, Ruto said the deals had been cancelled based on “new information provided by our investigative agencies and partner nations”.

The day before, Mr Adani, India’s second-richest man, was charged with fraud by US prosecutors for allegedly orchestrating a $250m (£198m) bribery scheme and concealing it to raise money in the US.

Representatives from Adani Group have denied the allegations from US prosecutors and called them “baseless”.

“In the face of undisputed evidence or credible information on corruption, I will not hesitate to take decisive action,” said Ruto in a speech met with loud cheers inside parliament.

The Adani Group was set to invest $1.85bn in Kenya’s main airport in exchange for a contract to run it for 30 years, as well as a $736m deal with the energy ministry to construct power lines.

Under the airport proposal, the upgrades would involve a new runway and an improved passenger terminal at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The deals with the Adani group were hugely unpopular in the country, and there were concerns of corruption.

The airport deal sparked a strike among airport workers in September, as many feared it would lead to job losses.

Energy Minister Opiyo Wandayi told a parliamentary committee on Thursday there was no bribery or corruption involved in the procurement of the power lines.

President Ruto has pledged to take action against corruption, following repeated allegations against his administration.

Ruto said his government would now start to look for alternative partners for the airport and energy deals.

Source Hiiraan Online 

Saturday Nov, 23, 2024 {HMC} Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and several prominent politicians attended a remembrance and prayer ceremony in Mogadishu on Friday, honoring the life and legacy of former Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud Silanyo.

President Mohamud praised Silanyo’s calm demeanor and pivotal role in advancing the Somalia-Somaliland dialogue during their respective terms in office. “He was a man of peace, a leader who did not get angry,” Mohamud said, recounting a meeting during which Silanyo expressed hope for mutual understanding between Somaliland and Somalia.

Other dignitaries, including Deputy Prime Minister Salah Jama, Finance Minister Bihi Imaan Egeh, Minister of Public Works Dr. Elmi Mohamud Nur, and former Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Guuleed, reflected on Silanyo’s contributions to politics and society, highlighting his commitment to public service.

Born in Buro in 1938, Silanyo served as Somalia’s Minister of Planning and International Cooperation (1965–1973, 1980–1982), Minister of Trade (1973–1978), and Somaliland’s Minister of Finance (1997–1999). As chairman of the Somali National Movement (SNM) from 1984 to 1990, Silanyo played a leading role in the movement that ousted the regime of Mohamed Siyad Barre.

After Somaliland’s unilateral declaration of independence in 1991, Silanyo founded the ruling Kulmiye party and served as its president from 2010 to 2017. His tenure focused on political stability and economic development, earning him widespread respect within Somaliland and beyond.

Silanyo retired from politics in 2017 due to age and health concerns, spending his final years in Hargeisa, where he passed away at 86.

Source Hiiraan Online