Saturday, May 19, 2012
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)’s military has been shelling positions it believes are held by rebels who have been fighting the army for weeks in the country’s east.
The rebels are fighters who were integrated into the national army under a 2009 peace deal, but who later defected, complaining of poor conditions.
The fighting since late April has driven tens of thousands of people to flee to neighbouring countries, including Uganda.
[Read More…]
Friday, May 18, 2012
The Kachin Independence Army created a new battalion near Pangwa last week, the former headquarters of the New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K). The bulk of the troops in the KIA’s newest unit, Battalion No. 32, were previously members of an NDA-K faction led by Lauwa Zawng Hkawng who in 2005 was part of failed coup attempt against NDA-K leader Zahkung Ting Ying.
In 2009 the NDA-K was officially dissolved and its 1,000 troops transferred to Border Guard Force units 1001, 1002 and 1003. Many of the NDA-K rank and file resented being transferred to the border guard force. When fighting broke out last month near Pangwa between government troops and the KIO there were widespread defections among the border guard troops who were ex NDA-K.
[Read More…]
Thursday, May 17, 2012
The Spanish government has refused to hold talks with Basque separatist group ETA.
The militant organisation, which has been blamed for 829 deaths over four decades, announced an end to violence seven months ago.
In a statement released to the French press, ETA says it wants to negotiate with the government.
[Read More…]
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
At least 42 people including 30 Islamist militants were killed in Yemen on Monday night and Tuesday, officials and residents said, as the government pressed ahead with a new US-backed offensive against insurgents in the south.
The Islamist rebellion is of serious concern to the United States and to Yemen’s much bigger neighbour Saudi Arabia, which both fear that instability could give al Qaeda’s Arabian wing, already active in Yemen, a bigger foothold near oil shipping routes through the Red Sea.
[Read More…]
