Author: IGIHE

Rwanda-USA discuss strengthening administrative justice

{The Legal Aid Forum, the Institute for Policy and Research-Rwanda, and the University of Massachusetts Boston hosted Rwandan Government officials to discuss a new project designed to strengthen the quality and consistency of decision-making by district authorities in administrative cases involving citizens and businesses. The event at the Marriot Hotel in Kigali brought together officials representing a wide range of government ministries and agencies including the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Local Government, the Rwanda Governance Board, and the Capacity Development and Employment Services Board.}

Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the three-year project is a partnership between the University of Massachusetts Boston, the Legal Aid Forum, and the Institute for Policy and Research-Rwanda. The project will focus on decision-making at the district level in three substantive areas: public and private labor regulation, land expropriation, and public procurement. Its purpose is to gather information on how decisions are reached and communicated to citizens in the three areas to generate systemic learning among district officials and improve the quality of the decision-making process. That, in turn, can lead to greater public satisfaction and the generation of fewer complaints and appeals to the courts or the Office of the Ombudsman. Ultimately, the initiative’s efforts will contribute to strengthening good governance in Rwanda.

Based on preliminary discussions, the Government of Rwanda is interested in improving the quality of administrative decisions and reducing the numbers of cases appealed to the courts based on potentially incorrect or procedurally defective decisions at the district level. When cases are decided properly the first time, and citizens feel they have been properly heard, the number of appeals and complaints should decrease.

“The United States Government cares about the Rule of Law and access to justice for all citizens,” said Erica J. Barks-Ruggles, U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda.

“This project will empower the local partners, the Legal Aid Forum and the Institute for Policy Analysis and Research, to make informed recommendations on reforms that will enable citizens to access services and benefit from streamlined decision-making at the district level.”

Government stakeholders will play an important role throughout the project in bringing practical insights to bear on the initiative’s findings and policy recommendations. According to IPAR Research Director Alfred Bizoza, “to the extent that the project lies at the intersection of public administration and legal concerns, particularly at the district level, MINIJUST and MINALOC will continue to be critical partners.”

May 26, 2017
NGOs hold a campaign on “Talk & Walk to Prevent Violent Extremism” for a culture of peace

{Seoul, Republic of Korea – Today’s global community is facing widespread extremism that accompanies violence with radical views, which has become a great concern on stability and prosperity of the globe. National governments around the world have responded to the contemporary issues of extremism by domestic policies and international cooperation on security and education. Along with the national efforts, international NGOs are organizing campaigns to raise public awareness on the need for peace and tolerance and further to prevent violent extremism.}

At 85 cities in 43 countries including Beijing, New York, Paris, Seoul, Sydney, and Tokyo on May 25th, Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), an international NGO under the United Nations Department of Public Information (UN DPI), co-hosted a peace culture campaign titled ‘Walk & Talk to Prevent Violent Extremism’ with local community and international youth associations.

In his congratulatory speech, Chairman Man Hee Lee of HWPL called for global cooperation on peacebuilding, saying, “Who can bring about peace while we stand still? By putting an end to war, a world of peace can be established.” He also stressed the need for civic participation to “make an end to war and establish a world of peace as a legacy for future generations, which is the very task of every one of our global family.”

In the event, through conversations on values and beliefs the participants have, the time for reflection is given to understand how their beliefs are internalized based on the peaceful values and how their actions can follow in accordance with their faiths. Sara Florian, graduate student who takes part in this event, said, “My country Guatemala suffered from internal conflict for about 30 years. I grew up listening to the stories of the war from my parents and the devastation is still widespread in many parts of the country as psychological and physical damage even today, 20 years after the end of the conflict. We need to take steps forward to transforming our ideas into communication for a world of peace in the future. That way, we can heal the scars the war left. I hope that the time for reflection like this event can continue to develop the pursuit of peace in our times.”

At the end of the event, the participants gathered together for a peace walk. Duhyen Kim, Director of IPYG, emphasized, “IPYG has been working with intergovernmental groups, NGOs, and youth associations globally undertaking projects concerning youth development and peace education. The youth of today are awakening, I myself, have witnessed the world as it is, and do not accept this as my reality. We are made for better things, the world can become a better place.” The campaign traces back to 2013 when the Declaration of World Peace drafted by HWPL with a slogan of ‘Leave peace as a legacy to future generations’. In this year, the annual event is expected to be held from May 19th to May 28th.

May 26, 2017
ICOM DAY: It’s not yet over with Rwanda Museums

{Created in 1946 by and for museum experts from 136 countries and territories, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) was established to respond to the challenges museums face worldwide. Fighting illicit traffic of objects, art and cultural mediation, museum emergency program, intangible heritage and cultural tourism, became a core concern at the time.}

Crusade for museums; Before officially creating IMD (International Museums Day), ICOM gathered the international community, in 1951, for a meeting called; Crusade for museums, to discuss the theme, “Museums and education”. The idea of IMD came to be inspired by then, by the framework for museums accessibility developed at the meeting.

The 1977 revolution; IMD was officially established in 1977 with the adoption of a revolution during ICOM general assembly in Moscow, Russia to create an annual event “with the aim of further unifying the creative aspirations and efforts of museums and drawing the attention of the world public to their activity”.

Every year since 1977, IMD is organized worldwide around May 18th. This day is an occasion to raise awareness on how important museums are in the development of society. The activities to mark the celebrations can last a day, a week, or even a month. Participation in IMD has grown and still growing among museums over the world. In 2015/16, more than 35000 museums participated in the event in some 145 countries.

2017, under the theme, “Museums and contested histories: saying the unspeakable in museums” has caught the attention of many countries than ever before. On this day, participating museums around the world planned creative events and activities related to the above theme, engaged with the public their public and highlighted the importance of the role of museums as institutions that serve society and development.

{{Lessons from the theme}}

History is vital in defining a given people’s identity, and each one of us is defined through important and fundamental historic events. Unfortunately, contested histories are isolated traumatic events, these histories that are often little known or misunderstood resonate universally, as they concern and affect us all.

Museum collections offer reflections of memories and representations of history. IMD is therefore to provide an opportunity to show how museums display and depict memories to encourage visitors to think beyond their own individual experiences. By focusing on the role of museums as hubs for promoting peaceful relationship between people, this year’s theme highlights how the acceptance of a contested history is the first step in envisioning a shared future under the banner of reconciliation. Museums are important means of cultural exchanges, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, co-operation and peace among people.

{{Rwanda museums & IMD: a week to be remembered}}

The Institute of National Museums of Rwanda (INMR), under the theme, “Umuco wacu Inkingiy’Ubunyarwanda” (Our culture, Rwandan identity), joined the rest of the world in celebrating IMD. The activities started with open door day, on 18th/ May, where the general public was invited, free of charge, to visit all museum branches in the country. The event was a success, to the tune that saw many schools and the local communities around visit nearby museums in large numbers (4,231) tentatively.

The second activity to commemorate IMD was held on 20th/May/2017. The competitions that were organized between different schools in Nyanza at the National Art Gallery (NAG) were exciting, challenging, and worth it. The judges for the day were left mesmerized by the outstanding performances exhibited by students. The results for the winners were held up until 26th/5/2017, when IMD will be celebrated officially in Rwanda/Nyanza district.

This week on 25th/May, 2017, is yet another activity that will involve INMR in partnership with media houses in Rwanda, touring the National Liberation Museum Park in Gicumbi, Nyanza, and Huye museums as well.

To sum up the D-day celebrations, IMD will be hosted at the National Art Gallery (NAG) in Nyanza. The day will be blessed by the carnival walk around Nyanza town up to the museum. More cultural entertainments and performances will be exhibited.

By David Nkusi

The author is a Cultural Heritage Analyst/ Philosophical studies expert
nkusidavid@rocketmail.com

May 25, 2017
BPR scoops best bank in Rwanda 2017

{On 18th May 2017, Banque Populaire du Rwanda Limited, Part of AtlasMara (BPR AtlasMara) scooped the Best Bank in Rwanda 2017 accolade in the Banker Africa Awards for the East African region. }

The Awards are organized annually by the CPI Financial publication, which publishes the Banker Africa Magazine, widely regarded as the leader in promoting excellence in Africa’s banking services through its in-depth coverage of the continent’s financial services sector.

BPR was announced as the winner in the Banker Africa East Africa Awards that happened for the fourth time at a Gala Dinner held at the Crowne Plaza, Upper Hill, Nairobi, Kenya.

The bank was among other winners of the corporate Awards which were the result of a stunning 77,000 votes cast by the financial services community in East Africa, the largest number in the four-year history of the Banker Africa East Africa Awards and three times the number of votes cast in the previous year.

In total, 30 institutions across seven countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda shared 46 corporate Awards in which the BPR was among the big winners identified by the readers of Banker Africa and the online community of financial news website www.cpifinancial.net, with leading votes in the Category.

“Each year, the Banker Africa East Africa Awards identifies and rewards excellence in financial services. We aim to promote best practice and offer recognition to the key players working to help create a prosperous diversified future for the region’s economies,” said Robin Amlôt, Chief Executive Officer of CPI Financial. “Winning one of our awards reflects the opinion of the financial services industry across East Africa and our winners may be justly proud of their achievements and also that their peers see them as market-leaders,” added Amlôt.

BancABC Tanzania another Atlasmara group subsidiary also scooped the award of the Best Emerging Bank in Tanzania 2017 which made it a second ATMA subsidiary to be recognized at the event.

The annual Banker Africa Awards are continent-wide programmes open to all banks and financial institutions in Africa. The aim of the Awards programme, split into four individual regions (North Africa, East Africa, West Africa and Southern Africa), is to recognise outstanding performance and excellence in the financial services industry

May 25, 2017
RDF warns prophets of doom

{The RDF Second Division Commander, Brig. Gen. Eugene Nkubito has warned people claiming to be prophets and predicting war in Rwanda with intentions of encouraging people to flee the country without participating in elections.}

He sounded the warning yesterday in pre-election awareness talks held in Northern Province referring to some cases preceding referendum in 2015 where such people told voters that a war was to take place in Rwanda calling them to flee the country.

“You know that security experience while preparing for elections. People spread rumors among citizens as we get ready for elections with the intention of threatening citizens and destabilizing elections. You know that rumors always prevent people from working. I request leaders at different levels to stand against that,” he said.

“Pointing an example in Northern Province, some people spread rumors that a war would break out as preparations for referendum got underway. Such rumors are spread by people hiding behind religion. They prophesize war so that people lock themselves inside houses other than joining others for voting,” he added.

The representative of the association of churches in Musanze district, Past Matabaro Mporana Jonas has told IGIHE that they will amicably handle the matter.

“The Church and other religions have organized a gospel crusade slated for 11th June 2017 to pray for elections in which such message will be conveyed. We always warn false prophecy while preaching but the anticipated crusade will be impactful as it will bring together various churches and religions,” he said.

May 25, 2017
Tunisian businessmen arrested in ‘war on corruption’

{Those detained are accused of corruption and helping finance protest movements linked to economic frustrations.}

Tunisia declared a “war on corruption” on Wednesday after the arrest of three businessmen and a customs officer suspected of graft and financing protests.

Corruption was widespread under Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the president who was ousted in a 2011 uprising, and has remained endemic since.

“In the war on corruption, there’s no choice. It’s either corruption or the state. Either corruption or Tunisia,” said Prime Minister Youssef Chahed.

“I want to reassure all Tunisians that the government will see this war on corruption through to the end,” he said in his first comments since the arrests started on Tuesday.

A senior official, on condition of anonymity, said that businessmen Chafik Jarraya, Yassine Chennoufi and Nejib Ben Ismail along with customs officer Ridha Ayari were arrested Tuesday “under the state of emergency” in force in Tunisia since November 2015.

“They are implicated in affairs of corruption and suspected of plotting against state security through incitement and alleged financing of the protest movements in Tataouine and other regions,” he said.

{{The death of Anouar Sakrafi}}

The arrests follow the death of Anouar Sakrafi, who succumbed to his injuries on Monday after a police vehicle ran over him during protests.

Violence gripped the rally as protesters clashed with security forces in the southern region of Tataouine, the scene of long-running protests over joblessness.

Mourners gather in front of the house of a Anouar Sakrafi, who died after being run over by a police vehicle during protests over jobs, in Tatouine, Tunisia [Zoubeir Souissi/Reuters]
Security forces fired tear gas as demonstrators tried to storm the el-Kamour oil and gas plant, radio reports said.

Dozens of people were hurt in the clashes, including about 20 security personnel.

The government has said Sakrafi’s killing was accidental.

Protesters have been camped outside the el-Kamour pumping plant for about a month, blocking trucks from entering.

Clashes also erupted on Monday in Tataouine, when protesters briefly forced the closure of the Vana pumping station.

Police fired tear gas to disperse the hundreds of protesters demanding jobs and a share in revenue from gas and oil companies.

‘Long list of corruption barons’

On Wednesday, Tataouine’s new governor Mohamed Ali Barhoumi resigned, saying in a post on Facebook that it was “for strictly personal reasons”.

He was named governor just weeks ago after two senior officials were dismissed following a visit by the prime minister to the troubled region.

The unrest represents a challenge to the authority of Chahed’s government as it tries to enact economic reforms demanded by international lenders and consolidate Tunisia’s transition to democracy.

Chahed has vowed to fight corruption since taking office last year, when the head of the national anti-graft body, Chawki Tabib, warned the problem had reached “epidemic” proportions.

The latest arrests come after Ben Ali’s nephew, Imed Trabelsi, apologised to the Tunisian people on national television last week for corruption during his uncle’s leadership.

Trabelsi recounted how he grew rich thanks to a well-oiled system involving the complicity of customs officers, high officials and ministers.

{{Praise over arrests}}

Tunisians on social media and in the press applauded Tuesday’s arrests, calling for the launch of an anti-graft probe such as Italy’s “Clean Hands” campaign in the 1990s.

But others said they hoped the arrests were not a “smokescreen” at a time when the authorities faced mounting social unrest.

Youssef Belgacem, from anti-corruption non-governmental organisation I-Watch, tentatively welcomed the “surprising” arrests.

“We hope it’s a serious first step in the war against corruption and the corrupt, and not an attempt to appease protests in Tataouine and elsewhere,” he said.

“The list of corruption barons is still long.”

Political activist Jaouhar Ben Mbarek wrote on Twitter: “If this is a real change of policy, then Chahed will find nothing but support from the Tunisian people.”

Tunisia was ranked 75th out of more than 170 countries in the 2016 corruption perceptions index published by Transparency International. It had been 59th in 2010.

Source:Al Jazeera

May 25, 2017
Manchester attack: The Libya-jihad connection

{As each hour passes we learn more about Salman Abedi. What we don’t know yet is his exact journey from Manchester-born boy to suicide bomber.}

The BBC has been told by a Muslim community worker that members of the public called the police anti-terrorism hotline about Abedi’s extreme and violent views several years ago.

We don’t know how the police responded to these reported hotline calls – but we have also learnt that earlier this year, Abedi’s behaviour again raised concerns.

According to our sources, he told local people about the value of dying for a cause.
He also made hardline statements about suicide bombings and the conflict in Libya.

{{The Libyan connection}}

Abedi’s parents fled Libya as opponents of Colonel Gaddafi’s regime.

Libya, alongside its North African neighbours, has been a centre for the rise of modern Islamist political movements.

These movements were originally dedicated to overthrowing dictatorial regimes and, to varying extents, promoting the idea of Islamic government.

The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) wanted to overthrow Gaddafi and became the dominant revolutionary force in the country in the 1990s, until the dictator began turning the screw.

Many of those with Islamist connections tried to flee – and many of them were granted refuge in the UK.

Salman Abedi’s father, Ramadan, was part of the broad network of opponents who supported those Islamist anti-Gaddafi aims. He arrived in the UK in the early 1990s.

We have been told by senior LIFG sources that he was not a member of the organisation. But he was known to be a dissident with some of the same political goals.

{{Refuge in Britain}}

That brings us to south Manchester. It has long been a centre of Libyan politics in the UK, if not Europe.

It’s where the British government gave refuge to many of those Gaddafi opponents – Birmingham and London being the other locations.

Some of the Libyans in the UK, and in particular from Manchester, were later suspected by the security services of being aligned to al-Qaeda.

I have spoken to some of these men down the years. They say their jihad was against Gaddafi alone. They wanted him overthrown.

And overthrow him they eventually did – with the help of the British and Americans.

As the Arab Spring grew and Gaddafi began to wobble, these dissidents – and a fair few of their British-raised sons – returned to their revolutionary roots.

Many joined the February 17th Martyr’s Brigade, one of the key fighting units in that war. We have been told that Salman Abedi’s father was part of the group who left the UK for one last battle against Gaddafi.

The BBC has been trying to put these questions to Ramadan Abedi. Shortly before that was to happen, Mr Abedi was arrested by security forces in Libya.

{{Manchester fighters}}

There were others from Manchester who went to fight – and most of them lived very close to each other.

Just a mile away from the Abedi home lived Abdal Raouf Abdallah – now jailed for five-and-a-half years for terrorism offences.

Abdallah was among the young British-Libyans who fought to overthrow the dictator – and he nearly paid for it with his life. He was shot in the back and was paralysed from the waist down.

He returned home proud. But at his later trial, prosecutors said his revolutionary fervour led him to facilitate the travel of other men from Manchester to join terror groups in Syria.

He protested at his trial that he hated the so-called Islamic State group – as did one of the men he was helping, Muslim convert Stephen Mustafa Gray.

Not all of the men from this area were of Libyan heritage. One of the biggest IS recruiters locally was a man called Raphael Hostey – he lived halfway between the Abedis and Abdallah. My colleague Steve Swann has previously reported on how this young man played a key role in getting others from Manchester into Syria.

In all, south Manchester has been one of the hotspots of Syria-linked militancy in the UK: Six have gone to fight and die, at least four more are believed to be fighting and another half a dozen jailed.

Those cases and others that cannot be reported for legal reasons give some indication of a triangle of Islamist-jihadist connections between Manchester, Libya and Syria and you can read more them in our unique database of recent British jihadists.

It is a complicated picture and there are still lots of unanswered questions about what precisely happened to Abedi.

A family friend in Tripoli has told BBC News that Ramadan Abedi took his son out of the city fearing the “influence of gangsters and criminals.” Mr Abedi reportedly said he feared his son was becoming increasingly drawn into drugs and criminality after the death of one of his friends in nearby Moss Side.

Salman’s younger brother, Hashem, was also in Libya. He too has been detained by security forces on suspicion of links to IS.

According to the family friend, Salman had been living with his father in Tripoli – and then five days ago unexpectedly took his passport and left without warning.

One of the recent stand-out concerns from security analysts is that Libya – with its easier transport routes across the Mediterranean into Europe – would become a far easier jumping-off point for extremists determined to bring their violence to Britain. It’s looking increasingly likely that Salman Abedi’s attack has made their point.

Source:BBC

May 25, 2017
NATO to ‘formally join’ anti-ISIL coalition

{Member states of military alliance are set to officially join a US-led coalition fighting ISIL, diplomatic sources say.}

NATO member states are expected to formally join a US-led coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) armed group in Syria and Iraq, according to several diplomatic sources.

The decision by the North Atlantic Council, the highest decision-making body within NATO, is expected to be officially announced at a meeting of the alliance’s leaders on Thursday.

“The NATO (member state) ambassadors decided this evening an action plan on terrorism for the summit. It includes the accession of NATO to the global coalition against IS,” one diplomat told the AFP news agency on Wednesday, using a different name for ISIL.

The decision is mainly political because all 28 NATO member states are already individually part of the coalition, with some only taking part in support roles.

It comes on the back of pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has urged NATO members to do more in the fight against ISIL.

Diplomats said France and Germany will agree to the US plan, but insist the move is purely symbolic.

“NATO as an institution will join the coalition,” one senior diplomat involved in the discussions told the Reuters news agency. “The question is whether this just a symbolic gesture to the United States. France and Germany believe it is.”

The move will specifically involve an expansion of flights by NATO’s AWACS surveillance aircraft currently supporting anti-ISIL operations in Syria and Iraq.

“This means that the AWACS will not just do airspace surveillance but airspace management,” the diplomat said, asking not to be identified.

“They are going to coordinate the flights and direct airplanes over Syria and Iraq but only for flights which are not related to bombings.”

Earlier on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he expected NATO to join despite reservations by some members states which are fearful of getting dragged into another conflict.

Tillerson said that NATO’s joining “would be a really important step” but that “there are a couple of countries that are still thinking it over.”

“I have had meetings actually with one of those. I think they’re going to support NATO joining and becoming a member of the ISIS fight,” he told reporters travelling with Trump.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said earlier that “many allies would like to see NATO as a full member of the coalition … because it sends a strong message of unity”.

He added that in light of Monday’s attack in Manchester, “it is important to send this message of unity against terrorism”.

Stoltenberg has previously stressed that there has been “no discussion at all of engaging NATO in a combat role” if it officially joins the coalition.

He also noted that besides sending a political signal of unity against terrorism, NATO’s formal entry into the coalition would help allies improve coordination and provide better information flows.

At the Brussels meeting on Thursday, Trump is also expected to urge NATO members to increase defence spending to the target of two percent of a country’s annual gross domestic product, as they agreed in 2014.

In return, the allies hope the US president will unequivocally state his support for NATO’s mutual defence pledge, known as Article 5.

The alliance is also due to discuss whether to increase the number of soldiers in Afghanistan as Trump mulls over adding at least 3,000 troops in hopes of putting pressure on the Taliban to come to the negotiating table.

Many in Kabul, however, fear a troop increase will not help, and have instead urged more training and equipment.

Source:Al Jazeera

May 25, 2017
Afghan plane forced to fly back after MPs miss flight

{MPs deny involvement, but aviation bosses open probe after Bamiyan-bound plane is forcefully diverted back to Kabul.}

Afghan aviation authorities have filed an official complaint against two members of parliament after a Bamiyan-bound flight they missed was forced to return to the capital when men on the ground prevented the plane from landing.

Kam Air flight RQ-814 took off from Kabul on Tuesday with 30 passengers on board – but without Bamiyan MPs Ghulam Hussain Naseri and Abdul Rahman Shaheedani, who were booked on the 8am flight.

According to local media reports, Shaheedani’s son, a police officer at the Bamiyan airport, had a role in disrupting the flight’s landing by converging with other officers on the runway and forcing the plane to fly back to Kabul.

After the aircraft returned to Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport, the two politicians were able to board the flight. Footage obtained by Al Jazeera shows Shaheedani inside the plane, just before its second departure, saying: “Everyone will now know who I am and what my power is.”

Mahmoud Shah Habibi, head of the Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority, called the incident “a complete breach of security” that violated Afghan and international aviation law.

“We have filed an official complaint against the MPs and an investigation is under way,” he told Al Jazeera on Wednesday.

“Whatever happened there, Kam Air should not had come under pressure and contacted the relevant people.”

Local media organisation, Tolonews, reported on Wednesday that at least five senior security officials were arrested over the illegal diversion of the flight. Shaheedani’s son was among those arrested.

The provincial government said in a statement that the commander of Bamiyan airport’s border police, six border police officers and the regional security chief were being questioned in connection to the incident.

Shaheedani, however, denied any involvement in disrupting the landing in Bamiyan.

“I did not play any role in this. The flight was diverted by my supporters in Bamiyan, I did not ask them to do this,” he told Al Jazeera.

“I received a call after missing my flight that the flight was diverted back and I was now able to get on the plane, so I arrived at the airport without any knowledge of the incident until I was told by the airport staff about what happened.”

{{‘Extreme pressure’}}

Captail Samad Osman Samadi, chief executive of Kam Air, described the incident as “very unusual”.

“This has not happened before,” he told Al Jazeera.

“We were under extreme pressure and worried for our passengers’ security and had no option but to divert the flight back to Kabul. They had blocked the runway and we could not land.”

As the flight returned back to Kabul, passengers had to disembark, causing delays and inconvenience.

Samadi explained the plane was re-fuelled before taking off to Bamiyan again.

“After the MPs got on board in Kabul, the runway in Bamiyan was clear and we landed without any interruption.”

A number of MPs in the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) on Wednesday condemned the act and called for a full investigation.

Kam Air opened as Afghanistan’s only private airline in November 2003. It flies leased aircraft between Kabul, Dubai and Istanbul and operates several domestic routes.

Source:Al Jazeera

May 25, 2017
Mindanao: Air raids target fighters holed up in Marawi

{Under martial law, Philippine security forces bomb ISIL-linked fighters hiding in besieged southern city.}

The Philippine army on Thursday launched air raids against ISIL-linked fighters who are hiding in a southern city they attacked earlier this week, sending thousands of people fleeing and prompting President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law in the region.

The “surgical air strikes” were aimed to flush out up to 40 fighters believed to be hiding in Marawi City, on the southern island of Mindanao, according to military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera.

Most of Marawi’s 200,000 residents had fled the city, which is about 800 kilometres south of the capital, Manila, but Herrera said those who remained had been warned to get out of the areas where there was bombing and fighting.

“We have identified targets that we need to clear,” he said. “We need to neutralise the remnants of the local terrorist groups.”

The violence erupted on Tuesday after the army raided the hideout of Isnilon Hapilon, a commander of the Abu Sayyaf group, which has pledged allegiance to ISIL (also known as ISIS). Abu Sayyaf fighters called for reinforcements from an allied group, the Maute, and dozens of gunmen managed to enter Marawi City and sweep through its streets.

The fighters reportedly burned a Catholic church, the city jail, and two schools, as well as occupied the main streets and two bridges leading to Marawi City.

Religious leaders have also accused the rebels of taking a Catholic priest and his worshippers hostage and using them as human shields.

At least 21 people are believed to have died in three days of fighting.

On Thursday, Duterte submitted to Congress the proclamation of martial law for review as required by the constitution. The House of Representatives and the Senate were scheduled to convene on Monday to assess the declaration.

Majul Gandamra, the mayor of Marawi City, said many establishments were closed, making it difficult for those who are still in the municipality to purchase supplies.

“It’s getting difficult for people to get their basic needs, like water and food,” Gandamra told a Manila radio station.

“Our top priority is to give food, water and temporary shelter to residents,” he added. “We are looking for an evacuation centre where there is no presence of the ISIL-related militants.”

Soldiers, supported by tanks, moved through streets and houses as they scoured three villages in the area where the gunmen were reported to be moving around.

Checkpoints were established at entry and exit points of Marawi City, while helicopters hovered over the city and more soldiers arrived in trucks to secure the municipality.

The military has placed units in different parts of Mindanao under high alert, including the city of Davao, Duterte’s home town, where local authorities fear the fighters could attempt to stage retaliatory attacks.

Source:Al Jazeera

May 25, 2017