Metro

UN deploys more troops to Mali tri-border area with Burkina Faso, Niger as terrorist attacks continue

Published

2 years ago

April 1, 2022

The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has deployed two units to the African country’s tri-border area with Burkina Faso and Niger to respond to a spate of civilian killings, it said on Thursday.

This comes after a recent surge in terrorist attacks in the troubled West African country. One of such was the attack on two Egyptian peacekeepers of the United Nations Mission in Mali MINUSMA and two Malian soldiers were killed last month in two separate events in Mali.

The special United Nations peacekeeping force was established in Mali on 25 April 2013 by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2100 to stabilize the country after the Tuareg rebellion of 2012. It was officially deployed on 1 July and has become the UN’s most dangerous peacekeeping mission, with 209 peacekeepers killed out of a force of about 15,200.

“The security situation in the Tri-border area… particularly in the localities of Tessit, Talataye, Ansongo and the Menaka region, has deteriorated considerably in recent weeks,” said the U.N. peacekeeping mission, MINUSMA.

MINUSMA deployed one unit to the area over a week ago and was in the process of deploying another on Thursday, it said, adding that the attacks have resulted in “dozens of deaths”.

At least 500 civilians have been killed in the last three weeks in the regions of Gao and Menaka, said a military source, requesting anonymity because he was not authorized to speak.

The Mali War started in January 2012 between the northern and southern parts of Mali in Africa with several insurgent groups, Jihadist and separatist fighters with affiliations with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group began fighting a campaign against the Malian government for independence or greater autonomy for northern Mali, which they called Azawad. The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), an organization fighting to make this area of Mali an independent homeland for the Tuareg people, had taken control of the region by April 2012.

Until recently, French-led military intervention ousted jihadists who were taking control of northern Mali, and troops remained to provide support for anti-terrorist operations. But deteriorating relations with Mali’s new military leaders, who seized power in a 2020 coup, have prompted France to reconsider its role in the country.

Metro

‘Rights must go with responsibilities,’ traditional leader cautions on use of social media

Published

4 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Mansa, Luapula Province: Annette Katema, the Head Woman of Chitumbi Village in Mansa District, voices concerns about the detrimental effects of irresponsible social media usage.

In a recent interview with Zambia Monitor, Katema argued that social media platforms were contributing to delinquency among the youth, particularly platforms like WhatsApp, TikTok, and Facebook.

“Children are being exposed to inappropriate content on WhatsApp, which is harmful to their upbringing. Social media platforms are fostering moral decay,” remarked Head Woman Chitumbi.

She stated that this trend undermined the cultural values that were essential for societal cohesion.

Katema expressed reservations about the prevalence of nudity and offensive language on social media, calling for stricter moderation.

She advocated for proactive measures to steer young people away from harmful online content, suggesting the revitalization of traditional recreational activities like playhouses and sports.

“Instead of solely relying on punitive measures, let’s invest in creating positive alternatives to counter the allure of social media,” Katema proposed.

She urged the youth to uphold traditional values alongside their digital rights, stating the importance of responsible behavior online.

“We should not lose respect in the name of digital rights because rights should go with responsibilities,” the traditional leader said.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.

Metro

President Tinubu finally returns to Nigeria amid speculations over his absence

Published

7 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

After spending the last two weeks out of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has finally returned to the country.

Tinubu, who returned to Nigeria on Wednesday morning, had departed the country two weeks ago, on April 23, for The Netherlands for a three-day official visit, honouring an invitation from the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte.

While in the European country, Tinubu participated in the Nigerian-Dutch Business and Investment Forum, which brought together heads of conglomerates and organisations in both countries.

After his engagements in The Netherlands, Tinubu, according to his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, proceeded to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend a World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development which held between April 28–29.

However, after the summit, the president did not return to the country as he was said to have proceeded to London for a private visit which gave room to speculations over his health.

The Nigerian Presidency did not also help matters as there was no official statement on the President’s engagements, nor were they willing to douse the tension created by his absence, leading to Nigerians raising posers with the hashtag #WhereisTinubu.

In a tweet on Tuesday evening, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had revealed that Tinubu would be back in the country on Wednesday.

“President Bola Tinubu, along with his aides, will return to Nigeria tomorrow from Europe,” he had written.

The recent foreign trip was Tinubu’s 20th since assuming office on May 29, 2023, effectively logging 96 days abroad, which has made him one of Africa’s most globe-trotting leaders.

In his less than one year in office, President Tinubu has visited Paris, France (thrice); London, the United Kingdom (twice); Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic, New Delhi, India.

He has also taken a trip to Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (twice); Berlin, Germany; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dakar, Senegal; Doha, Qatar; and The Hague, The Netherlands.