International peacekeepers killed as fighting rages around eastern Congo’s key city

International peacekeepers killed as fighting rages around eastern Congo’s key city
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UN peacekeepers secure the evacuation of their non-essential civil personnel in Goma on January 25, 2025, as government troops battle advancing forces of the Rwandan-backed M23 in Goma, North Kivu province. (AFP)
International peacekeepers killed as fighting rages around eastern Congo’s key city
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UN peacekeepers secure the evacuation of their non-essential civil personnel in Goma on January 25, 2025, as government troops battle advancing forces of the Rwandan-backed M23 in Goma, North Kivu province. (AFP)
International peacekeepers killed as fighting rages around eastern Congo’s key city
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UN peacekeepers secure the evacuation of their non-essential civil personnel in Goma on January 25, 2025, as government troops battle advancing forces of the Rwandan-backed M23 in Goma, North Kivu province. (AFP)
International peacekeepers killed as fighting rages around eastern Congo’s key city
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UN peacekeepers secure the evacuation of their non-essential civil personnel in Goma on January 25, 2025, as government troops battle advancing forces of the Rwandan-backed M23 in Goma, North Kivu province. (AFP)
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Updated 26 January 2025
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International peacekeepers killed as fighting rages around eastern Congo’s key city

International peacekeepers killed as fighting rages around eastern Congo’s key city
  • M23 has made significant territorial gains in recent weeks, encircling the eastern city of Goma, which has around 2 million people
  • Congo, the US and UN officials accuse Rwanda of backing M23, which is mainly made up of ethnic Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army

GOMA, Congo: Fighting with M23 rebels in eastern Congo has left at least 13 peacekeepers and foreign soldiers dead, United Nations and army officials said Saturday.
M23 has made significant territorial gains in recent weeks, encircling the eastern city of Goma, which has around 2 million people and is a regional hub for security and humanitarian efforts.
The UN Security Council moved up an emergency meeting on the escalating violence to Sunday morning (10 am EST). Congo requested the meeting, which had originally been scheduled for Monday.
On Saturday, Congo’s army said it fended off an M23 offensive toward Goma with the help of its allied forces, including UN troops and soldiers from the Southern African Development Community Mission, also known as SAMIDRC.
“The Rwandan-backed M23 is clearly exploiting the presidential transition in the US to advance on Goma — putting thousands more civilians at risk,” Kate Hixon, advocacy director for Africa at Amnesty International US, told the Associated Press.
Congo, the United States and UN experts accuse Rwanda of backing M23, which is mainly made up of ethnic Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army more than a decade ago.
Rwanda’s government denies the claim, but last year acknowledged that it has troops and missile systems in eastern Congo to safeguard its security, pointing to a buildup of Congolese forces near the border. UN experts estimate there are up to 4,000 Rwandan forces in Congo.
The burning wreckage of a white armored fighting vehicle carrying UN markings could be seen on a road between Goma and Sake on Saturday, where much of the fighting was concentrated in recent days.
Two South African peacekeepers were killed Friday, while a Uruguayan Blue Helmet was killed Saturday, a UN official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak on the matter publicly.
Additionally, three Malawian peacekeepers were killed in eastern Congo, the United Nations in Malawi said Saturday.
Seven South African soldiers from the SAMIDRC were also killed during clashes with M23 over the last two days, South Africa’s department of defense said in a statement.
Uruguay’s military in a statement issued Saturday identified its member killed in Congo as Rodolfo Álvarez, who was part of the Uruguay IV Battalion. The unit, according to the statement, is working “uninterruptedly to comply with the United Nations mandate, as well as to guarantee the evacuation of non-essential civilian and military personnel from the city of Goma.”
“Various measures have been taken to improve the security of our troops, who are operating in adverse conditions,” the military said. It added that four Uruguayan peacekeepers were also injured. Three of them remained in Goma while a fourth one was evacuated to Uganda for treatment.
Since 2021, Congo’s government and allied forces, including SAMIDRC and UN troops, have been keeping M23 away from Goma.
The UN peacekeeping force, also known as MONUSCO, entered Congo more than two decades ago and has around 14,000 peacekeepers on the ground.
South Africa’s defense minister, Angie Motshekga, was visiting the country’s troops stationed in Congo as part of the UN peacekeeping mission the day the soldiers were killed.


Bangladesh prepares skilled workers for Expo, World Cup projects in Saudi Arabia

Bangladesh prepares skilled workers for Expo, World Cup projects in Saudi Arabia
Updated 9 sec ago
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Bangladesh prepares skilled workers for Expo, World Cup projects in Saudi Arabia

Bangladesh prepares skilled workers for Expo, World Cup projects in Saudi Arabia
  • Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry meets Saudi authorities
  • Bangladeshi embassy launches E-Demand Attestation system to streamline recruitment

DHAKA: The Bangladeshi government says it is preparing to send skilled and semi-skilled workers to Saudi Arabia to assist with development projects ahead of international events to be hosted by the Kingdom, including the FIFA World Cup, the Asian Winter Games, and Expo 2030.

Adviser Asif Nazrul, who heads Bangladesh’s Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry, visited Riyadh this week to meet with Saudi authorities and discuss the welfare and presence of Bangladeshi expats in the Kingdom’s labor market. He also met with representatives of leading Saudi companies and recruitment agencies.

“The meetings concluded that Bangladesh can supply more skilled and semi-skilled migrants to the Kingdom to support the implementation of Vision 2030 and the successful hosting of various upcoming international events,” Mohammad Shahed Anowar, deputy secretary at the ministry, told Arab News.

“In the Kingdom, there is good demand for our construction workers, including plumbers, pipe fitters, welders, electricians, AC mechanics and so on.”

Around 3 million Bangladeshi nationals live and work in Saudi Arabia. They are the largest expat group in the Kingdom and the largest Bangladeshi community outside Bangladesh. Many are employed in the construction sector and more are likely to find jobs in the industry in the next few years, as the country prepares to host the AFC Asian Cup in 2027, the Asian Winter Games in 2029, the World Expo in 2030, and the FIFA World Cup in 2034.

The World Cup alone will offer numerous opportunities for migrant workers to help build 15 stadiums in five cities, as well as transport networks and hotel infrastructure.

“These events will require new construction work, and we can supply the skilled and semi-skilled workforce needed for these projects,” Anowar said.

“To meet the demands of Saudi employers, we are focusing on preparing more skilled workers. Our Technical Training Centers are well-equipped for this purpose. We invite Saudi employers to visit the centers and see the preparations firsthand. We are also collaborating with the Saudi agency Takamol, which certifies workers’ skills according to Saudi standards and requirements. We can dedicate specific TTCs to ensure the Kingdom can easily source skilled migrants from these centers.”

During the overseas employment adviser’s visit, the Bangladeshi embassy in Riyadh launched the E-Demand Attestation system, allowing Saudi companies to register online and attest worker demand letters remotely.

“The E-Demand Attestation system will make worker recruitment more transparent and reduce lead time for sending migrants from Bangladesh. Employers can submit their recruitment requisitions online, eliminating the need to visit the embassy. Our Labor Wing officials at the embassy will review the requisition and expedite the recruitment process accordingly,” Anowar said.

“The system will streamline the recruitment process, making it hassle-free and transparent for both employers and migrants.”


18 soldiers killed as militants attack town in southwestern Pakistan – official

18 soldiers killed as militants attack town in southwestern Pakistan – official
Updated 56 min 25 sec ago
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18 soldiers killed as militants attack town in southwestern Pakistan – official

18 soldiers killed as militants attack town in southwestern Pakistan – official

QUETTA: At least 18 soldiers were killed and five, including two civilians, were injured after separatist militants launched overnight attacks in a southwestern town, an official confirmed on Saturday after a van carrying the soldiers was targeted in one of the attacks.

The attacks began late Friday when militants attacked three different spots in Mangochar town located in Balochistan’s Kalat district around 103 kilometers from the provincial capital of Quetta, Kalat Deputy Commissioner Bilal Shabbir confirmed.

The attacks took place in Pidrang, Khazeni and Mangochar Bazaar areas of the town, the deputy commissioner shared, where militants started conducting snap checking of passenger vehicles passing through the town.

In the first incident, Shabbir said a van carrying 17 soldiers from Panjgur to the provincial capital of Quetta came under attack near the mountainous area of Khazeni, where armed men battled with paramilitary Levies and Frontier Corps’ personnel.

He said one soldier of the Frontier Corps (FC) force was separately killed in clashes with the militants.

“The bodies of the slain soldiers were shifted to Quetta,” Shabbir said. “We don’t know how many attackers were killed because they took the bodies of their fighters to the mountains in the dark.”

He said three FC personnel were also injured in the attack, adding that militants also set a private bank on fire at Mangochar Bazaar.

Banned separatist outfit Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement. The group said its fighters have captured a Pakistani security forces camp in Mangochar, which Arab News could not independently verify.

Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner Mangochar Ali Gul Hassan said two civilians were separately injured when a Quetta-Karachi passenger bus was hit with bullets at the bazaar.

He said security forces had taken control of the area and opened the Karachi-Quetta highway and its surrounding roads for traffic.

“Security forces have completed the clearance operation in the area during the early hours of Saturday and the Quetta-Karachi highway (N-25) is opened for traffic,” Hassan told Arab News.

Arab News contacted Pakistan military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) for confirmation but did not receive a response till the filing of this report.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by landmass and rich in mineral resources, has long faced a low-level insurgency led by separatist groups like the BLA, who accuse Islamabad of exploiting the province’s natural resources, such as gold and copper, while neglecting the local population.

Pakistani governments deny these allegations, saying that it has prioritized Balochistan’s development through investments in health, education and infrastructure projects.

The BLA has emerged as a significant security threat in recent years, carrying out major attacks in Balochistan and Sindh provinces while targeting security forces, ethnic Punjabis and Chinese nationals working on development projects.

The BLA launched coordinated attacks in Balochistan in August last year, killing over 50. Last month, dozens of fighters of the separatist outfit gained control of a small town in Khuzdar for hours and snatched weapons and vehicles from the local Levies force and set the Levies station on fire.

Violence by Baloch separatist factions, primarily the BLA, killed about 300 people last year, according to official statistics, marking an escalation in the decades-long conflict.

• This article originally appeared on Arab News Pakistan


Pope Francis stumbles while walking into Jubilee audience at the Vatican as his walking stick snaps

Pope Francis stumbles while walking into Jubilee audience at the Vatican as his walking stick snaps
Updated 01 February 2025
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Pope Francis stumbles while walking into Jubilee audience at the Vatican as his walking stick snaps

Pope Francis stumbles while walking into Jubilee audience at the Vatican as his walking stick snaps
  • Pope Francis often has to use a wheelchair or a cane because of bad knees
  • The pontiff has long battled health problems including long bouts of bronchitis

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis tripped while entering the Vatican auditorium for an audience Saturday after the handle of his walking stick snapped, but he avoided falling.
The 88-year-old pope often has to use a wheelchair or a cane because of bad knees and has fallen twice in the past two months.
After Saturday’s slight stumble, two aides helped him to his chair on the stage and the audience proceeded without incident. After he recovered someone in the audience shouted “Viva il Papa” and the audience applauded.
Earlier in January, Francis fell and hurt his right arm. It wasn’t broken, but a sling was put on as a precaution.
On Dec. 7, the pope whacked his chin on his nightstand in an apparent fall that resulted in a bad bruise.
The pontiff has long battled health problems including long bouts of bronchitis. He uses a walker or cane when moving around his apartment in the Vatican’s Santa Marta hotel.
Speculation about Francis’ health is a constant in Vatican circles, especially after Pope Benedict XVI broke 600 years of tradition and resigned from the papacy in 2013. Benedict’s aides have attributed the decision to a nighttime fall that he suffered during a 2012 trip to Mexico, after which he determined he couldn’t keep up with the globe-trotting demands of the papacy.
Francis has said that he has no plans to resign anytime soon, even if Benedict “opened the door” to the possibility. In his autobiography “Hope” released this month, Francis said that he hadn’t considered resigning even when he had major intestinal surgery.


Los Angeles fires fully contained after burning for 3 weeks: state agency

Los Angeles fires fully contained after burning for 3 weeks: state agency
Updated 01 February 2025
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Los Angeles fires fully contained after burning for 3 weeks: state agency

Los Angeles fires fully contained after burning for 3 weeks: state agency
  • Palisades and Eaton fires burned more than 150 square kilometers and over 10,000 homes
  • Estimated damage and economic loss at between $250 billion and $275 billion

LOS ANGELES, United States: Two devastating wildfires in Los Angeles were declared fully contained by firefighters on Friday after burning for more than three weeks, killing about 30 people and displacing thousands more.
The Palisades and Eaton fires in Southern California’s Los Angeles County were the most destructive in the history of the second-largest US city, burning more than 150 square kilometers and over 10,000 homes, causing damage estimated to cost hundreds of billions of dollars.
Cal Fire, the state’s firefighting agency, updated the figures on its website on Friday to show 100 percent containment of both fires, meaning their perimeters were completely under control.
Evacuation orders were lifted earlier, with the fires not posing a serious threat for days.
Both blazes started on January 7 and their exact cause remains under investigation.
But human-driven climate change set the stage for the infernos by reducing rainfall, parching vegetation, and extending the dangerous overlap between flammable drought conditions and powerful Santa Ana winds, according to an analysis published this week.
The study, conducted by dozens of researchers, concluded that the conditions fueling the blazes were approximately 35 percent more likely due to global warming caused by burning fossil fuels.
The two fires destroyed thousands of structures over more than three weeks in the affluent Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles and Malibu, and in the Altadena community in Los Angeles County, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate their homes.
“Our recovery effort is based around getting people back home to rebuild as quickly and safely as possible,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement Friday. “We are making sure that the Palisades will be safe as residents access their properties.”
City police chief Jim McDonnell said the presence of law enforcement officers in the area would be “more than 10 times” what it was before the start of the fires.
Private meteorological firm AccuWeather has estimated the damage and economic loss at between $250 billion and $275 billion.


African health agency says DRC fighting has spawned ‘health emergency’

African health agency says DRC fighting has spawned ‘health emergency’
Updated 01 February 2025
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African health agency says DRC fighting has spawned ‘health emergency’

African health agency says DRC fighting has spawned ‘health emergency’
  • The head of Africa’s health agency said the situation in the DRC city of Goma was a “full-scale public health emergency,” warning that the fighting there could fuel major pandemics

ADDIS ABABA: The head of Africa’s health agency said the situation in the DRC city of Goma was a “full-scale public health emergency,” warning that the fighting there could fuel major pandemics.
The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group has been advancing across the Democratic Republic of Congo’s volatile east, which has been the scene of numerous infectious disease outbreaks.
Earlier this week, M23 seized control of most of North Kivu’s capital Goma, a densely populated city of three million people, one million of whom are displaced.
Jean Kaseya, head of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), said it was these “extreme conditions, combined with insecurity and mass displacement have fueled the mutation of the mpox virus.”
The clade 1b variant of mpox, which has been recorded in many countries across the world in recent months, first emerged in the neighboring South Kivu province in 2023.
“Goma has become the epicenter, spreading mpox across 21 African countries,” he said in a letter sent on Friday to African leaders.
“This is not only a security issue — it is a full-scale public health emergency,” Kaseya said.
“This war must end. If decisive action is not taken, it will not be bullets alone that claim lives — it will be the unchecked spread of major outbreaks and potential pandemics that will come from this fragile region... devastating economies and societies across our continent,” he said.
The conditions had also led to “widespread measles, cholera and other outbreaks, claiming thousands more lives.”
The conflict in the eastern DRC is a dramatic escalation in a region that has seen decades of conflict involving multiple armed groups, which over the past three decades have claimed an estimated six million lives.
International observers have sounded the alarm on the humanitarian impact of the escalating conflict.