Columbia – The Columbian government has said that it will only stop military operations after a peace deal is agreed. Two major rebel groups in Colombia have announced a unilateral truce with the government during the forthcoming presidential election. The FARC and the ELN will halt attacks from 20 – 28 May 14. The election is scheduled for 25 May. The government has been in peace talks with the FARC since 2012, but has refused to stop fighting the rebels. The talks aim to end five decades of an conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people in Colombia. The Army of National Liberation (ELN) is not taking part in the peace talks but has looked at the possibility of having their own at some date in the future, although first looking to see how FARC proceed. However, the group has also agreed to temporarily stop fighting the government.
United States/Kenya – The United States signalled on the 17 May 14 that it would cut staff levels at its Nairobi embassy because of the mounting threat of attacks in Kenya by Islamist militants. A statement from the US ambassador to Kenya, Robert F. Godec, said the embassy was "continuously reviewing and updating its security measures, and expects to take additional steps in coming days, to include on US staffing." "Unfortunately, the US government continues to receive information about potential terrorist threats aimed at both Kenyans and the international community," Godec said. "The most important responsibility of every US ambassador and embassy is to protect American citizens and to keep them informed." The statement comes amid a wave of bomb attacks in Kenya's capital Nairobi and port city of Mombasa that authorities have blamed on militants connected to Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab terrorists. According to US embassy staff, security around the embassy has already been stepped up and certain departments currently based inside the compound may be relocated to embassies in neighbouring Tanzania or Ethiopia, which are seen as far lower risk. Embassy staff said the ambassador has already signalled internally during the week that the "footprint" of the Nairobi embassy, which has more than 1,000 staff, would be reduced -- although the statement from the ambassador insisted that "we remain open for normal operations and have no plan to close." At least 200 people were killed when Al-Qaeda bombed the US embassy in Nairobi in 1998, and US diplomats then moved to a more secure compound outside the city centre. This action may also coincide with fresh terrorist warnings in the country.
United States/Kenya – The United States signalled on the 17 May 14 that it would cut staff levels at its Nairobi embassy because of the mounting threat of attacks in Kenya by Islamist militants. A statement from the US ambassador to Kenya, Robert F. Godec, said the embassy was "continuously reviewing and updating its security measures, and expects to take additional steps in coming days, to include on US staffing." "Unfortunately, the US government continues to receive information about potential terrorist threats aimed at both Kenyans and the international community," Godec said. "The most important responsibility of every US ambassador and embassy is to protect American citizens and to keep them informed." The statement comes amid a wave of bomb attacks in Kenya's capital Nairobi and port city of Mombasa that authorities have blamed on militants connected to Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab terrorists. According to US embassy staff, security around the embassy has already been stepped up and certain departments currently based inside the compound may be relocated to embassies in neighbouring Tanzania or Ethiopia, which are seen as far lower risk. Embassy staff said the ambassador has already signalled internally during the week that the "footprint" of the Nairobi embassy, which has more than 1,000 staff, would be reduced -- although the statement from the ambassador insisted that "we remain open for normal operations and have no plan to close." At least 200 people were killed when Al-Qaeda bombed the US embassy in Nairobi in 1998, and US diplomats then moved to a more secure compound outside the city centre. This action may also coincide with fresh terrorist warnings in the country.
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