Egypt/Sinai – Six soldiers including four Americans were injured on the 3 Sep 15 in two blasts in northeast Sinai caused by improvised explosive devices, the Pentagon said. The Multinational Force and Observer peacekeepers were evacuated "by air to a medical facility where all are receiving treatment for non-life-threatening injuries," Captain Jeff Davis said in a statement. The four Americans were struck by the second blast as they were en route to help the soldiers hurt in the first. The MFO was created as a result of the 1979 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel and is based in Sinai, the peninsula that lies between Israel, the Gaza Strip and the Suez Canal. About 650 Americans are currently assigned to the force, Cabiness said. Israel has called on Egypt to crack down on growing lawlessness in the Sinai, which has become a hideout for jihadi groups opposed to Israel. Islamist militants were suspected of killing 16 border guards last month in North Sinai, prompting Egypt to send armoured vehicles and hundreds of troops in the biggest build-up in the demilitarized zone since Egypt's 1973 war with Israel. Cabiness said the Pentagon remains concerned about the deteriorating security conditions in the region.
Kenya – A man has been arrested at a shopping centre in Kenya's capital with three explosive devices, which have since been detonated in controlled explosions, police said on the 8 Sep 15. The Garden City Mall, one of the biggest shopping centres in the city, was also evacuated. Security at Nairobi's shopping complexes had been stepped up since an attack on the Westgate mall. The man, who was arrested, did not have any identification papers on him, police spokesperson Charles Owino said.
Somalia – Al-Shabaab insurgents on the morning of the 1 Sep 15 attacked a Ugandan army base in Somalia, killing an unspecified number of soldiers. Although various accounts gave differing numbers of the dead, the deputy army spokesperson, Maj Henry Obbo, did not say how many Ugandans had been killed at the UPDF-manned base of Janale, about 90km southeast of Mogadishu. A statement issued by Amisom said: "Given the complex nature of the attack, Amisom is currently verifying the number of casualties and extent of the damage." This is the deadliest attack against African Union troops from Ugandan contingent ever since Uganda deployed in Somalia in March 2007, military sources say. "Whereas we do not have the mandate to speak for Amisom operations, we are aware there was an attack by al-Shabaab at 0530 hrs using car bombs to breach the defence," Maj Obbo said. The attackers detonated explosives loaded in vehicles, killing the guards at the quarter guard before entering the Amisom base. The attack comes exactly one year after the al Shabaab leader Ahmed Abdi Godane was killed by Americans in an airstrike in Somalia. Al-Shabaab claimed in a statement yesterday that it was a revenge attack against AU troops for "raping" Somali women, an allegation Maj Obbo dismissed. "Rape is a war crime. Whatever we do in Somalia is under scrutiny by African Union and other agencies. Our soldiers cannot commit such crime because they go through pre-deployment training which covers human rights," he said.
Previous attacks
On September 17, 2009, al-Shabaab attacked the African Union headquarters manned by the UPDF and killed six, including the Burundian deputy Amisom force commander, Maj Gen Juvenal Niyoyunguriza. Maj Gen Nathan Mugisha, the then overall commander was also injured in the head.
In 2010, the insurgents attacked Somalia presidential residence which was guard of the Amisom. They were repulsed but they killed four Ugandan soldiers. In the same year, they attacked soldiers guarding the airport but they were repulsed.
On December 25, 2014, they attacked AU senior officers' mess at the Amisom headquarter in Mogadishu as the soldiers were having lunch.
South Africa/United States – The US Embassy's warning of possible terror attacks in South Africa was triggered by "specific, credible" information, a spokesperson said on the 8 Sep 15. The US Diplomatic Mission to South Africa on Tuesday warned US citizens that extremists may be targeting that country's government facilities and business interests in South Africa. The US had received "specific, credible, non-counterable threat information" in this regard, Cynthia Harvey said in a statement. She could not disclose more about who the threat came from or what the likely targets were. Such security warnings were not a reflection on bilateral relations with other countries, Harvey said. "They are part of our commitment to protect US citizens travelling and residing abroad." In another report on the 9 Sep 15 there was no need to panic over warnings of a terror attack against US interests in South Africa, State Security Minister David Mahlobo said. "There is no need for panic... but as a concern that was raised by the Americans, we will continue to do our normal job, to share information, be on the alert, we will not be in a position to be complacent. "But, as we know, South Africa remains stable and there is no imminent danger or threat that is being posed by any terrorist group to this republic," Mahlobo said. Mahlobo said US authorities had been in contact with their South African counterparts over the last few days to say they are "very worried" about certain individuals who may pose a threat. South Africa took this warning seriously but its information from the ground was that there was no imminent danger. "What we have done in terms of processing that information, we have to come to the conclusion that there is no immediate danger or threat that is being posed to any person within the republic..."But we will continue to monitor the information," said Mahlobo. 361 COMMENT: The Americans obviously have some concerns hence their warning to those in the country. The African minister Mahlobo is attempting to play the threat down even to the extent that he is saying the Americans are wrong. Whoever is right and whoever is wrong if a threat warning is issued personnel are better taking notice of it contrary to what others say. Until the source of the information, in this case the United States, gives the all clear then its citizens had better take notice. COMMENT ENDS
Tunisia – Four presumed "dangerous terrorists" who were attempting to enter the Tunisian territory illegally to rally the terrorist groups hiding on Mount Chaambi in Kasserine, were arrested by the Medenine national guard units in co-ordination with the El Aouina anti-terrorist brigade. Suspects' mission is to activate the Okba Ibn Nafaa katibat, which is plotting for attacks targeting sensitive establishments, an Interior Ministry (IM) press release pointed out on the 2 Sep 15. According to the first investigation elements, several members of the group arrested are involved in the attacks that had targeted the Riadh Palm hotel in Sousse and Bourguiba Family Square in Monastir, the same source says. The IM also confirmed the ties between this group and terrorist organisations including Tunisians based in Libya near Tunisian borders. Besides two other "dangerous takfirist elements" trying to enter the Libyan soil via Ben Guerdane (governorate of Medenine), to join terrorist groups, to get trained to use weapons and return back to the homeland to perpetrate terrorist attacks, the press release specifies.
Kenya – A man has been arrested at a shopping centre in Kenya's capital with three explosive devices, which have since been detonated in controlled explosions, police said on the 8 Sep 15. The Garden City Mall, one of the biggest shopping centres in the city, was also evacuated. Security at Nairobi's shopping complexes had been stepped up since an attack on the Westgate mall. The man, who was arrested, did not have any identification papers on him, police spokesperson Charles Owino said.
Somalia – Al-Shabaab insurgents on the morning of the 1 Sep 15 attacked a Ugandan army base in Somalia, killing an unspecified number of soldiers. Although various accounts gave differing numbers of the dead, the deputy army spokesperson, Maj Henry Obbo, did not say how many Ugandans had been killed at the UPDF-manned base of Janale, about 90km southeast of Mogadishu. A statement issued by Amisom said: "Given the complex nature of the attack, Amisom is currently verifying the number of casualties and extent of the damage." This is the deadliest attack against African Union troops from Ugandan contingent ever since Uganda deployed in Somalia in March 2007, military sources say. "Whereas we do not have the mandate to speak for Amisom operations, we are aware there was an attack by al-Shabaab at 0530 hrs using car bombs to breach the defence," Maj Obbo said. The attackers detonated explosives loaded in vehicles, killing the guards at the quarter guard before entering the Amisom base. The attack comes exactly one year after the al Shabaab leader Ahmed Abdi Godane was killed by Americans in an airstrike in Somalia. Al-Shabaab claimed in a statement yesterday that it was a revenge attack against AU troops for "raping" Somali women, an allegation Maj Obbo dismissed. "Rape is a war crime. Whatever we do in Somalia is under scrutiny by African Union and other agencies. Our soldiers cannot commit such crime because they go through pre-deployment training which covers human rights," he said.
Previous attacks
On September 17, 2009, al-Shabaab attacked the African Union headquarters manned by the UPDF and killed six, including the Burundian deputy Amisom force commander, Maj Gen Juvenal Niyoyunguriza. Maj Gen Nathan Mugisha, the then overall commander was also injured in the head.
In 2010, the insurgents attacked Somalia presidential residence which was guard of the Amisom. They were repulsed but they killed four Ugandan soldiers. In the same year, they attacked soldiers guarding the airport but they were repulsed.
On December 25, 2014, they attacked AU senior officers' mess at the Amisom headquarter in Mogadishu as the soldiers were having lunch.
South Africa/United States – The US Embassy's warning of possible terror attacks in South Africa was triggered by "specific, credible" information, a spokesperson said on the 8 Sep 15. The US Diplomatic Mission to South Africa on Tuesday warned US citizens that extremists may be targeting that country's government facilities and business interests in South Africa. The US had received "specific, credible, non-counterable threat information" in this regard, Cynthia Harvey said in a statement. She could not disclose more about who the threat came from or what the likely targets were. Such security warnings were not a reflection on bilateral relations with other countries, Harvey said. "They are part of our commitment to protect US citizens travelling and residing abroad." In another report on the 9 Sep 15 there was no need to panic over warnings of a terror attack against US interests in South Africa, State Security Minister David Mahlobo said. "There is no need for panic... but as a concern that was raised by the Americans, we will continue to do our normal job, to share information, be on the alert, we will not be in a position to be complacent. "But, as we know, South Africa remains stable and there is no imminent danger or threat that is being posed by any terrorist group to this republic," Mahlobo said. Mahlobo said US authorities had been in contact with their South African counterparts over the last few days to say they are "very worried" about certain individuals who may pose a threat. South Africa took this warning seriously but its information from the ground was that there was no imminent danger. "What we have done in terms of processing that information, we have to come to the conclusion that there is no immediate danger or threat that is being posed to any person within the republic..."But we will continue to monitor the information," said Mahlobo. 361 COMMENT: The Americans obviously have some concerns hence their warning to those in the country. The African minister Mahlobo is attempting to play the threat down even to the extent that he is saying the Americans are wrong. Whoever is right and whoever is wrong if a threat warning is issued personnel are better taking notice of it contrary to what others say. Until the source of the information, in this case the United States, gives the all clear then its citizens had better take notice. COMMENT ENDS
Tunisia – Four presumed "dangerous terrorists" who were attempting to enter the Tunisian territory illegally to rally the terrorist groups hiding on Mount Chaambi in Kasserine, were arrested by the Medenine national guard units in co-ordination with the El Aouina anti-terrorist brigade. Suspects' mission is to activate the Okba Ibn Nafaa katibat, which is plotting for attacks targeting sensitive establishments, an Interior Ministry (IM) press release pointed out on the 2 Sep 15. According to the first investigation elements, several members of the group arrested are involved in the attacks that had targeted the Riadh Palm hotel in Sousse and Bourguiba Family Square in Monastir, the same source says. The IM also confirmed the ties between this group and terrorist organisations including Tunisians based in Libya near Tunisian borders. Besides two other "dangerous takfirist elements" trying to enter the Libyan soil via Ben Guerdane (governorate of Medenine), to join terrorist groups, to get trained to use weapons and return back to the homeland to perpetrate terrorist attacks, the press release specifies.
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