East Africa

Lalibela, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its 13th-century cliffs in Ethiopia's Amhara region, was taken over by rebels from the nearby Tigray region, residents said on Thursday. The development came when a senior Amhara official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the rebels, known as the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), pushed "deep" into Amhara territory and hinted at possible reprisals. "I think now, enough is enough. Because TPLF is no longer in Tigray. TPLF is moving deep into…

About 50 bodies have been found floating in the river between Ethiopia's Tigray and Sudan, according to a Sudanese official in Kassala province. The Setit River separates Sudan from Ethiopia and serves as a de facto boundary between the conflicting Tigrayan forces and Ethiopian-backed Amhara forces. "They were shot in the chest, abdomen, legs ... and also had their hands tied," said Tewodros Tefera, a surgeon who fled the nearby town of Tigray in Humera to Sudan. The doctor told the Associated Press…

Eritrea is the only country on the African continent that has not yet started vaccinating its citizens against COVID-19 as part of a national campaign. According to national media reports, after the vaccination campaign started in Tanzania on July 28 and Burundi announced that it would also vaccinate itself, Eritrea is now the only country on the continent that has not planned a COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Although Tanzania and Burundi say "yes" to the vaccine with the help of the international…

Jean Damascene Ngoboka, a perpetrator of genocide in Rwanda, said he was not at peace for many years because he was haunted by his crimes committed during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi ethnic group. "I experienced nightmares. I lost my sleep because of my crimes committed during the genocide. It can scare me," Ngoboka said. Ngoboka, 45, no longer gets a good night's sleep and moves freely around Bumbogo in Kigali's Gasabo district, where he took part in massacres in the Tutsi ethnic community.…

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Members of the international community welcomed the progress made in holding free and fair elections in Somalia, arguing that the plan has been fully implemented so far in accordance with the original agreement. The country has launched the long process of selecting the leaders, who will lead the country for the next four years. Already, senatorial elections have started across the country, with Jubaland becoming the first state to choose senators. In a statement, members of the international…

In Uganda, the 42-day containment in mid-June ordered to fight the new wave of Covid-19 cases that ended on Saturday, July 31. Transportation, including motorcycle taxis, is allowed again and shopping malls can reopen. The curfew will be maintained at 7 pm and the schools will remain closed for the time being, but for Kampala residents, the resumption of operations is a real relief.…

On Saturday, the French president summoned Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Abdallah Hamdok, the head of the Sudanese government. Two interviews to underline, according to the Élysée, France's concerns about the rise of fighting in northern Ethiopia and the development of the humanitarian situation in Tigray. Emmanuel…

This Saturday, July 31, it was difficult for Ivory Coast with Marie-Josée Ta Lou's fourth place in the 100 meters and elimination of football players in the quarterfinals. The only good news for the Ivorians: the qualification of Arthur Cissé for the semifinals of the 100 meters. The second clarification came from the Angolan handball players who are relaunching before the quarter-finals.…

Somali Prime Minister calls for unity to defeat terrorism after the death of 4 footballers MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Roble called on Somalis to unite to defeat terrorism after four footballers were killed in an IED explosion on Friday. Roble condemned the terrorist attack in the town of Kismayo in the Lower Jubba region of Jubaland state and called for an immediate end…

Bus with soccer players exploded in Somalia at the start of key elections MOGADISHU, Somalia - Four local footballers in Somalia were killed when an explosion believed to have been caused by a bomb ravaged their bus on Friday, police and witnesses said. Ten players from the Jubaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry club were on their way to a game at the stadium in the city of Kismayo in…