Earth Science News  
AFRICA NEWS
Guinea soldier wanted over stadium massacre appears in court
by Staff Writers
Dakar (AFP) Dec 29, 2016


Burkina leader names new army chief after jihadist raid
Ouagadougou (AFP) Dec 29, 2016 - Burkina Faso's President Roch Marc Christian Kabore has named a new military commander, two weeks after jihadists killed 12 soldiers in a major raid, a government statement said Thursday.

Colonel Oumarou Sadou was made chief of the armed forces general staff, according to the document released after a cabinet meeting. He replaces General Pingrenoma Zagre.

The appointment "comes in the framework of the reorganisation of the armed forces", Kabore said on Twitter.

Sadou, 57, comes from the arid Sahel region in northern Burkina Faso, which is frequently attacked by jihadists from Mali, across the border.

On December 12, jihadists killed 12 soldiers in one such attack against an army squad at Nassoumbou in the Djibo district, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the frontier.

The raid -- the deadliest ever against Burkina Faso's military -- caused a public outcry, with some calling for the sacking of a military leadership accused of failing to match up to the jihadist threat.

A first attack on troops in the same region in October left six dead, two civilians as well as four soldiers.

Sadou, who served as army chief of staff in 2011 and was later entrusted with the oversight tasks of inspector of the armed forces, has a reputation for tough tactics.

Long spared the Islamist violence affecting several nations in the region, notably Mali and Niger, Burkina has been hit by a series of attacks and kidnappings since April 2015.

Most of the raids have occurred near the northern border, but in January 2016, 30 people were killed and 71 wounded in the capital Ouagadougou after gunmen stormed a restaurant and a four-star hotel, taking hostages.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility for the attacks, which ended after Burkinabe troops and French counterterrorist forces posted in the country staged an offensive.

A Guinean soldier implicated in a 2009 massacre at a Conakry stadium has appeared before a court prosecutor in Dakar, as details emerged about his years living in neighbouring Senegal under a false identity.

Fugitive Aboubacar Sidiki Diakite, who gained notoriety for the December 2009 shooting of Guinea coup leader Dadis Camara after a dispute over responsibility for the massacre, was arrested two weeks ago in Dakar.

Diakite's lawyer told AFP Thursday a prosecutor questioned him on Wednesday to confirm his identity and informed him he could be extradited to face justice in Guinea.

Camara and Diakite are both accused of involvement in the September 2009 incident at an opposition rally, where witnesses reported presidential guards firing on the crowd, beating and arresting opposition leaders, and raping dozens of women.

A UN investigation found that 157 people were killed and at least 109 women raped in the stadium and its surroundings.

Three months later Diakite shot Camara in the head at a military camp in Conakry, accusing his ally of wanting him to bear sole responsibility for the massacre of 157 people.

After being seriously injured in the attempted assassination, Camara was evacuated to Morocco and has since been living in Ouagadougou, while Diakite disappeared.

Diakite is opposed to extradition, his lawyer Baba Diop told AFP, fearing for his safety.

Diop also told AFP that the Senegalese authorities have yet to receive any extradition order from Guinea, and that he would be requesting Diakite's release if it was not received within the legally mandated maximum of 21 days.

Meanwhile Senegalese media was buzzing with details of Diakite's change of identity and appearance that allowed him to live unnoticed in Dakar for the last five years.

He was under surveillance for an extended period to ascertain whether the man living as "Aboubacar Barry" was indeed Diakite, according to a Senegalese police source speaking to the APS news agency.

Diakite was unrecognisable, the policeman said, describing a "total change" in appearance as had put on considerable weight.


Comment on this article using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food






Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
AFRICA NEWS
Nigerian army 'crushes' Boko Haram in key stronghold
Abuja (AFP) Dec 24, 2016
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday claimed the military had routed Boko Haram in a key northeastern stronghold, a year after saying the Islamist militants had been "technically" defeated. A campaign lasting for months in the 1,300 square-kilometre (500 square-mile) forest in northeastern Borno state led to the "final crushing of Boko Haram terrorists in their last enclave in Sam ... read more


AFRICA NEWS
China's Sichuan cannot get enough spicy marinated rabbit heads

After Asia, palm oil faces backlash in Africa

Myanmar farmers reap rewards from 3D printing

China's giant cow farms leave neighbours up milk creek

AFRICA NEWS
Rising sea level estimates require collaborative response

Bangladeshi fishermen claim Myanmar navy attacked trawler

Rebels blamed for 'poisoning' Damascus water

Pakistan frees 220 Indian fishermen

AFRICA NEWS
Seizing environmental opportunities under a Trump presidency

Climate report says 2016 on pace to be hottest year yet

Glee to gloom: Climate and the 'Trump effect'

'Fear is palpable' among US climate scientists over Trump moves

AFRICA NEWS
Tesla, Panasonic team up for solar power

Ohio keeps renewable energy standards

Blue Oak Energy and Sun Air Solar complete additional 808kW PV System

Tenth Year of Consecutive Global Growth for PV Demand, IHS Markit Says

AFRICA NEWS
Molecular Velcro boosts microalgae's potential in biofuel, industrial applications

Biomass operations aren't currently feasible in rural communities

Ultrafast lasers reveal light-harvesting secrets of photosynthetic algae

People willing to pay more for new biofuels

AFRICA NEWS
US prosecutors ask Alexa: whodunit?

'Tiny earthquakes' help scientists predict mountain rock falls

58,000 people died on Chinese roads in 2015: report

66,000 workplace deaths in China last year: report

AFRICA NEWS
Kuwait to start importing gas from Iraq: ministers

Oil prices dip in pre-Christmas trading

Putin: We're not a member of OPEC

More reserves uncovered offshore Norway

AFRICA NEWS
China has 'real cause for concern' over Navarro: media

US returns Alibaba website to counterfeits blacklist

Trump names critics of China, regulation for economic posts

Toshiba shares fall 20% after it flags one-off loss









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.