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Mali says two more army posts attacked as jihadist violence escalates

Mali says two more army posts attacked as jihadist violence escalates

TimesLIVE19 hours ago

Islamist militants hit two more military installations on Wednesday and Thursday, Mali's army said, the latest in a quick spate of attacks that the insurgents say have killed hundreds of soldiers and underscored their gains.
Ground and air reinforcements were being mobilised on Thursday morning to respond to an attack on a security post in Mahou, located in eastern Mali near the border with Burkina Faso, an army statement said.
The attack was claimed by Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al Qaeda-linked Islamist militant group active in Mali and Burkina Faso. Information on a death toll was not immediately available.
A military spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
On Wednesday afternoon "armed terrorists" struck a military camp in Tessit, near the border with Burkina Faso and Niger, and Mali's military sent in aerial reinforcement, a separate statement said.
There has been no claim of responsibility for that attack, though security analysts said it could have been perpetrated by fighters from the Islamic State branch active in the Sahel region.

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Mali says two more army posts attacked as jihadist violence escalates
Mali says two more army posts attacked as jihadist violence escalates

TimesLIVE

time19 hours ago

  • TimesLIVE

Mali says two more army posts attacked as jihadist violence escalates

Islamist militants hit two more military installations on Wednesday and Thursday, Mali's army said, the latest in a quick spate of attacks that the insurgents say have killed hundreds of soldiers and underscored their gains. Ground and air reinforcements were being mobilised on Thursday morning to respond to an attack on a security post in Mahou, located in eastern Mali near the border with Burkina Faso, an army statement said. The attack was claimed by Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al Qaeda-linked Islamist militant group active in Mali and Burkina Faso. Information on a death toll was not immediately available. A military spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. On Wednesday afternoon "armed terrorists" struck a military camp in Tessit, near the border with Burkina Faso and Niger, and Mali's military sent in aerial reinforcement, a separate statement said. There has been no claim of responsibility for that attack, though security analysts said it could have been perpetrated by fighters from the Islamic State branch active in the Sahel region.

City of Joburg mayor Dada Morero insists ‘Bomb Squad' appointment is not a sign of weakness
City of Joburg mayor Dada Morero insists ‘Bomb Squad' appointment is not a sign of weakness

IOL News

time2 days ago

  • IOL News

City of Joburg mayor Dada Morero insists ‘Bomb Squad' appointment is not a sign of weakness

Joburg mayor Dada Morero has denied that appointing the 'Bomb Squad' to tackle challenges across the city would show that he's failing to address those problems on his own. Image: IOL Graphic City of Joburg Mayor Dada Morero has denied that appointing the 'Bomb Squad', a team comprising ANC- and EFF-linked members, former city managers, and executives, indicates weakness or a failure to address the city's ongoing challenges. Earlier, IOL News reported that the team was officially announced on Thursday during a media briefing at the Soweto Hotel in Kliptown. Morero said the team will focus on addressing 'crime and grime,' lawlessness, service delivery bottlenecks, and fast-tracking municipal turnaround efforts. He insisted the initiative does not reflect an inability on his part to govern effectively, and blamed the city's decline on previous administrations. 'It's not a thing that is acknowledged in the decline that has happened in the city since 2016, and now we want to arrest and change this,' Morero said. 'In general, the city has resources out there.' Herman Mashaba, the leader of ActionSA, led the administration in 2016. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The metro faces multiple challenges, including hijacked buildings, chronic water shortages, rolling blackouts, pothole-riddled roads, broken traffic signals, rampant crime, and municipal corruption. Residents have repeatedly voiced concerns about the city's inability to resolve these issues. Morero first introduced the Bomb Squad during his State of the City Address (SOCA) in May. The team is led by ANC Veterans League president Dr. Snuki Zikalala and includes several figures, such as former city managers Blake Mosley-Lefatole, Mavela Dlamini, and Professor Trevor Fowler. Also joining are Gerald Dumas, a former chief operations officer, and Reggie Boqo, the city's former group chief financial officer. Philisiwe Twala-Tau will represent the South African Local Government Association, focusing on governance. Vicky Shuping, an advisor to the mayor, will coordinate service delivery and urban management. Meanwhile, Busani Ngwani, of the National School of Government and the Group Performance Audit Committee, will work on improving governance. The team also includes Dr. Kwezi Mabasa of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, and EFF senior researcher Dr. Gumani Tshimomola, both of whom will contribute to economic development planning. Audrey Mothupi, CEO of Systemic Logic Group, will handle private sector partnerships. Morero said most of the members are volunteering their services and are already employed within Johannesburg or other municipalities. Only Zikalala will receive a salary, he said. 'You are saying we volunteer our money, our time, resources, and expertise to help you turn around,' Morero said. 'We have acknowledged that we've had a stubborn environment in changing our financial status.' He said the city needs at least three financial experts to help turn around its finances, addressing issues such as overspending and budget inefficiencies. 'That is why we believe this team will give the necessary support to the current executives who do accept that, yes, there are inefficiencies,' he told the media. 'I also had a meeting with the executives to introduce the Bomb Squad, which was widely received.' Morero said the mayoral committee supports the initiative and has even proposed additional names. 'They've made other recommendations with the collective ownership of the mayoral committee. It's not a duplication, it's a support mechanism where there are gaps and weaknesses,' he said. He added that while there is no timeline for the 'Bomb Squad,' they hope to see major progress within the next year. He said he aims to leave a financial surplus of R5 billion by June 2026. 'We want to grow the economy of the city by another 1% to 3% in the next five years,' Morero said. 'It requires that those focusing on economic growth help us implement policies to achieve that goal.' He emphasised that the team's mandate is to support, not replace existing city departments and enhance service delivery. 'These are individuals who are not employed by the city but are volunteering to give support and share their expertise,' Morero said. IOL Politics

ANC, EFF members join 'Bomb Squad' to help turn things around in Joburg at no pay
ANC, EFF members join 'Bomb Squad' to help turn things around in Joburg at no pay

IOL News

time2 days ago

  • IOL News

ANC, EFF members join 'Bomb Squad' to help turn things around in Joburg at no pay

Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero and Dr. Snuki Zikalala announce the new 'Bomb Squad' task team during a media briefing at the Soweto Hotel, Kliptown. Image: Timothy Bernad/African Neww Agency (ANA) ANC-linked members, former city managers, and EFF members have been roped in to form a part of a task team called the 'Bomb Squad,' aimed at tackling the City of Johannesburg's service delivery issues and governance challenges. The team was officially announced on Thursday at the Soweto Hotel in Kliptown by City of Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero. Addressing the media, Morero said the unit will focus on combating 'crime and grime,' lawlessness, and service delivery bottlenecks, and to fast-track municipal turnaround efforts. 'Business intelligence gathering will be at the core of the Bomb Squad's work,' Morero said. 'This will be executed by holding meetings with relevant authorities to isolate areas vulnerable to land and building invasions and propose proactive interventions.' According to Morero, the team's key objectives include activating rapid response teams in identified service delivery hotspots, acting as the eyes and ears of the executive mayor, and enabling swift interventions to address lawlessness. The initiative comes as the metro is battling with challenges, including hijacked buildings, chronic water shortages, rolling power outages, pothole-riddled roads, broken traffic lights, rampant crime, and widespread municipal corruption. Residents have repeatedly voiced frustration over the city's inability to address these persistent issues. During his State of the City Address in May, Morero first announced the formation of the Bomb Squad, which is to be led by ANC Veterans League president Dr. Snuki Zikalala. He said the team's mandate is to identify key problem areas and support city departments in delivering effective services. The 'Bomb Squad' includes several high-profile figures, including former city managers and executives such as Blake Mosley-Lefatole, Mavela Dlamini, and Professor Trevor Fowler. Gerald Dumas, a former chief operations officer, also joins the team, alongside Reggie Boqo, the city's former group chief finance officer. Philisiwe Twala-Tau will represent SALGA with a focus on enforcing good governance principles, while Vicky Shuping, an advisor to the mayor, will coordinate service delivery and urban management efforts. Principal Busani Ngwani, from the National School of Governance and a member of the Group Performance Audit Committee, will focus on governance improvements. In addition to the team are Dr. Kwezi Mabasa, from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, and EFF senior researcher Dr. Gumani Tshimomola, both of whom will contribute to economic development strategies, Morero said. Audrey Mothupi, CEO of Systemic Logic Group, will manage partnerships with the private sector. Morero said most of the team members are already employed in Johannesburg or in other municipalities and are volunteering their services. He told the media that only Zikalala will receive a salary.

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