logo
Rebels armed with machetes kill at least 52 in eastern DRC

Rebels armed with machetes kill at least 52 in eastern DRC

The Herald2 days ago
Islamic State-backed rebels armed with machetes and hoes have killed at least 52 civilians in the Beni and Lubero areas of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in recent days, UN and local officials said.
The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels were taking revenge on civilians after suffering defeats by DRC forces, Lt Elongo Kyondwa Marx, a regional DRC army spokesperson, said.
'When they arrived they first woke the residents, gathered them in one place, tied them up with ropes and then began to massacre them with machetes and hoes,' Macaire Sivikunula, chief of Lubero's Bapere sector, told Reuters at the weekend.
About 30 civilians were killed in the village of Melia, said Alain Kiwewe, a military administrator for the Lubero territory.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Africa could become 'renewable superpower', says Guterres
Africa could become 'renewable superpower', says Guterres

eNCA

time5 hours ago

  • eNCA

Africa could become 'renewable superpower', says Guterres

TOKYO - Africa has everything it takes to become a "renewable superpower", UN head Antonio Guterres said Thursday, as he called for greater investment in green energy across the resource-rich continent. Guterres spoke at a three-day development conference in Japan attended by African leaders, where Tokyo is offering itself as an alternative to China as African nations reel from a debt crisis exacerbated by Western aid cuts, conflict and climate change. "We must mobilise finance and technology, so that Africa's natural wealth benefits African people, we must build a thriving renewables and manufacturing base across the continent," Guterres said at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). "Green power in Africa lowers energy costs, diversifies supply chains and accelerates decarbonisation for everyone." China has invested heavily in Africa over the past decade, with its companies there signing deals worth hundreds of billions of dollars to finance shipping ports, railways, roads and other projects under Beijing's Belt and Road global infrastructure initiative. But new lending is drying up, and developing countries are grappling with a "tidal wave" of debt to both China and international private creditors, the Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank, said in May. African countries have also seen Western aid slashed, in particular due to President Donald Trump's dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Guterres warned in his speech in the Japanese port city of Yokohama that "debt must not drown development" and that Africa needed increased concessional finance and greater lending capacity from multilateral development banks. He also urged greater investment in climate solutions. "Africa has everything it takes to become a renewable superpower, from solar and wind to the critical minerals that power new technology," he said. Attendees at TICAD included Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Kenyan President William Ruto. Ruto said on social media platform X that Kenya was in talks with Japanese automaker Toyota for the provision of 5,000 "e-mobility vehicles" as part of the country's "commitment to clean energy". In his opening address at the forum on Wednesday, Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced a plan to train 30,000 people in artificial intelligence in Africa over three years and to study the idea of a Japan-Africa Economic Partnership. Before the meeting kicked off, Ishiba also announced a vision for a distribution network that links African and Indian Ocean nations. Both Tinubu and Ramaphosa, speaking on X, said they wanted a shift from aid to investment partnerships. bur-aph/sco

UN chief urges immediate Gaza ceasefire, warns of casualties from Israeli operation
UN chief urges immediate Gaza ceasefire, warns of casualties from Israeli operation

TimesLIVE

time6 hours ago

  • TimesLIVE

UN chief urges immediate Gaza ceasefire, warns of casualties from Israeli operation

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres on Thursday called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza after Israel announced the first steps of an operation to take over Gaza City. 'It is vital to reach immediately a ceasefire in Gaza,' that was necessary 'to avoid the death and destruction that a military operation against Gaza City would inevitably cause,' Guterres said in Japan where he is attending the Tokyo International Conference on African Development. Israel, which has called up tens of thousands of army reservists, is pressing ahead with its plan to seize Gaza's biggest urban centre despite international criticism of an operation likely to force the displacement of many more Palestinians. Israel holds about 75% of the Gaza Strip. The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when gunmen led by Hamas attacked southern Israeli communities, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and taking 251 hostages including children into Gaza, according to Israeli figures. Israel's military offensive on the Gaza Strip has killed at least 60,000 Palestinians, according to enclave's health ministry. Guterres called for the unconditional release of hostages held by Hamas. He also urged Israel to reverse a decision to expand 'illegal' settlement construction in the West Bank. The Israeli settlement plan, which would bisect the occupied West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem, was announced last week and received the final go-ahead from a defence ministry planning commission on Wednesday. The Palestinian foreign ministry said the construction would isolate Palestinian communities living in the area and undermine the possibility of a two-state solution.

'Africa not seeking aid, it's seeking partners' Ramaphosa says
'Africa not seeking aid, it's seeking partners' Ramaphosa says

The Citizen

time7 hours ago

  • The Citizen

'Africa not seeking aid, it's seeking partners' Ramaphosa says

Ramaphosa said South Africa is making progress in enabling its economy to participate in the rapidly changing global environment. President Cyril Ramaphosa says the African continent is not seeking aid, but rather partners. Ramaphosa made the remarks during the plenary session two on the economy at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development Summit in Yokohama on Wednesday. The president arrived in Japan this week to lead South Africa's high-level delegation participation in the summit. 'Critical time' Attendees at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) included Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, William Ruto of Kenya and UN head António Guterres. Ramaphosa said the gathering comes at a critical time, where global economic uncertainty, the reshaping of trade and new industrial revolutions demand 'bold action and strategic collaboration.' ALSO READ: Ramaphosa visits China's Shenzhen to draw inspiration for technology and innovation 'Africa must not merely react to these forces. We must help to shape them.' Changing global environment Ramaphosa said South Africa is making progress in enabling its economy to participate in the rapidly changing global environment. 'We have stabilised our energy supply and are modernising our infrastructure. We are opening our ports and rail to private sector investment. We are rolling out a reindustrialisation agenda focused on localisation, green energy and regional integration. 'We are incentivising electric vehicles and battery production, and supporting green hydrogen value chains through infrastructure and skills investment,' Ramaphosa said. Africa is not seeking aid. It is seeking partners. Partners that understand value co-creation, sustainable development and mutual industrialisation.#TICAD9 — Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) August 21, 2025 Partnerships Ramaphosa added that recent tariff actions by the United States on African goods have highlighted the need to diversify export markets. 'South Africa is a leading exporter of agricultural produce and high-quality industrial products such as automobiles and components. We call on our Japanese counterparts to support tariff cooperation to ease market access for African goods,' Ramaphosa said. 'We seek partnerships in infrastructure, energy and digital development through blended finance. We also seek partnerships in financing skills development, youth innovation and small business scaling. 'Africa is not seeking aid. It is seeking partners. Partners that understand value co-creation, sustainable development and mutual industrialisation,' the president said. China With the summit, Japan hopes to counter China by offering itself as an alternative as the African continent reels from a debt crisis exacerbated by US aid cuts, conflicts and climate change. China has invested heavily in Africa over the past decade, with its companies signing deals worth hundreds of billions of Dollars to finance shipping ports, railways, roads and other projects under Beijing's Belt and Road global infrastructure initiative. NOW READ: National Dialogue: Ramaphosa urges citizens to embrace differing views

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store