politicalviolenceataglanceBy Patrick Pierson.
This video documents the horrors of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition’s air strikes continue to inflict heavy costs on both civilians and non-military installations. The fight has become increasingly problematic for Saudi Arabia with renewed factionalism amongst constituencies in the country. And while another US-Saudi Arabia arms deal looks likely, US Senator Rand Paul is trying to block the sale from going through.
In Europe, violence against unaccompanied child refugees is escalating. Germany’s interior minister has proposed stricter security measures in the face of recent attacks, including a proposed burka ban. In a similar move, the mayor of Cannes, France, instituted a ban on burkinis at the city’s beaches. Also in refugee-related news, this story chronicles the interesting experience of a Kurdish immigrant in Japan. In Minnesota, two former refugees won primary elections this week.
US-backed militias in Libya have largely taken control of Islamic State’s headquarters in the coastal town of Sirte. This comes as the Pentagon confirms US ground troops in the country. As recent UN efforts demonstrate, the political economy of conflict presents an additional challenge for the country. The current UN envoy to Libya suggests support for the UN-backed government in Tripoli is ‘crumbling.’
This week, athletes from South Sudan’s first official Olympic team joined competitions in Rio. Back home, the humanitarian crisis continues, with neighboring Uganda facing an increasingly tough to manage flow of refugees. And while the UN has approved the deployment of additional troops to South Sudan, the government opposes the measure – Information Minister Michael Makuei accused the US-backed proposal of aiming to turn, “..South Sudan into a protectorate.”
