United States Africa Command

Public Affairs Office

20 April 2010

USAFRICOM -related news stories

From and About Africa

Africa Reboots (Note that the US Africa Command COS strongly encourages all Staff to read
this article "Africa Reboots")
Despite the almost deafening roar of excitement about Africa’s hosting of soccer’s
World Cup this summer, we managed to hear a surprising thing. Harmony ... flowing
from two sides that in the past have often been discordant: Africa’s emerging
entrepreneurial class and its civil-society activists

EU New ash cloud heading for UK

The volcano eruption in Iceland has strengthened and a new ash cloud is spreading towards the
UK. But some UK airspace could still open on Tuesday, according to air traffic control company
Nats. Scottish airports should open at 7am and more airspace over England may become
available from 1pm although not as far south as the main London airports, Nats said in a
statement.

EU Limited flights to resume on Tuesday

EU transport ministers have agreed to ease flight restrictions over Europe on Tuesday. Lufthansa
expects to resume most of its long-haul flights, though German airspace will remain closed until
early afternoon.

EU Greek police raid terrorist hideout

Greek police have found three hideouts of the terrorist group Revolutionary Struggle. The group
has been linked to an attack on the US embassy in Athens, as well as the 2009 bombing of the
Athens Stock Exchange. There, police found at least eight rocket launchers, dozens of
submachine guns and more than 120,000 euros (161,800 dollars) worth of ammunition. Officials
say they also found enough ammonium nitrate explosives to blow up a six-storey building.

Nigeria Two Christian farmers slain in Nigeria: police

Two Christian farmers were killed Monday and two others went missing in fresh attacks by
suspected Muslim-Fulani nomads in Nigeria's central Plateau State, police and residents said.
The Fulani nomads allegedly attacked the farmers who were working on their farms ahead of the
rainy season in Christian-dominated Riyom village, 30 kilometers (18 miles) south of Jos, capital
of the volatile state.

Nigeria Suspected killers of American citizen in Police net

Port Harcourt—Three persons suspected of killing an American citizen, Mr. Cyril Amadi, about
two weeks ago, have been arrested and are being detained by the Police in Port Harcourt, Rivers
State. Amadi, who was originally of Omuigwe village, Aluu, Ikwerre Council, had lived in the
USA for 21 years and was visiting the state for the first time afte when he was trailed and hacked
to death as he headed for Port Harcourt from Omuigwe village.
Nigeria troops foil sectarian attack
Jos - The Nigerian army shot dead two suspected Muslim extremists who had been planning an
attack on a Christian village in an area which has become a sectarian flashpoint, the military said.
The pair had planned to raid Bisichi village, on the outskirts of the capital of Nigeria's central
Plateau State, but had been thwarted by a special military task force deployed in the area in the
wake of repeated violence.
Nigeria Presidency 2011 the Babangida challenge
Abuja - Former military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida penultimate Saturday
finally let the cat out of the bag by declaring that he would be contesting the 2011 presidential
election. He followed that up with a definitive statement last week in Kaduna that he would be
contesting the ultimate office in the land on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party
([PDP).

Djibouti approves third term for president

Djibouti's parliament on Monday approved a constitutional amendment allowing President
Ismael Omar Guelleh to run for a third term.
Djibouti's parliament has approved a constitutional amendment which will allow President Ismael Omar Guelleh to
run for a third term. As well as abandoning two-term limits, MPs have shortened presidential mandates from six to
five years and set 75 as the age limit for candidates. Mr Guelleh, 62, won the 2005 poll unopposed, and said he
would step down at the end of his second term. The opposition fielded no candidate in 2005 and has no seats in
parliament. Mr Guelleh, known in Djibouti by his initials IOG, has not indicated whether he will run again for
president. He succeeded his uncle - Djibouti's first President, Hassan Gouled Aptidon - in April 1999.

Somalia Al-Shabab Says They Took Over the Control of Elberde District
Somalia — the Islamic administration of Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen in Bay and Bakol
region in southern Somalia has Monday said that they took over the control of Elberde district in
Bakol region with in hours, officials said on Monday. Elberde, a district in Bakol region in
southern Somalia was controlled by the transitional government troops earlier and reports say
that the Islamist fighters had peaceful taken over the there.

Madagascar authorities crush 'attack' on PM's offices

Antananarivo - Madagascan authorities on Monday said they had put down an attack on the
building housing the prime minister's offices in Antananarivo and arrested 21 people since
Sunday. "Twenty-one people, including soldiers, four of them colonels, have been arrested
yesterday and today (Monday), when they intended to take Mazoharivo," the prime minister's
building, said Alain Ramaroson, the president of the security and defence commission in the
High Transition Authority (HAT) set up by Madagascan leader Andry Rajoelina."We must
continue the arrests until the movement is decapitated," he added.

Madagascar gendarmerie chief denies involvement in coup attempt

Antananarivo - Madagascar's gendarmerie chief on Monday denied the allegations that members
of the force involved in the recent coup attempt. General Viennot Zafera, head of the
Intervention Force of the National Gendarmerie (FIGN), made the denial after the authorities
arrested 20 suspects on Sunday on suspicion of planning an attack on Prime Minister Camille
Vital. Zafera told a press conference held in Antananarivo, the capital of the Indian Ocean island
country, that the FIGN has never resorted to a coup and will never do so.

Statement by Marc Ravalomanana on Recent Press Speculation

"I firmly deny any involvement in an attempt to bring the political crisis to an end through
undemocratic means. Any rumours suggesting otherwise are completely untrue. I have always
supported a democratic resolution to the crisis as the only solution and I continue to do so. To
suggest otherwise for political purposes is cynical and potentially destabilising."We cannot
jeopardise the path to democracy with so much at stake. Only democratic elections will give us
the stability we need to get back on the right track. I condemn any military coup- I believe the
people should be allowed to choose their President in free and fair elections. We cannot allow
these rumours to be used as an excuse to delay the return of the free and fair elections that the
Malagasy people so desperately need.

Darfur UNAMID's plane crashes on Sudanese-Chadian borders, one crew member dead
A United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) plane in charge of monitoring
Sudanese and Chadian borders crashed in Adri city airport on Monday, killing one of its crew.
Three others survived. The plane had to deal with technical malfunctions prior to landing in
airport and after a routine monitor and inspection flight, the Commander of the joint troops from
the Chadian side Brigadier Mohammad Adam said in a statement, noting that plane's technical
malfunctions do occur a lot.

Darfur Contact Made with Abducted UNAMID Peacekeepers, All Reportedly Safe
Contact was established for the first time with four UNAMID peacekeepers who were reported
missing more than five days ago. "We spoke to our staff today by phone. They reported to be
unharmed. We are calling for the immediate and unconditional release of our peacekeepers," said
UNAMID Deputy Joint Special Representative Mohamed Yonis.

Sudan Families of USS Cole victims sue Sudan again

Relatives of the 17 sailors killed in the attack on the USS Cole are suing Sudan for emotional
damages they were denied in a previous lawsuit. Sixty-one family members filed the new lawsuit
late last week in U.S. District Court in Norfolk, the Cole's homeport and home of the U.S.
Atlantic Fleet. They are seeking $282.5 million in damages for pain and suffering. Three years
ago, 33 family members were awarded $8 million in compensatory damages after U.S. District
Judge Robert Doumar found Sudan liable for assisting the terrorists who attacked the destroyer at
a Yemini port in 2000.

Sudan Washington faults poll in Sudan

Washington - The United States said on Monday Sudan's elections were neither free nor fair but
it will deal with the victors to try to settle internal disputes before a referendum that could bring
independence to southern Sudan.

Sudan accused of rigging vote

Khartoum - The southern former rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement on Monday accused
the Khartoum government of sending extra forces to sensitive north-south border areas in a bid
to rig election results. "The information we have is that there is a build up" in Blue Nile state,
said Yasser Arman, the SPLM's presidential candidate who boycotted the country's first multi-
party election since 1986, which ended on Thursday.The ruling National Congress Party (NCP)
"is sending forces... military forces. We are cautious," Arman told reporters in Khartoum.

Egypt security ministry warns it may fire on protesters

Egypt's powerful security ministry warned that its forces could open fire on pro-democracy
protesters if necessary, media reports said Monday, drawing criticism from groups calling for
political reform in a parliamentary election year. Calls for change have grown louder in the lead-
up to November's legislative elections. Presidential elections are due in 2011, and Hosni
Mubarak has not said whether he will run in an attempt to extend his nearly three decades in
power.

Egypt warns against Nile Basin pact

Egypt insisted Monday on its traditional share of the Nile river and warned basin countries
against signing a water-sharing agreement in which it is excluded. "Egypt reserves the right to
take whatever course it sees suitable to safeguard its share," he said."If the Nile basin countries
unilaterally signed the agreement it would be considered the announcement of the Nile Basin
Initiative's death," Allam added. At the heart of the dispute is a 1929 agreement between Egypt
and Britain, acting on behalf of its African colonies along the 5,584-kilometre (3,470-mile) river,
which gave Egypt veto power over upstream projects.An agreement between Egypt and Sudan in
1959 allowed Egypt 55.5 billion cubic metres of water each year -- 87 percent of the Nile's flow -
- and Sudan 18.5 billion cubic metres. Some of the Nile Basin countries, which include Ethiopia,
Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo, say past treaties are unfair and
they want an equitable water-sharing agreement that would allow for more irrigation and power
projects.