Tag: army

Army seizes power in Guinea, holds president

by Mouctar Bah CONAKRY, Guinea (AFP) — Guinean special forces seized power in a coup on Sunday, arresting the president and imposing an indefinite curfew in the poor west African country. “We have decided, after having taken the president, to dissolve the constitution,” said a uniformed officer flanked by soldiers toting assault rifles in a video sent to AFP. The officer also said that Guinea’s land and air borders had been shut and the government […]

Kabul airport has reopened: US general

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Kabul’s airport reopened early Tuesday Afghanistan time after being closed for hours by US forces following a breakdown in security on the tarmac that interrupted evacuation operations, a US general said. The airport reopened at 1935 GMT Monday, said Major General Hank Taylor, a logistics specialist on the Pentagon’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. He said a C-17 transport aircraft had landed with US Marines aboard, and a second one loaded […]

Nigeria bombs gunmen camp, kills 78: military

ABUJA, Nigeria (AFP) — Nigerian forces have killed 78 gunmen, known locally as bandits, during military operations including air strikes in northwestern Zamfara state, the air force said. Heavily-armed bandits have wracked northwest and central Nigeria for years, but the groups have recently stepped up attacks on schools, kidnapping hundreds of students for ransom and prompting a military response. “On 2 August 2021, Nigerian Air Force… locked on armed bandits on bikes moving into Kwiambana […]

Chinese army warns dam battered by storms could collapse

BEIJING, China (AFP) — The Chinese army warned that a stricken dam in the centre of the country “could collapse at any time” after being severely damaged in torrential storms that killed at least three people and brought the region to a standstill. Weather authorities have issued the highest warning level for central Henan province as downpours caused widespread disruption and the evacuation of residents of flooded streets. On Tuesday evening the regional unit of […]

Russia’s S-500 missile system hits test target

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russia said Tuesday it had successfully test-fired its new S-500 air defence missile systems at a southern training range and hit a high-speed ballistic target. Russia says the S-500, which is expected to have a maximum firing range of 600 kilometres, is the most advanced anti-missile system in the world and is capable of countering attacks from space. Its development however is years behind schedule. The military had previously said the […]

Iran says it has drone that can travel 7,000 km

TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Iran has drones capable of flying 7,000 kilometres (more than 4,000 miles), the commander of its Revolutionary Guard force said Sunday. “We have drones which can fly 7,000 kilometres, without a pilot, and land back at the same spot or anywhere else,” General Hossein Salami said in a speech broadcast by state television. He gave no other details but the new drone would give it a range of 3,500 kilometres, compared […]

Major General Andres Centino is new commanding general of PHL Army; Lacson hails gov’t move to rectify “oversight”

(Eagle News)–Lieutenant General Jose Faustino Jr. was replaced as acting commanding general of the Philippine Army. Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Cirilito Sobejana said the relief of Faustino was in accordance, in particular, with section 4 of RA 8186, which states the commanding general should have at least one year remaining in the service on the day of his assumption. Major General Andres Centino will instead replace Faustino, who is due to retire […]

At least 15 dead, 500 injured in E.Guinea blasts: president

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea (AFP) — At least 15 people have been killed and 500 injured after a series of powerful explosions hit a military camp in Equatorial Guinea, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema said. The explosions were caused by “an accident due to the negligence of the unit in charge of storing explosives, dynamite and ammunition”, the president said in a statement read on state television. © Agence France-Presse

US determines Myanmar army carried out coup, blocking aid

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Washington formally determined Tuesday that Myanmar’s military carried out a coup, legally requiring an end to US assistance to the government. “We have assessed that the Burmese military’s actions on February 1, having deposed the duly elected government, constituted a military coup d’etat,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters, using Myanmar’s former name of Burma. “The United States will continue to work closely with our partners throughout the region […]

Ousted Myanmar party calls for release of Suu Kyi, other leaders

YANGON, Myanmar (AFP) — Myanmar’s ousted National League for Democracy party called for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other detained leaders on Tuesday, describing the coup a day earlier as a “stain” on the military’s history. Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s de facto leader, was detained by the military in the early hours of Monday along with President Win Myint. The army installed an ex-general as president and handed “legislative, judicial and executive powers” […]

Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand protest against coup

  BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — Scores of Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand protested in front of their embassy on Monday, waving posters of leader Aung San Suu Kyi after she was detained during a military coup. Myanmar’s army took over early Monday, taking Suu Kyi into custody and announcing a state of emergency and power transfer to military chief General Min Aung Hlaing. Dressed in red — the signature colour of Suu Kyi’s National League […]

Australia says Myanmar army must release elected leaders ‘immediately’

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Australia on Monday demanded Myanmar’s army immediately release de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other elected leaders, warning the military was “once again seeking to seize control” of the country. “We call on the military to respect the rule of law, to resolve disputes through lawful mechanisms and to release immediately all civilian leaders and others who have been detained unlawfully,” foreign minister Marise Payne said in a statement. […]