Headlines
Boko Haram Attacks Borno Village, Kills Six, Abducts Two
At least six persons were killed on Christmas eve at Kwyaragilim village in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State after gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram invaded the community, officials said.
The insurgents also abducted two women.
Chibok had in April 2014 earned global recognition when Boko Haram insurgents invaded an all-girls school and abducted over 200.
Many of the abducted girls are yet to be found till date.
On Tuesday, Kwyaragilim, a village under Chibok local government, was attacked by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.
At about 6 p.m., the armed men stormed Kwaragilim, opened sporadic fire on residents, killing six persons and injuring three others.
The attackers, who were not challenged, later reportedly left the village after abducting two women.
The Governor of Borno, Babagana Zulum, who is currently spending the Christmas holiday in the southern local government of Borno confirmed the development in Chibok.
The governor, who was paying a sympathy visit on the residents of Askira Uba local government whose villages were attacked by Boko Haram last week, said he was saddened by the recent incidents.
“It is unfortunate that yesterday Boko Haram insurgents attacked Kwaragilim of Chibok Local Government Area where six people were killed, three injured,” the governor said.
“The insurgents came at about 6 p.m. yesterday and attacked Kwaragilim village where six people were killed, two injured. Two females were also abducted,” he said.
The commissioner said the injured persons have been taken to Chibok General Hospital where they are currently receiving treatment.
Communities in Chibok Local Government area in Southern Borno have, of late, come under attack by the insurgents who have been fighting for over 10 years to carve an Islamic territory.
Premium Times
President Donald Trump vowed on Sunday that the United States would take Greenland “one way or the other,” warning that Russia and China would “take over” if Washington fails to act.
Trump says controlling the mineral-rich Danish territory is crucial for US national security given increased Russian and Chinese military activity in the Arctic.
“If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will, and I’m not letting that happen,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, despite neither country laying claim to the vast island.
Trump said he would be open to making a deal with the Danish self-governing territory “but one way or the other, we’re going to have Greenland.”
Denmark and other European allies have voiced shock at Trump’s threats over the island, which plays a strategic role between North America and the Arctic, and where the United States has had a military base since World War II.
A Danish colony until 1953, Greenland gained home rule 26 years later and is contemplating eventually loosening its ties with Denmark.
The vast majority of its population and political parties have said they do not want to be under US control and insist Greenlanders must decide their own future — a viewpoint continuously challenged by Trump.
“Greenland should make the deal, because Greenland does not want to see Russia or China take over,” Trump warned, as he mocked its defenses.
“You know what their defense is, two dog sleds,” he said, while Russia and China have “destroyers and submarines all over the place.”
Denmark’s prime minister warned last week that any US move to take Greenland by force would destroy 80 years of transatlantic security links.
Trump waved off the comment saying: “If it affects NATO, it affects NATO. But you know, (Greenland) need us much more than we need them.”
AFP
Iran has warned the United States against any military action, saying it would retaliate if the U.S. President Donald Trump follows through on threats to intervene as Tehran continues its crackdown on nationwide protests.
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, issued the warning during a parliamentary session broadcast live on Iranian State television.
Qalibaf praised the country’s military response to the protests and cautioned that both the U.S. military and Israel are considered “legitimate targets” in the event of an attack on Iran.
Referring to Israel as “the occupied territory,” Qalibaf said Iran would not rule out launching a preemptive strike against either country if it perceives a threat.
“In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory and all American military centers, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets,” Qalibaf said.
“We do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after the action and will act based on any objective signs of a threat,” he added.
The warning came amid scenes of heightened tension in the chamber, as hardline lawmakers rushed the dais and chanted, “Death to America!”
Iran has been rocked by widespread protests challenging the country’s theocratic system over the past few weeks, prompting a sustained security crackdown by authorities.
Activists estimated that at least 116 people have died in connection with the demonstrations, while about 2,600 others have been detained, according to the U.S.-based Human Right Activists News Agency. Exact figures remain unclear due to internet shutdowns and disrupted phone services across the country.
Trump has warned that the United States is prepared to act if Iranian authorities kill protesters.
“If Iran (shoots) and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump said earlier this month.
“Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready tohelp!!!” he added on his Truth Social platform.
Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that Trump has been briefed on possible military strike options against Iran but has yet to make a final decision.
