How CCTV is making a difference in Johannesburg

Now that the recent xenophobia violence has ended, Johannesburg's inner city is still working to shake off the image that it is ridden with crime.

CCTV cameras that were installed many years ago are beginning to show some positive results when it comes to tackling offences in the centre of town.
Milton Nkosi went to see how Big Brother is helping to bring down serious crimes.

Source: BBC

The military strategy that cleared Sambisa forest

By the time we capture Sambisa forest completely, we will be able to find out where the Chibok girls are, because as it is now, anybody you ask in the captured territories so far, they say they did not see them; that they are not there”.
With these words, Chief of the Army Staff, Lt. General Kenneth Minimah, set the tone for the massive invasion of the vast Sambisa forest by the armed forces and the rescue of the hundreds of abducted young girls, women, children and some elderly citizens.
“When we capture Sambisa forest, we will be able to know where the Chibok girls are and government will take it up from there. And in the next six months, I’m sure that Nigerians would have forgotten that Boko Haram existed and terrorized a region, I believe so”, Minimah added.
At the last count on Friday, military authorities told Sunday Vanguard that about 687 young women and children had been rescued from the Boko Haram camps.
But the fighting to break into the mine-laden Sambisa forest was not an easy task as revealed by military sources. Some parts of the forest were swampy, others undulating. There was also some desert stretch.
Meanwhile, the over 30 camps of the Boko Haram fighters were built in a manner that if mine sweepers did not clear the swampy terrain, it may have been difficult locating the mines planted in the jungle.
But the military, having had the time to plan their strategy following several reconnaissance and intelligence flights carried out by the Nigerian Air Force, stormed the forest.
The fighters were taken unawares such that in the footage showed to the media about the military’s operation inside Sambisa forest, hundreds of the Boko Haram elements were seen fleeing as aircraft pounded their camps from the air while troops advanced launching artillery fired from the ground.
Meanwhile, all the exit and entry points into Sambisa forest had been blocked.
So, while several battalions were moving into the forest from Nigeria’s territory, parts of the forest that border Cameroon, and Chad were secured by troops from those countries.
The military onslaught paid off with the rescue of the 687 women and young girls in three batches of 293, 160 and 234, respectively.
Though the Borno State government came out to say the first batch of the hostages rescued were from Damboa area of the state, it did not detract from the importance of the rescue of such a large number of persons that were forced to move to the forest against their will.
There were indications at the weekend that many more hostages were rescued from Sambisa forest by the armed forces.
Confirming the rescue of the hostages, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, said the Sambisa forest was being assaulted from different directions, noting that it will therefore be untenable for any criminal to escape the military bombardment.
On the more than 200 Chibok girls taken by Boko Haram in April 2014, Olukolade said that the issue will be made clear as soon as the profiling of the rescued victims was completed.
“The identities of some of the rescued women and girls are yet to be ascertained. At the moment, what is uppermost and of priority is their movement to a conducive place where they are now undergoing thorough profiling to verify where they come from, how they found themselves in the forest, etc. Additional number of persons is still being recovered from the forest. Until such comprehensive profiling is done, nobody can confirm whether they are among the Chibok girls or not”, the DHQ spokesperson stated.
“Whoever they may be, the important thing is that Nigerians held captive under very severe and inhuman condition have been freed by our gallant troops. The joy and sense of hope being expressed by many Nigerians on hearing about the rescue operation is therefore understandable.
“We would like to reassure them that the momentum of this operation will be sustained until that Sambisa forest is comprehensively cleaned out and all Nigerians held captive within the bowels of the forest are rescued. There is great hope for the recovery of more hostages of the terrorists.
“The mission is not over. Until we reach the end before we can say if the girls are there. As I am talking to you today, more women and girls are being rescued and others are coming out from the forest, that is why it is difficult to give an exact number; and some of these people have to be stabilized because of the trauma they have undergone for God knows how long. After calming them, we will then ask certain questions. This is not something you do in a hurry”.
Furthermore, he said, “As you already known, troops have commenced operations deep into the Sambisa forest after sustained aerial bombardments by the Nigerian Air Force. The main objective as you know is to decimate and clear the terrorists from the forest which is their last bastion.
“The well coordinated operation is already yielding results as troops in the last few days rescued 200 girls and 93 women and an additional number of hostages. Over 13 terrorists camps including the notorious ‘Tokumbere’camp in Sambisa forest have been captured. Other camps overran and destroyed by troops include Wulari Bukar, Gangala, Anguwar Balowai, Jigide, Kotorima, Lagura Bello, Laguna Fulani among others.
“Several Field Commanders and foot soldiers of the terrorist group have lost their lives, some armoured personnel carriers, Bufallo vehicles mounted with Anti-Aircraft guns, a truck and several Hilux vehicles were destroyed by troops. Also recovered from the fleeing terrorists are a number of Anti-Aircraft guns, General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG) and several AK 47 rifles. Unfortunately though, we lost one soldier in the course of the operation while 10 others have so far been wounded.
“Already, the dislodged and disorganized terrorists are in flight on different directions and running helter-skelter in the expansive forest. There is no longer any respite or sanctuary for them; they will be pursued and tracked down not minding the daunting challenges in the mission including hundreds of land mines and difficult terrain of the Sambisa forest.
“It should be noted however that the essence of this operation is not to kill everybody in sight. We encourage any of the combatants who is desirous to surrender to come out, as the forest will no more be tenable as a haven for their activities. In the same vein, innocent civilians among those in flight are also encouraged to report themselves to the troops. We will continue to treat civilians in the most professional and humane way.
“We thank all Nigerians for their continued prayers and support and assure them that ‘Never Again’ shall forces of darkness reign supreme in our country”.
Minimah aptly captured the mood of the onslaught to rid Sambisa of the remaining Boko Haram fighters when the Army chief said, “I will tell you that right now, militarily, they (Boko Haram terrorists) are defeated. Those you are seeing are ‘armed groups, thieves, armed robbers, or people who go about to steal, burn markets and loot to go back to the forests’. That will continue for a while but it will fizzle out”.

Source: Vanguard.
 

Military helicopter shot down as drug violence surges in western Mexico

Men stand next to the wreckage of a tractor-trailer set ablaze by members of a drug carte. Armed men shot at a Mexican army helicopter in the western state of Jalisco on Friday, killing three military personnel and injuring 12 others. (Stringer/Mexico/Reuters)

 

MEXICO CITY — Gunmen shot down a Mexican military helicopter Friday in the western state of Jalisco, killing three soldiers, and set fire to buses, blocked roads, and attacked banks and gas stations in a sharp escalation of violence against the government.
In recent months, the New Generation drug cartel has been ratcheting up attacks against the government, including an ambush last month that killed 15 state police officers. State authorities have worried that the federal government has left them ill-equipped to deal with an ascendant cartel trafficking heroin and methamphetamines.

[Ambush that killed 15 police in western Mexico a rarity]

On Friday, the Mexican army announced Operation Jalisco to try to wrest control from the cartel. The helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing when it came under fire while patrolling a rural road near the Pacific coast, according to the Mexican army. At least 10 soldiers and two police officers were wounded in the incident.

“I lament the deaths of the members of the Mexican military in the fulfillment of their duty in Jalisco,” President Enrique Peña Nieto tweeted.

Firefighters work on a bus in Guadalajara, Mexico on Friday. More than a dozen vehicles were set on fire Friday across Guadalajara while a drug gang and authorities clashed in another part of the state. 

 

In the state capital of Guadalajara, gunmen set vehicles ablaze and blocked roads in at least 20 areas, state officials said. Authorities declared a state of emergency and called on residents not to leave their homes. There were also reportedly fires in the coastal resort town of Puerto Vallarta.
Jalisco’s governor, Aristóteles Sandoval, told a news conference that clashes in the state have killed seven people and wounded 15. Authorities have also made 15 arrests, he said.
Security in Jalisco has been deteriorating steadily as the New Generation expands its reach.

  

Luis Carlos Nájera Gutiérrez de Velasco, the state’s attorney general, described the group as the “least vulnerable, least attacked” of the major drug gangs and said the federal government has not been doing enough to help the state. In an interview this week, he said that the cartel has expanded to more than 10 states in Mexico and that much of the heroin being seized at the U.S. border is smuggled by its members. The cartel has also gotten rich from the methamphetamine trade and by stealing gasoline from a pipeline that runs from Guanajuato state. “This group has gotten very strong,” he said.
“For many years, we have been fighting these criminal groups alone,” Nájera said. “We stated long ago the risks we have with this criminal group, and it appears it has not been a priority. We will keep fighting, with or without help.” After the deadly ambush, he said, “we believed this would make the federal government pay more attention, but we don’t see any difference.”

Part of the reason the New Generation has grown stronger is that leaders of rival gangs, such as the Knights Templar in Michoacan state, have been killed or captured.

Policemen detain a man on suspicion of being a member of a drug cartel in Guadalajara. (Stringer/Mexico/Reuters)

Nájera said one of the cartel’s main weapons is the ability to corrupt or threaten police and local officials. He said he and top officials constantly receive threats from the cartel. Earlier this month, gunmen tried to kill the state’s security commissioner, Alejandro Solorio. In the past, he said, the cartel focused more on its business activities than on displays of violence. But he said he fears that the recent attacks on security forces are a warning to authorities to stay out of the cartel’s way. “They want to work freely,” Nájera said. “We have to keep fighting this or any other criminal group, because if we stop fighting, there will come a time when we are so invaded that we won’t be able to do anything.”

Navy escorts U.S. cargo ships near Iran

Washington (CNN)U.S. Navy warships accompanied four U.S.-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz Thursday, beginning a new military operation to offer armed protection from potential harassment by Iran's navy, a U.S. defense official told CNN.

The ships transiting the strait were both inbound to the Persian Gulf and also outbound into the North Arabian Sea, and they traveled without incident. All four unarmed vessels were military supply and survey ships either operated by the U.S. Military Sealift Command or under contract to the command.

The official said the Pentagon will not be providing daily details on transits or the warships in the area because the U.S. "does not want to establish a pattern of life" for observers in the area.

 

Col. Edward Thomas, special assistant for public affairs, said that "this is nothing more than benign but prudent accompanying of already scheduled ships."

He added that it was "not designed to send a signal" but is "merely a hedge against some unpredictable Iranian behavior the last few days."

The escorting, according to Thomas, is "not something we expect to continue for long."

CNN first reported Thursday that U.S. Navy warships would accompany U.S.-flagged commercial vessels that pass through the Strait of Hormuz due to concerns that ships from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps navy could try to seize a U.S. cargo ship.

EXPAND IMAGE

Pentagon officials provided clarification Thursday afternoon that not every ship will necessarily be accompanied by the Navy. But this is still a significant change in the U.S. military posture in the Strait.

The classified plan was approved by the Pentagon earlier Thursday, according to a senior defense official.

While the Navy maintains a routine ship presence in the Persian Gulf and the North Arabian Sea, this new effort specifically requires an armed warship to be in the narrow channel between Iran and Oman when a U.S. commercial vessel passes through.

The decision to go ahead with this plan comes as Iran Revolutionary Guard ships harassed a U.S.-flagged vessel, the Maersk Kensington, on Friday and then later seized another cargo ship, the Maersk Tigris, flagged in the Marshall Islands.

 

The worry is that with the uncertainty around Iran's intentions, any seizure of a U.S.-flagged vessel could provoke an international incident with Iran.

"This is a way to reduce the risk of confrontation," the official told CNN.

The official emphasized the Navy is not trying to "play up" the current situation, but said the orders were approved "based on tensions in the region."

A second U.S. official said if it becomes necessary, U.S. warships are prepared to escort U.S. commercial vessels throughout the entire Gulf.

There are a number of U.S. ships and aircraft in the immediate vicinity, including four ships and several aircraft monitoring the status of the Marshall Island vessel, which remains in Iranian custody allegedly over a 2005 financial dispute. U.S. Navy ships will be moved in and out of the area depending on the transit schedule of U.S. cargo vessels.

 

 

 

Iranian officials said the seizure of the Marshall Islands-flagged ship Maersk Tigris was due to a court decision.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Wednesday that the ship had "some rather peculiar activity" in its past that resulted in court action, according to lawyers with whom his ministry has been in touch.

"Simply, our naval forces implemented the decision of the court," he added.

Rickmers Shipmanagement, the company managing the Maersk Tigris, a Maersk Line ship, said in a statement Thursday that the apparent issue dates back to 2005, when another Maersk Line vessel delivered a shipment to Dubai that was later disposed of when no one collected the containers.

A spokesperson for Rickmers Shipmanagement also said that 24 people -- none American -- are on board the Maersk Tigris and that they are all doing well. However, the company continues to "insist that the crew and vessel are released as soon as possible."

 

The two recent incidents come after the U.S. last week sent warships to the vicinity of Yemen after concerns were raised that an Iranian convey was attempting to supply arms to Houthi rebels who have deposed the Western-backed government in Sanaa.

Multiple U.S. officials said the American ships had been deployed to the region to dissuade the Iranian convoy, which included armed ships, from docking in Yemen. The Iranian ships turned away from Yemen on Thursday.

The U.S. hope is that by deploying the naval accompaniment for cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz, it's much less likely that Iran would cause trouble for them. Rather, like in the case of Yemen, they would be more inclined to turn back.

Still, the move comes amidst U.S.-Iran tensions in the region over competing interests in Yemen and elsewhere. And it also coincides with delicate nuclear talks in the which the United States and five other world powers are trying to seal a final deal with Iran curbing the latter's nuclear program.

 

Source: CNN

Boko Haram: Nigerian army 'frees another 234 women and children'

The Nigerian army has released this photo of some of the former captives

Boko Haram

 

Another 234 women and children have been rescued from Boko Haram militants in Nigeria, the military has announced.

It said the operation took place on Thursday in the vast Sambisa forest - a militant hideout - in the north-east of the country.
It was not immediately clear if any of more than 200 girls abducted from a school in Chibok in April 2014 were among those freed.
Nearly 300 women and children were freed by the army earlier this week.
While the army says they had been captured by Boko Haram, a local senator says the women and children previously released may have been residents of the area.

'Destroyed camps'

In a tweet, the Nigerian military wrote: "FLASH: Another set of 234 women and children were rescued through the Kawuri and Konduga end of the #Sambisa Forest on Thursday."
It said the freed hostages were being screened to establish their identities.
The military earlier said it had destroyed 13 camps belonging to the Islamist insurgents in the Sambisa forest, which surrounds a reserve in Borno.

Thousands have been killed in northern Nigeria since Boko Haram began its insurgency in 2009 to create an Islamic state.
In February, Nigeria's military, backed by troops from neighbouring countries, launched a major offensive against the Islamist fighters.
It has recaptured much of the territory Boko Haram had taken in the previo

Christians Killed by ISIS while Western States that Defeated Gaddafi just Watch: Gulf States and Turkey

ISIS (Islamic State – IS) Takfiri Islamist barbarians have killed 30 Ethiopian Christians. This follows on from an earlier massacre of Coptic Christians from Egypt by ISIS Islamists that kill in the name of Allah – contrary to the political correct version by President Obama. America, France and the United Kingdom – and a host of other nations – involved in the overthrow of Colonel Gaddafi are just standing by and enabling this to happen. After all, the Sunni Islamist Takfiri vacuum was opened by NATO powers and some Gulf feudal powers that participated in creating a failed state in Libya.
The Libya model of manipulating language was implemented but the reality was yet another Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. Syria is bravely fighting the same Western and Gulf intrigues that sprout empty words like “justice,” “freedom” and “democracy.” Similarly, the Shia Houthis in Yemen now face a similar style of “humanitarian bombing campaign” based on a Sunni Muslim coalition being led by Saudi Arabia.
However, in Afghanistan it was America, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom – and other Gulf feudal monarchies – that ushered in the international jihadist brigade by training these brutal Sunni Islamist Takfiri barbarians. Covert agencies like the CIA, ISI and MI6 from America, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom respectively, helped to train and give military support to international jihadists in the 1980s and early 1990s. In Libya and Syria (notably applies to Turkey) the CIA, DGSE, MI6 and MIT have all been involved – and continue to be involved in Syria – in brutal intrigues that are helping to create vacuums for al-Qaeda affiliates and ISIS. It matters not if this is an intended or unintended reality because ultimately al-Qaeda and ISIS are filling the vacuums that are being created.
Therefore, the brutal slaughter of Ethiopian Christians by ISIS was paved by the nations that destroyed Libya. Of course, the mantra of “democracy,” “freedom” and “liberty” ushered by America, France and the United Kingdom was always propaganda. Sadly, this propaganda was fully backed by major Western and Gulf media outlets and the same forces especially played the same card against Syria during the first few years of destabilization. Recently, more media outlets are questioning Ankara, Doha London, Paris, Riyadh and Washington in their co-conspiracy against secular Syria. After all, it is clear that the government of Syria is protecting the religious mosaic comprised of Muslims, Christians and the Druze from the utter barbarity of the intrigues of Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia (assisted by America, France and the United Kingdom).
The Guardian reports on the latest massacre of Christians by ISIS Takfiri barbarians by stating: “Islamic State has released a video purporting to depict the massacre of 30 Ethiopians, the second incident of mass slaughter of Christians by the terror group in its redoubt in Libya.”
This media agency continues “The beheadings and shootings publicised by the group are the latest assault on minorities across the Middle East, thousands of whom have been forced to abandon ancestral homes to flee the group’s broadening reach in the region.”
It should be noted that Egyptian and Ethiopian Christianity are much older than Islam therefore the “crusader” claptrap is just pure religious hatred and clear racism. Indeed, the one thing that binds certain Western countries, Turkey and Arab states together is that in history Arabs, Europeans and the Turks enslaved the continent of Africa. Therefore, the indigenous Coptics of Egypt and the various communities that exist in Ethiopia are truly sons of Africa. Despite this, ISIS continues with its anti-Christian, anti-Shia and anti-humanity crusade, in order to destroy many civilizations that are a million times higher than the barbaric Islamist Takfiri barbarianism that they peddle.
ISIS states openly in their brutal video that: “To the nation of the cross, we’re back again… We swear to Allah…you will not have safety in your dreams until you embrace Islam.”
ISIS continues: “We tell Christians everywhere that the Islamic State will spread, God willing… It will reach you even if you are in fortresses. Those who embrace Islam or jizya will be safe. But those who refuse … will have nothing from us but the edge of the sword. The men will be killed, the women and children enslaved, and the money seized. That is Allah and the prophet’s judgment.”
The above comments and the obvious reality of ISIS, Boko Haram, al-Nusra, AQAP, the Taliban, al-Shabaab – and an array of other Sunni Islamist Takfiri groups – are all clearly Islamist. Their binding realities are Islamic Sharia law and their utter hatred towards the Shia and religious diversity. This reality, and the fact that Saudi Arabia will not tolerate one single Christian church and supports killing apostates, makes a mockery of President Obama and other international leaders who keep on claiming that the problem doesn’t have religious dimensions. On the contrary, systematic persecution of religious minorities takes place in nations like Pakistan while all non-Muslim faiths are banned in Saudi Arabia.
Indigenous Sunni Islam in nations like Bangladesh, Libya, Iraq, Somalia and Syria are also on the frontline. This is based on Salafi Islam and the “year zero end game of Takfiri mindsets” that emanate in Saudi Arabia based on the austere and brutal versions of Islam that they follow. Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are nations whereby Gulf petrodollars are spreading hatred far and wide irrespective if state sponsored, organizations, false charities or based on wealthy individuals. If this reality isn’t challenged – alongside the brutal intrigues of powerful Western nations and Gulf monarchies – then more parts of the world will face the Islamist Takfiri sword.
In the meantime the Shia face the Takfiri sword daily and likewise minorities including the Alawites (Syria), Christians (Iraq and Syria), Shabaks (Iraq) and Yazidis (Iraq) face annihilation. The main conduit for international jihadists is NATO Turkey but this reality still escapes this organization. At the same time, indigenous Sunni Muslim clerics are being killed in Iraq, Nigeria and Syria by Sunni Islamist Takfiris that sprout hatred towards all and sundry. Similarly, Sufi shrines, indigenous Sunni Muslim holy places deemed not pure enough and Shia holy places are being destroyed in several parts of the world. Likewise, the usual “mirror of hate” in Saudi Arabia continues to destroy holy Islamic places connected to the prophet of Islam.
Nations that destabilized Libya and countries that are currently destabilizing Syria are all to blame for creating potent vacuums. Each time in Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, and now in Syria, the al-Qaeda and Takfiri virus enters. ISIS is the latest in a long line of brutal Sunni Islamist Takfiri and sectarian forces that follow the intrigues of powerful Gulf and Western nations – and now with Turkey under Erdogan joining this brutal reality. Therefore, the barbaric murders of Christians in Libya must be challenged by the same nations that destroyed the government of Gaddafi.
It simply isn’t good enough for America, France and the United Kingdom to ignore the brutal reality of Libya because these nations and their allies destroyed this country. Now terrorist groups like ISIS are beheading Christians in Libya and various militias are focused on preserving their respective power bases. It is time to stop the destabilization of Syria, just like it is time for nations to acknowledge the barbarity that they have helped to unleash in nations like Libya and do something about it.

Source: The Guardian

ISIS Slaughter Yazidis in Iraq while Gulf and NATO Powers Weaken Syria and Shia Houthis in Yemen

It is abundantly clear that Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia care little about the ethnic and religious cleansing of various groups in Iraq and Syria. After all, the Saudi Arabia led coalition is killing Shia Houthis and fellow Yemenis without a care in the world, while these same allies are involved in sinister circles against Syria. At the same time, NATO Turkey watched while Kurds in Kobane, and in other areas, faced the Takfiri Islamist sword of ISIS (Islamic State – IS). Indeed, images clearly show NATO Turkey assisting ISIS and other terrorist forces against the government of Syria.
Similarly, NATO Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are funding an array of barbaric Sunni Islamist terrorist groups that persecute Alawites, Christians, Shia Muslims and Sunni Muslims loyal to the government of Syria. America and France are also involved in intrigues against the government of Syria while claiming to support the central forces of Iraq. It is one big nightmare where a NATO nation is now nothing more than a major conduit for various Takfiri and terrorist organizations that behead for fun.
Latest reports state that around 300 Yazidis in Iraq have been butchered by ISIS Islamists that follow the Takfiri mindset. Clearly, for nations like Saudi Arabia that don’t allow one single non-Muslim holy place and where Shia Muslims are second-class citizens, then this news will mean little. Indeed, militant Salafi Islamist clerics in various parts of the world are often praising the murder of non-Muslims and Shia Muslims with open glee. Therefore, while Yazidis and others face the sword of ISIS and al-Nusra (and an array of other Islamist Takfiri groups) in Iraq and Syria, the government of Saudi Arabia is bombing Shia Houthis and backing barbaric groups against the secular government of Syria.
The BBC reports “Several hundred Yazidi captives have been killed in Iraq by Islamic State (IS) militants west of Mosul, Yazidi and Iraqi officials say.”
This media group continues “A statement from the Yazidi Progress Party said 300 captives were killed on Friday in the Tal Afar district near the city.”
America’s response, under the estranged administration of President Obama, is to create a new terrorist and sectarian group with Turkey and continue to refuse to work openly with the only armed forces that are fighting various al-Qaeda groups and ISIS on the ground. This notably applies to the armed forces of Syria when it applies to al-Qaeda affiliate groups and ISIS in Syria. Similarly, the Shia Houthis in Yemen remain steadfast against al-Qaeda. Also, more recently it is clear that ISIS is gradually growing in power in Yemen and this applies to terrorist attacks against the Shia Houthis and beheading Yemeni soldiers. However, it is the armed forces of Syria that have been taking the fight to various terrorist and sectarian groups despite the odds being massively against this nation because of the intrigues of various Gulf and NATO powers.
In other words, comments of sympathy and utter shock in relation to the latest massacre of Yazidis in the corridors of powers in London, Paris and Washington mean nothing. After all, these nations have all been involved in terrorist and sectarian intrigues against secular Syria. At the same time, these leading Western powers fully understand that NATO Turkey is an open conduit for international sectarian terrorists. Also, the governments of America and France are openly siding with the Saudi Arabia led coalition against the Shia Houthis in Yemen. In other words, while Western powers rely openly on various Shia forces in Iraq and the support that Iran is providing this nation, the same nations are undermining all this because of their collective intrigues and support of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
Vice-President Osama al-Nujaifi of Iraq was visibly shocked by the latest ISIS massacre against innocent Yazidis. He states the ISIS Islamist crime is “horrific and barbaric.”
However, the same government of Iraq must similarly be at a loss about anti-Syria nations that are destabilizing this country in the full knowledge that this will impact negatively against Iraq. Likewise, Iraq knows full well that while Gulf powers have openly played their role in supporting various Takfiri Islamist groups in Iraq, they are now involved in destabilizing Yemen and targeting Shia Houthis. Therefore, various al-Qaeda affiliates, other Takfiri Islamist sectarian terrorist groups and ISIS are a major threat to Iraq, Syria and Yemen respectively.
Yet while the sectarian intrigues of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are abundantly obvious, the same can’t be said about the estranged Obama administration that is implementing a schizophrenic approach to the region. Given this reality, the latest massacre of Yazidis in Iraq is also based on the intrigues of nations that support the destabilization of Syria.
Meanwhile, Shia Houthis in Yemen continue to be bombed by a coalition that is being led by Saudi Arabia. This reality is being supported by America therefore al-Qaeda and ISIS will gain from the intrigues against Syria and Yemen respectively. While in Iraq the utter confusion of friends of friends within NATO and the Gulf means that Christians, Shabaks and Yazidis face utter annihilation. Therefore, the latest massacre against Yazidi civilians is the culmination of outside Gulf and NATO nations that are spreading chaos throughout the region and then abandoning the most vulnerable in society.

Source: Modern Tokyo Times