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From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm Susan Yackee reporting. A government link to a Kenyan terrorist.
Authorities in Kenya have identified one of the al-Shabab gunmen who massacred 148 people at a university as the son of a Kenyan government official. An Interior Ministry spokesman said today that Abdirahim Abdullahi was among four suicide attackers killed during Thursday's massacre at Garissa University College. The spokesman said the government official had earlier reported his son missing. Meanwhile, Kenyans dedicated Easter Sunday services to the victims of Thursday's massacre. Ceremonies were held amid tight security across the country. Kenya's security chief has defended the response by special forces to the attacks. The French news agency reports that it took at least seven hours for special forces to arrive at the scene of the massacre. In a televised address, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta called for unity. "Our nation is in a profound state of mourning following the heinous attack and mindless slaughter of 147 Kenyans in Garissa at Garissa University College which occurred on Thursday 2nd April, 2015." An al-Shabab statement has threatened another bloodbath in Kenya. A monitoring group says Islamic militants are in control of most of a large Palestinian refugee camp on the outskirts of Damascus. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says fighters from the Islamic State and al-Nusra Front gained control of about 90 percent of the Yarmouk refugee camp. The two groups fought other rebels, including a Syrian Palestinian militia who oppose the Syrian government. You are tuned to the Voice of America. Houthi rebels in Yemen continued to gain ground in the southern city of Aden today despite a Saudi-led airstrike campaign. The French news agency reports the rebels have taken the provincial government headquarters, including the governor's office in Aden's Mualla district. Former U.S. ambassador to Yemen Barbara Bodine spoke with us about why there is this crisis in Yemen. "None of this is really being driven by theology. There was a power vacuum, there was a governance vacuum, there was a complete lack of structure, and the Houthis were able to walk into this vacuum." Egyptian officials say a bomb explosion today hit a bridge near an upscale neighborhood in central Cairo, killing at least one person said to be a police officer. Officials say the bomb exploded close to a police checkpoint on the side of a bridge that connects Cairo's sister city of Giza to its upscale Zamalek neighborhood. AFP reports the bomb went off as a driver of a minivan pulled over to ask the officer a question. Attacks mainly targeting Egyptian security forces have spiked since the 2013 military overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi following massive protests against his divisive rule. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is slamming the world powers' framework nuclear deal with Iran, saying it leaves the "preeminent terrorist state with the vast nuclear infrastructure" that will ultimately give it nuclear weapons. On NBC's TV show "Meet the Press," the newly reelected Israeli prime minister said today without the current sanctions against Iran, Iran would have billions of dollars to pump up its "terror machine" worldwide and concur the Middle East. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, speaking Saturday on the Iranian state-run television, said Tehran will be able to return to its current level of nuclear activity if the West withdraws from the nuclear deal that is scheduled to be finalized in June. Christians around the world are celebrating Easter Sunday, marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Robert Berger attended festivities in Jerusalem today. Apparently, we don't have that report at this time. In other news, Islamic State extremists in Iraq's ancient city of Hatra have destroyed the archaeological site by smashing sledgehammers into its walls and shooting assault rifles at priceless statues, a new militant video shows. Militants attacked Hatra, a UNESCO World Heritage site, last month - officials and local residents said - although the extent of the damage remains unclear as it is in territory still controlled by Islamic State. The Associated Press reports that one of the militants speaks Arabic with a distinct Gulf accent on the video. I'm Susan Yackee reporting from Washington. That's the latest world news from VOA. |