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The influx of refugees from Syria and other parts of the Middle East and Africa continued to make headlines last week. Migrants attempting to reach Western Europe have been stymied by Hungarian border security, where police used tear gas and water cannons to keep them from overwhelming crossings along Hungary’s border with Serbia, where Hungary has built a fence to keep refugees out. Hungary’s president threatened to build a fence along the border with Romania as well, if migrants detour there. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the harsh tactics were unacceptable. Croatia, by contrast, promised to keep its borders open, but stressed that it is a migration route for refugees and not a destination. Despite its promises, Croatia struggled to deal with the influx of migrants prompted by Hungary’s border closure and eventually closed seven of its eight border crossings with Serbia. European nations have adopted varying policies towards the migrants, while America’s Congress debates permitting more to enter the United States. The White House released a fact sheet indicating that President Obama will advocate for the admission of 10,000 Syrian refugees next year.
Africa
General Gilbert Diendéré seized control of Burkina Faso in a military coup on Thursday. The Presidential Security Regiment, under Diendéré’s de facto control, arrested interim President Michel Kafando and Prime Minister Isaac Zida. Diendéré is an ally of Blaise Compaoré, who ruled as the country’s president for 27 years until a popular uprising ousted him last fall. However, Diendéré claimed that he had no contact with Compaoré before or after the coup. The interim government had banned members of Compaoré’s administration from taking part in elections planned for October 11. The coup ignited protests in which at least ten people have been killed. On Friday, the military announced that Kafando and Zida had been released from detention, though Zida would remain under house arrest. The African Union suspended Burkina Faso’s membership in the wake of the coup.
A small group of American soldiers is helping villagers in Niger’s Diffa region build a wall to protect against incursions by the militant group Boko Haram. The wall is part of President Obama’s strategy of finding local partners in Africa willing to take action against Islamic militants, rather than deploying large numbers of troops.
Islamic State militants attacked a prison at an airbase in Tripoli, Libya, on Friday. Fighters defending the base said they suffered three deaths, and a prisoner who fought alongside them was killed as well. Tripoli is currently under the control of a faction based in the city of Misurata, and even though the faction includes certain Islamist militias, the Islamic State opposes it.
Asia
North Korea announced that it is willing to use nuclear weapons against the United States and other countries if those nations continue to pursue a “reckless hostile policy” towards the east Asian nation. Though North Korea may have as many as 10-15 nuclear weapons, many experts doubt that North Korea possesses the missile technology to launch a nuclear attack against the United States. America’s ambassador to South Korea stressed that the United States has strengthened its missile defense capabilities in the region to protect its allies there, including South Korea and Japan.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein released a report on Sri Lanka calling for the establishment of a war crimes court to investigate abuses committed during the island nation’s civil war. The war between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ended in 2009 with the government’s military victory over the LTTE. Zeid said that both sides were guilty of atrocities including unlawful killings, sexual violence, torture, forced recruitment of children and adults, and denial of humanitarian aid. The International Crisis Group says the report “is a dramatic advance that can help the country respond to its painful legacy of war.”
A committee in Japan’s parliament approved a controversial defense law that would permit Japan to defend its allies overseas, even when Japan is not under attack. Thousands of protesters rallied against the law outside the parliament building, and opposition members of parliament physically attempted to stop the vote. The bill still needs approval from the upper house of parliament, but it’s expected to pass because the government holds a majority of the seats in that house. Despite the lack of popular support for the bill and increasing dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government, the opposition Democratic Party of Japan may actually be facing bigger political difficulties.
Taliban militants raided an air force base in Peshawar, northwest Pakistan, on Friday. They killed at least 17 people who were praying in a mosque. Security forces responded and killed 13 or 14 of the militants, though 10 soldiers were injured. Thanks to a military offensive against the Taliban along the border with Afghanistan, attacks by the militant group have decreased about 70 percent this year.
Authorities in Tajikistan arrested 13 activists for the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan, including the deputy party chairman. The government claimed the arrests were made in order to prevent terrorist attacks but did not charge the individuals with any specific offenses. Human Rights Watch called for the government to charge or release them. The Diplomat has a good article explaining the government’s efforts to blame violence on its political opponents.
Americas
On Tuesday, Senate Democrats rebuffed for a second time the Republican majority’s attempt to vote down the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the deal reached in July between China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Iran regarding Iran’s nuclear program. On Thursday, Democrats again blocked the disapproval legislation, ensuring the Senate would not meet its deadline to turn down the deal. Polls show that the American public is split on the deal.
United States Secretary of State John Kerry expressed hope that military-to-military discussions between America and Russia will help to define options to alleviate the conflict in Syria. Kerry stressed that Russia’s America’s goals are the same: defeat the Islamic State and reach a political solution to the conflict. Russia has been increasing its support for the government of Prime Minister Bashar al-Assad, despite Kerry’s September 5 warning that the Kremlin should not expand its support for the Syrian regime.
Middle East
A coalition of Arab nations led by Saudi Arabia bombed Sana’a, Yemen’s capital on Saturday. The airstrikes killed at least two dozen people. Though the bombing was aimed at the headquarters of the Interior Ministry and a military honor guard, witnesses claimed that many of the targets had no apparent military value. Though the coalition, which is supported by the United States and opposes the Houthi rebels, has made advances in recent months, its airstrikes have had a troubling record of resulting in civilian casualties.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad urged all of Syria’s armed groups to unite against militant groups including the Islamic State and the Nusra Front, and refused to consider a political solution to the violence until “terrorism” is defeated. The United Nations estimates that the conflict in Syria has resulted in over 250,000 deaths and displaced about half of the country’s 22.4 million people. Human rights activists say western nations must take more aggressive action to resolve the refugee crisis.