Afghanistan, South Africa, Iraq.

Today's three stories you should know.

Jul 02, 2023

Afghanistan

Eighty Afghan civilians may have been summarily executed by British special forces between 2010 and 2013, lawyers for bereaved families have told a public inquiry. Just one soldier is alleged to have “personally killed” 35 Afghans in a six-month period as part of a campaign to wipe out “fighting-aged males.” British SAS soldiers routinely raided family homes in Helmand province, often at night, in search of Taliban fighters. It is during these raids that many of the killings are alleged to have happened.

South Africa

South Africa's Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has been taken to hospital after he was poisoned, according to his prime minister. Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi said kaZwelithini refused to be treated in South Africa and instead went to neighboring Eswatini. A bitter power struggle has engulfed the royal family since the 48-year-old was crowned last October following the death of his father King Goodwill Zwelithini in March 2021. While Zulu kings do not have any formal power, they wield considerable influence and receive a multi-million dollar budget from the government.

Iraq

Thousands of Iraqis have demonstrated in several cities for the second day over the burning of a Quran as a protest outside a mosque in Sweden. Demonstrators called for the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador. The Quran was apparently burned by a Christian refugee from Iraq who had been given permission for his protest by Swedish authorities on free speech grounds. The Swedish foreign ministry today, though, condemned the act, calling it Islamophobic and “a clear provocation.”