Central African Republic
Russia today denied military instructors it sent to the Central African Republic have been involved in killing civilians and looting. The accusations were made by a panel of U.N. experts monitoring sanctions on the country in a report obtained by the Associated Press. The report said testimony collected by the UN pointed to “excessive use of force, indiscriminate killings, the occupation of schools and looting on a large scale.” The Central African Republic has been hit by conflict since 2013.
More from the Associated Press here.
Afghanistan
The end of an era today as US troops pulled out of Bagram air base in Afghanistan, which has been their main base there for two decades. Though there are still more soldiers to leave ahead of a September 11 deadline for full withdrawal, the closure of Bagram effectively brings US military operations in the country to an end. Violence has surged in Afghanistan in recent months and the Taliban has captured scores of towns and districts in a lightning advance against the government.
More from BBC here.
Eswatini
Pro-democracy protests are continuing in Eswatini, an absolute monarchy in southern Africa formerly known as Swaziland. For several nights, security forces have cracked down on crowds of mostly young people defying a curfew to call for political reforms. Demonstrators are also angry at the opulent lifestyles enjoyed by royal family members even as many of the country’s 1.1 million people live in poverty. Opposition groups say security forces have killed as many as 40 demonstrators this week. Prime Minister Themba Masuku’s office says it has yet to receive official reports of deaths.
More from Al Jazeera here.