Israel-Palestine, Mali, Somalia.

Today's three stories you should know.

Aug 06, 2022

Israel-Palestine

A five-year-old girl, Alaa Qaddoum, was among at least 15 people killed as Israel pounded the besieged Gaza Strip with air strikes. The main target of the bombing raids appears to have been Taysir al-Jabari, a commander of the al-Quds Brigades, the military arm of the Islamic Jihad group, who was killed in a strike on an apartment building. The air raids began on Friday and have continued into Saturday as Islamic Jihad responded by firing scores of rockets into Israel, the vast majority of which were intercepted. Israel said today it is primed for a week of attacks on Palestinian targets.

Mali

At least 33 civilians were killed in Mali by the army and “white-skinned soldiers,” according to a UN experts report seen by the AFP news agency. “White-skinned soldiers” is widely believed to refer to members of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group. Mali says that Wagner paramilitaries are in the country to act as instructors for its military but Western nations claim the Russians are actively fighting. Mali is currently engaged in a conflict with Islamist groups in the Segou and Mopti regions.

Somalia

Somali armed group al-Shabab is mentioned regularly in Proximities as it continues its campaign to topple Somalia’s government and install its own radical interpretation of Islamic law. Now, an incredibly interesting and audacious development. The group has started attacking the neighboring regional power Ethiopia, which borders Somalia. Ethiopia has been rocked by a brutal civil conflict for almost two years and it may be that Shabab is trying to exploit what it sees as a moment of vulnerability.