Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Friday 14 July 2017
Gaza power plant shuts down, causing unprecedented blackout

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) but only 70 megawatts vironmental services, in- tant group Hamas, which station running at half ca-
— The electricity supply to were available as of late cluding water and sewage seized power in Gaza a de- pacity since June 21, but
Gaza’s 2 million residents Wednesday, when Gaza’s draining.” The coastal strip cade ago. Several neigh- deliveries were interrupted
has dropped to unprec- power plant shut down had already been experi- borhoods were without after a deadly attack on
edented lows, with black- after fuel shipments from encing the worst electricity electricity for more than 24 Egyptian soldiers last week
outs lasting for more than 24 Egypt were interrupted fol- shortage in years, limiting hours on Thursday. near the border. Gaza’s
hours, the territory’s power lowing a militant attack last Gazans to about four hours Late Thursday, Hamas said power station has low stor-
distribution company said week. of electricity per day. 27 Egyptian trucks with 1.5 age capacity, and requires
Thursday, prompting fears The Gaza-based Pales- Palestinian President Mah- million liters of diesel en- new fuel shipments on an
of a humanitarian and en- tinian Center for Human moud Abbas recently tered Gaza for the power almost daily basis.
vironmental crisis. Rights said the power cuts asked Israel, the main pro- plant. It was unclear when Abbas has tried to squeeze
The Palestinian enclave have caused a rapid dete- vider of power to Gaza, to operations would resume. Hamas financially in recent
needs at least 400 mega- rioration in basic services, cut shipments as a way of Diesel fuel from neighbor- months, hoping to force it
watts of power a day, “especially health and en- pressuring the Islamic mili- ing Egypt had kept the to cede power. q
Videos appear to show Iraqi troops killing Mosul detainees

By SUSANNAH GEORGE He added that “there
Associated Press might be some misbehav-
IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — Human ior or inappropriate con-
Rights Watch on Thursday duct by some of the forces,
condemned videos cir- yes, but the investigation is
culating on social media going on. We are against
purportedly showing Iraqi any violation against any
forces killing and beating human being and this is
suspected Islamic State the position of the govern-
fighters in Mosul. ment.”
Two videos were posted to In one of the videos, sol-
Facebook earlier this week, diers are seen shouting at,
a day after Iraqi Prime Min- kicking and beating sev-
ister Haider al-Abadi de- eral men — apparently
clared “total victory” in captured IS fighters — in
Mosul. a room. One man’s shirt is
A spokesman for Iraq’s De- splattered with fresh blood.
fense Ministry said he had Several are dragged out of
not seen the videos but the room.
that such incidents will not “Is this one with Daesh or
be tolerated. not?” one soldier is heard
Brig. Gen. Mohammed al- saying, using the Arabic
Khudhari told the Associ- acronym for the Islamic
ated Press by phone from Iraqi special forces soldiers stand in a house retaken by Iraqi forces during fighting against Islamic State group and shout-
Baghdad that soldiers have State militants in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq. ing at a man cowering
“very clear instructions and (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) in a corner. The man is
guidance” to hand over dragged outside, and the
suspected IS members for camera follows.
interrogation, “then to be tried in a military court. es and that an investiga- and there is currently an The soldiers carry the man
Brig. Gen. Saad Maan, tion has been launched.
investigation being con-
sent to the court for trial.” to the edge of a high wall
He said any soldiers com- spokesman for Iraq’s Inte- “We looked and suspend- ducted,” he told Pentagon overlooking the Tigris River.
reporters by video confer-
rior Ministry, said officials ed a number of those forc-
mitting violations will be q
were aware of such imag- es shown in those pictures ence, using an interpreter.
Fearing attacks, Egypt’s churches suspend pilgrimages, trips

By HAMZA HENDAWI officials, pastors and other to a sizable Christian com- crush an insurgency led by of Christian families to flee
Associated Press activists confirmed the sus- munity. the extremist Islamic State their homes in northern Si-
CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian pension. Security officials confirmed group in northern Sinai. nai after killing several of
churches on Thursday sus- They said the warning was the heightened measures Militants have been wag- them and have since De-
pended pilgrimages, holi- delivered to church repre- and the warnings con- ing attacks against secu- cember killed more than
days and conferences for sentatives during a meet- veyed to the churches. rity forces there for years, 100 people in four separate
the remainder of July and ing this week with top army They spoke on condition of but they have recently ex- attacks targeting members
August after authorities and security commanders anonymity because they panded to the mainland. of the ancient community.
warned them about pos- in the southern city of Assiut. were not authorized to re- They have vowed to go El-Sissi declared a nation-
sible attacks by Islamic mili- They have also been told lease the information. after Egypt’s Christians, wide state of emergency
tants. that army troops backed The suspension of activi- who account for about in April after suicide bomb-
Ishak Ibrahim, an activist by armored vehicles and ties and the deployment of 10 percent of the coun- ers targeted two churches
and a top researcher on the snipers would be deployed army troops outside mon- try’s 93 million people, as north of Cairo. In May, mili-
Egyptian church, reported outside monasteries host- asteries point to the vulner- punishment for their sup- tants killed about 30 Chris-
the suspension by the ma- ing major religious festivals ability of Egypt’s Christians port of el-Sissi, who led the tians traveling on a back
jority Coptic Orthodox and in coming weeks. At least at a time when President 2013 military ouster of an road as they approached
the smaller Anglican and two of these festivals will Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi’s gov- Islamist president. The mili- a remote desert monastery
Catholic churches. Security take place in Assiut, home ernment is struggling to tants have forced scores south of Cairo. q