Page 10 - atoday

A10 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 24 January 2017
Gambia’s new president, still in Senegal, names female VP

ABDOULIE JOHN three months. “It was very
CARLEY PETESCH difficult for us at that time,
Associated Press and it was traumatizing,
BANJUL, Gambia (AP) and now finally we are free
— Gambia’s new vice because Jammeh is gone,”
president will be a female he said. “I hope for peace
leader of the opposition and unity. We need ECOW-
coalition that helped bring AS here so that they can
new President Adama Bar- help stabilize things.”
row to power, a presiden- Meanwhile, Equatorial
tial spokesman announced Guinea’s opposition de-
Monday, as regional troops nounced the government’s
continued security sweeps decision to welcome Jam-
to prepare for Barrow’s re- meh.
turn to the country he now
rules. President Teodoro Obiang
The appointment of Fatou- will be held responsible
mata Tambajang as vice “for what might occur” as
president was announced a result of Jammeh’s pres-
at a news conference by ence on the country’s soil,
coalition spokesman Halifa according to a statement
Sallah. He said the rest of emailed Monday by An-
Barrow’s cabinet would be dres Esono Ondo, secretary
revealed Tuesday. Senegalese troops enter the State House in Banjul, Gambia, Monday Jan. 23, 2017, two days after general of the opposition
Gambia’s defeated leader Yahya Jammeh left the country. Troops of Economic Community of
A former U.N. Develop- West African States have moved into the State House to prepare for the return of new President Convergence for Social
ment Program staffer, Tam- Adama Barrow. Democracy.
bajang was instrumental (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) Jammeh should not qual-
in helping Gambia’s op- ify for political asylum be-
position parties overcome After days of frantic media- aimed at filling a void cre- Bakau, just outside Banjul. cause he triggered Gam-
their differences and unite tion, and as a regional in- ated by his absence. The presence of ECOWAS bia’s crisis by refusing to
against ousted President tervention force deployed The armed forces have troops was cheered by step down, the Democratic
Yahya Jammeh, who to apply pressure, Jammeh pledged loyalty to him, many in the capital, and Opposition Front said in a
came to power in a coup finally agreed to leave, fly- though regional forces some emboldened Gambi- separate statement Sun-
and ruled for 22 years. ing out late Saturday night. from the West African body ans even tried to cross the day.
Barrow remained in Sen- Mediators said his destina- known as ECOWAS on gates of State House — a “We are not against Pan-
egal Monday, where he tion was Equatorial Guinea, Monday continued to push place they didn’t dare at- Africanism, but we are in
traveled more than a week though that notoriously se- Gambian soldiers out of tempt to enter before. favor of a more objective
ago when it was uncertain cretive country has yet to the official residence, State Abass Hydra said it was his Pan-Africanism that does
whether Jammeh would confirm Jammeh’s arrival. House, in advance of Bar- first time back near State
acknowledge defeat in the Barrow’s return date has row’s arrival. They also took House since his father was not consist in just bringing
over the waste of Africa,”
December election and not been fixed, and this over a Republican Guard arrested inexplicably dur-
step down. week’s appointments are barracks training center in ing prayers and held for the group said. q
Iraq premier orders probe into violations by troops in Mosul

SINAN SALAHEDDIN against civilians. Al-Abadi after the U.N. demanded nel carrier were stationed tion in Iraq since American
Associated Press blamed such incidents on a government probe into a nearby. troops left in 2011 and, if
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s “groups that exploit the video purportedly showing Iraqi and Kurdish forces successful, would be the
prime minister on Monday good name” of Iraqi sol- brutal treatment and killing launched the massive op- strongest blow yet to IS.
ordered an investigation diers and Shiite and Sunni of at least three IS suspects eration in October to re- Meanwhile in Baghdad, a
into violations of human paramilitaries. The state- in a newly-taken area in take Mosul, which fell to IS car bomb on a busy com-
rights and other abuses ment also said that the eastern Mosul. The nearly in the summer of 2014. The mercial street killed 11 peo-
ple and wounded 22. Po-
purportedly committed by abuses were recorded and three-minute video showed U.S. is supporting them with lice officials said the bomb
government troops and then posted on social me- members of the security airstrikes, and U.S. soldiers struck the eastern Baghdad
paramilitary forces battling dia to “spoil the joy of victo- forces in regular army and are serving in a support role neighborhood of Talbiyeh.
the Islamic State group to ry and to defame the real police uniforms dragging on the ground. Paramilitary Medical officials confirmed
retake the city of Mosul. image of the brave security and beating the suspects troops are also taking part the casualties. All officials
Haider al-Abadi said the forces and their sacrifices in a residential area before in the operation, but only in spoke on condition of ano-
probe will examine “cas- to liberate the land and to showering them with bullets areas surrounding Mosul. nymity because they were
es of kidnappings, mis- maintain security.” Al-Aba- as at least two army Hum- The push to retake Mosul is not authorized to speak to
treatment and violations” di’s statement came days vees, a tank and a person- the biggest military opera- the media.q