MADRID: Basque separatist group ETA says it has not abandoned its goal of an independent Basque state along the French-Spanish border despite giving up its arms.
In a communique Sunday in the Basque newspaper Gara, ETA said disarmament “wasn’t going to be a bargaining chip, but rather a way to show the intransigence of the (Spanish and French) states and to further the independence movement.”
Two weeks ago ETA gave French authorities a list of eight caches where police found weapons, ammunition and explosives in a historic step toward disarmament.
Inactive for over five years, the ETA killed 829 people, mostly in Spain, in a 43-year campaign for independence. Spain and France have both demanded it disband.
ETA made no mention of dissolving in Sunday’s communique, its first since handing over its weapons.
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ETA still wants independent Basque nation after disarming
ETA still wants independent Basque nation after disarming
Russia has taken ‘over 1,000’ Kenyans to Ukraine: intelligence report
- Russia has enticed men from African countries with promises of lucrative jobs, only to force them into fighting
NAIROBI: More than 1,000 Kenyans have gone to fight for the Russian army in Ukraine, most of them tricked into signing military contracts, according to an intelligence report presented to Kenya’s parliament.
Multiple media investigations, including one published earlier this month by AFP, have exposed how Russia has enticed men from African countries with promises of lucrative jobs, only to force them into fighting on the front line in Ukraine.
A joint investigation by Kenya’s National Intelligence Service and Directorate of Criminal Investigations, presented in parliament on Tuesday, put the number of recruits from the country at “over 1,000” — far higher than the figure of “around 200” given by authorities in December.
“The Kenyans leave the country on tourist visas to join the Russian army through Istanbul, Turkiye, as well as Abu Dhabi, UAE,” Kimani Ichung’wah, parliament majority leader, told lawmakers.
But he said increased border enforcement at Nairobi’s airport meant recruits were also now traveling to other African countries to avoid detection.
Ichung’wah said unlicensed recruitment agencies in Kenya were “colluding with rogue airport staff.”
He said at least 39 Kenyans were currently hospitalized, 28 missing-in-action and 89 on the front line.
Kenya’s Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi is due to visit Moscow next month to discuss the issue, with the government condemning the use of its people “as cannon fodder.”
Uganda and South Africa are among the other African countries that have been targeted for recruitment as Russia faces heavy casualties in Ukraine.
Multiple media investigations, including one published earlier this month by AFP, have exposed how Russia has enticed men from African countries with promises of lucrative jobs, only to force them into fighting on the front line in Ukraine.
A joint investigation by Kenya’s National Intelligence Service and Directorate of Criminal Investigations, presented in parliament on Tuesday, put the number of recruits from the country at “over 1,000” — far higher than the figure of “around 200” given by authorities in December.
“The Kenyans leave the country on tourist visas to join the Russian army through Istanbul, Turkiye, as well as Abu Dhabi, UAE,” Kimani Ichung’wah, parliament majority leader, told lawmakers.
But he said increased border enforcement at Nairobi’s airport meant recruits were also now traveling to other African countries to avoid detection.
Ichung’wah said unlicensed recruitment agencies in Kenya were “colluding with rogue airport staff.”
He said at least 39 Kenyans were currently hospitalized, 28 missing-in-action and 89 on the front line.
Kenya’s Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi is due to visit Moscow next month to discuss the issue, with the government condemning the use of its people “as cannon fodder.”
Uganda and South Africa are among the other African countries that have been targeted for recruitment as Russia faces heavy casualties in Ukraine.
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