Jan. 19 Kaiga-Kindjiria, Chad: A female suicide bomber detonated an explosive in a crowd on Jan. 19. At least nine civilians were killed in the attack, and two were injured. The area is a popular target for Boko Haram fighters from Nigeria, and Chadian officials have accused the militant group of orchestrating the incident. “It was Boko Haram, there is no doubt,” Chad’s military spokesman Colonel Azem Bermandoa told Al Jazeera. Despite the accusations, no group, including Boko Haram, has claimed responsibility for the attack. Boko Haram fighters are believed to be responsible for tens of thousands of deaths in Nigeria and the surrounding countries over the last ten years, according to AP News.
Jan. 21 Baghdad, Iraq: An unidentified group fired three missiles that landed in the Green Zone in Baghdad. The Green Zone is a portion of the capital city that is dedicated to housing government buildings and foreign embassies. Of the three missiles, two reportedly landed near the United States embassy. No casualties or injuries have been reported. Authorities reported the missiles were fired from the neighboring Zafaraniyah district, and U.S. officials have blamed Iranian forces for trying to attack the U.S. embassy. Responsibility for the attack has not been claimed by any group, including the accused Iranians. According to ABC News, missile and rocket attacks are not an uncommon occurrence in the Green Zone.
Jan. 22 Seoul, South Korea: Staff Sergeant Byeon Hee-su, who recently went through sex-reassignment surgery, was discharged from the military as a result of the surgery, despite her desire to continue to serve as a woman. LGBTQ+ activists in the country say they believe Hee-su is being unfairly attacked by the military and argue there is no reason she could not continue to carry out her duties. South Korea is a socially conservative country according to The New York Times, and it is not unusual for members of the LBGTQ+ community to be discriminated against. “I know the military is not ready yet to accept transgender soldiers like me, but I hope that sexual minority soldiers like me will be able to perform their duty without discrimination,” Hee-su said in a press conference after military officials announced their decision, according to The New York Times.
Jan. 23 Lima, Peru: A natural gas truck drove off a ramp and broke a gas valve before exploding. Several nearby homes caught fire as a result of the explosion, and at least two people were killed, including a 13-year-old girl. Health Minister Elizabeth Hinostroza reported that at least half of the injured are in “very critical” condition. A 10-month-old baby is among the seriously injured and is one of eight children who needed surgery after the incident. The victims of the incident were covered in second and third degree burns, according to TeleSUR.
Jan. 24 eastern Turkey: A 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck in eastern Turkey, killing at least 22 people and injuring over a thousand more. The earthquake could be felt in three neighboring countries including Syria and Armenia. The earthquake’s epicenter is believed to be Sivrice in the Elazig province of Turkey, where over 220 people were injured. Al Jazeera reported the death toll could rise as authorities continue to search for survivors among the damage. At least 30 buildings throughout the region collapsed after the earthquake, many with people still inside.
Jan. 26 Sekolo, Mali: An attack on the Sekolo military base left 19 soldiers dead and five more wounded. The Malian military sent a plane to monitor the situation as it continues to develop. The attackers have not yet been identified, but authorities suspect local groups with connections to al-Qaida and the Islamic State. Residents of the area surrounding the military base told Al Jazeera there were at least 100 attackers. ”They were well-armed,” an unnamed, local politician told Al Jazeera. “They entered the Sekolo camp. They took away a lot of material.” Reports also claim that several of the attackers were killed in the attack as well, but bodies were taken by the group when they left the camp several hours after the attack began, according to France 24.
