Posts tagged explosion
at James Madison University
Libya's abandoned weapons put civilians at risk: report
Abandoned weapons that were once part of toppled dictator Moamer Kadhafi’s arsenal pose an ongoing and serious threat to civilians in Libya, warned a report published by Harvard University on Thursday.
People gather to inspect the damage to the Libyan intelligence building after a bomb explosion, in Benghazi August 1, 2012.
“These weapons may have been abandoned, but their ability to harm civilians remains intact,” said Bonnie Docherty, leader of the research team sent to Libya by Harvard Law School and partner organisation CIVIC.
Weapons left behind after last year’s conflict range from bullets and mortars to torpedoes and surface-to-air missiles, creating an “explosive situation” in a country with a weak central government, the report said.
“The sheer scale of weapons here is shocking,” co-author Nicolette Boehland told AFP in Tripoli.
ERW—Over 100 to be buried in Congo state funeral
Men craft coffins for some of the more than 200 people killed by explosions at a munitions depot, in Brazzaville, Congo Thursday, March 8, 2012. Many of the at least 246 victims of last weekend’s deadly arms depot blasts in the Republic of Congo’s capital will be buried Sunday in a mass funeral, state radio reported Thursday. STR / AP Photo
BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo — Morgue workers hurried to finish washing the bodies of hundreds of people killed in last week’s explosion at a Congo army base ahead of the their state funeral Sunday, which will mark the single largest loss of life in this Central African nation.
At least 246 people died one week ago when an arms depot inside a military barracks went up in flames, setting off a lethal downpour of grenades, mortars and shells.
The detonation flattened buildings, including churches, schools, dormitories and businesses, crushing scores of people. Only 168 of the bodies have been identified so far, according to morgue records, and the government ordered them to be laid to rest in identical coffins in order to convey the national character of the loss.
IED—I Shouted 'Anyone Hurt?' Then I Looked at My Legs
(Pic: BBC)
Flung to the ground by the huge explosion, Captain Luke Sinnott’s first thought was for his squad.
The 31-year-old recalls: “I thought, ‘F***, that was close!’ I shouted out: ‘Right. Anyone hurt?’ Then I looked down and realised it was me.”
Luke was in Afghanistan in charge of a team of searchers - soldiers who locate improvised explosive devices planted by the Taliban - when he took the full force of an IED blast just 100 metres from base camp Rahim in Helmand Province.
IED—Two IED Blasts Greet Philippine Official in Cotobato
Two explosions greeted Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo yesterday in Cotobato City.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Directorate for Integrated Police Operation (DIPO) Western Mindanao director Chief Supt. Felicisimo Khu said the first explosion occurred at around 12:10 p.m. followed by another blast at around 12:15 p.m.
Khu said unidentified suspects planted the improvised explosive devices (IED) 20 meters apart beside the road near Cotobato City Regional Hospital. He said the IEDs exploded almost simultaneously.
It was learned that the explosion occurred shortly after the convoy of Robredo passed by in the area. Robredo was scheduled to attend a forum for the elected officer in charge of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Khu said the DILG convoy was already inside the compound when the explosion occurred.
Cotobato City police director Senior Supt. Roberto Badian said Robredo was not the target of the explosion.
Police are conducting follow-up investigation into the incident.
