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Africa News
Al-Shabab: 14 Iranian fishermen freed years after abduction
Fourteen Iranian fishermen have returned home after years in captivity by al-Shabab militants in Somalia.
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They were freed after “lengthy negotiations with government officials, tribal chiefs and Somali elders,” Iranian news agency ISNA reports.
They were flown back to Iran late on Saturday before being taken to their hometown of Chabahar, in the south.
Some of them had been held for as long as eight years after being kidnapped in international waters close to Somalia.
The fishermen were freed almost a month after Somali police said they had found 20 foreigners - 14 Iranians and six Pakistanis - near land controlled by militants.
According to the AFP news agency, police said at the time that some of the fishermen had been seized by al-Shabab in 2014 and others had been kidnapped in mid-2019.
The group of fishermen was welcomed by family members in a ceremony at the main international airport in Tehran on Saturday night.
The Islamist militant group alShabab has carried out several attacks in Somalia in recent months, including twin car bomb explosions in the capital Mogadishu in October, in which 120 people died.
The government has launched a large-scale offensive against al-Shabab, working together with local clan militia.
Al-Shabab militants have been active in Somalia for more than 15 years, have control over large rural areas and continue to mount attacks in urban centres.
Youssef En-Nesyri has now scored three World Cup goals, more than any other Moroccan
South Africa: Fuel tanker explosion kills at least 15 near hospital
At least 15 people have been killed, and about 40 injured, by a huge fuel tanker explosion near a hospital east of Johannesburg.
The tanker appeared to have got stuck under a low bridge on Saturday morning in Boksburg city, about 100m from Tambo Memorial Hospital.
Patients were evacuated from the hospital’s casualty after part of the roof collapsed following the blast.
The truck was carrying liquid petroleum gas.
“Apparently, a gas tanker drove under the subway bridge and got stuck in there, and due to friction, it caught alight,” emergency services spokesperson William Ntladi was quoted as saying.
As firefighters tried to put out the blaze, there was a huge second explosion - captured on amateur video - that destroyed a fire engine and two motor vehicles.
There are fears the death toll could rise, as 19 people are in critical condition and 15 others are stable but seriously hurt, AFP reports.
Eyewitness Michael Kulinji described the blast as “more like a bomb” and told the Reuters news agency that he had seen the fire under the bridge.
Another witness, Jean Marie Booysen, said that she saw “immense flames at about 06:35 local time (04:35 GMT) and thought “this feels like 6.5 on the Richter”, according to Reuters.
Footage apparently taken in the immediate aftermath of the blast shows a number of dazed and burned people stumbling around a residential area near the epicentre.
World Cup 2022: Six things Africa learned at historic finals
After a slow start to Qatar 2022, Africa’s five representatives delivered the continent’s finest World Cup in history.
A record seven wins in the group stage - with all five sides winning at least one game - was enough to propel two teams, Morocco and African champions Senegal, to the knockout phase for only the second time, and first since 2014.
The Atlas Lions added icing to the cake by becoming the first African side to reach the semi-finals, ultimately undone by 2018 champions France.
After suffering its worst World Cup just four years ago, when Africa failed to reach the second round for the first time since 1982, the continent has rebounded in spectacular fashion.
“I’m delighted with the standard of African football because for many decades now, we’ve been talking about the development of African football and when their time will come - I think their time has come,” said Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
So what exactly did the continent learn from Qatar 2022?
‘The Miracle of Morocco’
It was the African story of the World Cup - unfancied Morocco nearly going all the way. They topped their group, beating Belgium and Canada before dispatching Spain and Portugal to finally reach the last four.
Appointed in August, Coach Walid Regragui recalled outcasts, brought in youngsters and nurtured a spirit that made the Atlas Lions one of the top four teams in the world.
“We are much more of a family, more of a club side than a national team,” said Regragui. “I think that’s what’s given us this great strength.”
“The whole world is proud of this Moroccan team. We showed desire, played hard and have given a good image of Morocco and African football.”
Prior to Morocco’s sensational run, Africa - which officially finished fourth - had never gone past the quarter-finals, with only Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010) having reached that stage before.
Door ever wider for female officials
For the first time in World Cup history, three women were among the 36 selected for the elite group of referees with three more acting as assistant referees.
Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga, Stephanie Frappart of France and Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita were the refereeing trailblazers, even if only Frappart made history when officiating a game in Qatar from the middle.
Nonetheless, Mukansanga achieved her own piece of history when becoming the first female fourth official at a men’s World Cup in France’s 4-1 defeat of Australia, prior to handling three more games, two of which included Tunisia.
Having been the first woman to referee a men’s Africa Cup of Nations clash in January, the 34-year-old’s elevation provides yet further inspiration for the next generation of African officials, with Fifa saying it is selecting the best referees regardless of gender.
“It means you’re going to open the doors for other women, especially in Africa,’ said Mukansanga.
“The opportunities are there - it’s up to us to take them.”
Africa is slaying giants again
Africa is no stranger to sinking defending champions, with Cameroon and Senegal beating Argentina and France in 1990 and 2002 respectively, but it had been some 20 years since such a feat.
On this occasion, Tunisia ensured their early elimination finished on a high after stunning a weakened French side thanks to veteran Wabhi Khazri’s strike.
“Of course we are disappointed to be going out - because we didn’t do enough in the first two matches - but we have made the Tunisian people proud,” the Tunisia captain said afterwards.
This seismic shock was soon followed by another as Cameroon became the first African side to ever beat five-time champions, and tournament favourites, Brazil at the World Cup.
Vincent Aboubakar’s 93rd-minute goal was not enough to keep the Indomitable Lions in Qatar, as with the Tunisians, but he delivered a weighty punch about the state of the African game.
“I didn’t even realise it was such a historic victory,” admitted coach Rigobert Song. “My players should be congratulated and they’ve shown they could have done better. We are going to keep working to improve.”
‘Home support’ in the Middle East
The continent’s North African teams enjoyed massive support in Qatar, where there are sizeable Moroccan and Tunisian communities already, with the fans making a real difference to their team’s fortunes.
After Tunisia’s opening game - a hardfought and gutsy 0-0 draw with Denmark - coach Jalel Kadri was appreciative of the tumultuous backing.
“The fan factor was very positive for us, it mentally gave us a great lift,” he said.
Nonetheless, it was ultimately Morocco’s supporters who made the biggest impression and who were, behind champions Argentina’s legions of fans, the second-best followed.
Tens of thousands joyously descended on Qatar as the Atlas Lions roamed further in the World Cup than any African or Arab side before.
“This is a night I’m going to tell my children and grandchildren about,” supporter Soufiane Megrini, who had just witnessed the quarter-final win over Portugal, told the BBC.
Ghana recruitment yet to bear fruit
Ghana squeaked into the tournament with an away goals win over Nigeria in the World Cup play-offs but it was clear they needed more quality ahead of the World Cup itself. Source:BBC
