Numerous recent terrorist attacks have killed hundreds of people in Kenya, Lebanon, and Nigeria, while the Syrian crisis continues to endanger thousands of innocent Syrians.
On April 2, 147 people were killed and 79 injured when a group of al-Shabab militants opened gunfire at Garissa University in Kenya. Most fatalities were college students, along with the campus’s two sole security guards. Over 500 students managed to escape unharmed.
Al-Shabab, a militant group with links to al Qaeda, has taken responsibility for the attacks citing war against Kenya. The Kenyan government believes al-Shabab member Mohamed Kuno was behind the attack and has placed a bounty on his capture. Kuno is also believed to be behind several other terrorist attacks in Kenya.
On Nov. 12, two suicide bombers killed 43 and wounded 239 others in Beirut, Lebanon. Both killers strapped explosives to their bodies, including metal balls that became projectile shards when the bombs exploded. ISIS claimed credit for the attack.
Due to the amount of political and religious division in Beirut, Lebanese citizens have responded with little sympathy. Lebanese analyst Emile Hoyakem says that most Lebanese and neighboring Arabs have shown more compassion for the terrorist attacks in France than for the victims of the Beirut bombings.
On Nov. 17 and 18, another pair of terrorist attacks took place in the Nigerian cities. An explosion caused the first attack in Yola, killing 31 and injuring 72. It is unclear whether the detonation came from a suicide bomber or another device. The attack in Kano involved two female suicide bombers, one 18 years old and the other only 11, inside a cell phone market. The bombs killed 15 people and injured around 123. Experts suspect members of Boko Haram to be behind the attacks.
Meanwhile, the Syrian crisis continues to cause chaos across the world. After ISIS crashed a Russian passenger jet in Egypt, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced alliance with France in putting an end to ISIS. On Nov. 18, Russian warplanes bombed vehicles transporting illegal oil from Syria to Iraq.
Russian General Staff Spokesperson Colonel General Andrey Kartapolov reports that these oil exports are a main source of ISIS’s funding.
In the midst of the warfare, many Syrian citizens are attempting to leave their homeland. Currently, the U.S. government is deciding whether or not to block out Syrian refugees from U.S. soil in an attempt to protect its citizens; President Obama expressed that he wants to accept at least 10,000 refugees in the near future.