Briefly

YEMEN

Saudi warplanes strike STC sites

Saudi warplanes on Friday carried out airstrikes on military sites affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council, or STC, in Yemen's southeastern oil-rich province of Hadramout, a local security official told Xinhua. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that "several airstrikes targeted positions of the Elite Hadrami security units aligned with the STC". He said that the strikes occurred one day after Saudi Arabia requested the STC to withdraw its forces from Hadramout, describing the airstrikes as an unprecedented development. The strikes caused no casualties or damage to military equipment, according to the official. In his opinion, the airstrikes were apparently intended as a strong warning to the STC, pressing it to vacate its sites in Hadramout or face further military action. Saudi Arabia, which backs the internationally recognized government of Yemen, has so far made no official comment on the airstrikes.

SOUTH KOREA

10-year prison term sought for Yoon

A South Korean special counsel sought a 10-year prison sentence for former president Yoon Suk-yeol on charges, including obstructing attempts to arrest him, multiple local media reports said on Friday. Independent counsel Cho Eun-suk, who led investigations into Yoon's insurrection and other charges, demanded the 10-year prison term on charges, including mobilizing the presidential security service to obstruct the execution of an arrest warrant by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials in January. The CIO's attempt to arrest Yoon was thwarted once as the presidential security service used human shields and bus barricades to prevent investigators from entering the presidential residence.

ALGERIA

French colonization declared a crime

Algeria's parliament has unanimously approved a law declaring France's colonization of the country from 1830 to 1962 a crime and demanding an official apology and reparations, according to the Algerian state news agency APS. The 27-article law, passed on Wednesday, establishes the French state's legal responsibility for its colonial past. It outlines mechanisms to seek formal recognition and apologies for colonial-era crimes as a prerequisite for historical reconciliation. The legislation lists offenses, including nuclear testing, extrajudicial killings, torture, and the "systematic plundering of resources", while affirming Algeria's right to "full and fair compensation" for all material and moral damages. France has not yet commented on the vote.

Agencies - Xinhua