Hot Spots
4/21/2015
2:16:40 PM
Contents
ASIA
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Bangladesh
AUSTRALASIA
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Australia
EUROPE

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Belgium
Germany
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
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

Guinea
Somalia
South Africa
GOVERNMENT WARNINGS

Afghanistan
Hot Spots Report
ASIA
Bangladesh (Security threat level - 4): Speaking from the headquarters of the opposition
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), a member of its standing committee announced on 20
April 2015 that the BNP will carry out nationwide demonstrations on 22 April to protest an
attack against the party’s leader, Khaleda Zia, which took place earlier on 20 April. Men
armed with sticks attacked her vehicle while she participated in campaigns for local elections
in Dhaka. Zia was unharmed, but her vehicle sustained damage. Local elections will take
place in Dhaka and Chittagong, the country’s two largest cities, on 28 April. Due to this
circumstance, the BNP announced that the nationwide protest action will not take place in
either city; however, it is possible that members of the party or its affiliated student groups will
still conduct demonstrations.
AUSTRALASIA
Australia (Security threat level - 2): Strong storms hit New South Wales on 20-21 April
2015, resulting in flooding and power outages. The Sydney area is under a severe weather
warning; the city recorded 5 in/120 mm of rain in the past 24 hours and winds reaching 85
mph/75 kt. The city of Dungog, located approximately 135 mi/215 km north-northeast of
Sydney, reported some of the heaviest damage; flood waters washed away houses, and there
are three confirmed fatalities. Approximately 215,000 people are without power across New
South Wales. The heavy winds and rains resulted in cancellations of some flights and
maritime vessel services.
EUROPE
Belgium (Security threat level - 2): The General Federation of Public Services (ACOD)
plans to organize a nationwide strike from 2200 local time (2000 UTC) on 22 April until the
end of the day on 23 April. The labor action is expected to affect public services, such as rail
operations, postal services and education. Rail services throughout the country will likely be
the most severely affected; disruptions are expected to reach the same levels caused by a
similar strike on 30 June 2014, during which four out of every five trains were canceled or
delayed. Due to the expected rail delays, the roads will also be extremely congested, as more
commuters use vehicles for transportation. While secondary schools will likely remain open,
primary schools throughout the country may be closed. Various businesses may also be
closed or operating at a diminished capacity. The strike is intended to put pressure on the
government to open dialogue with the union on retirement reforms, among other issues.
Germany (Security threat level - 2): On 20 April 2015, the German Train Driver's Union
(GDL) announced that it will conduct passenger and freight train strikes nationwide. The
freight train strike will begin on 22 April at 1500 local time (1300 UTC) and the passenger train
strike will begin on 23 April at 0200 local time. The strike will affect both national and
international transportation. The union is conducting the labor action to gain pay increases
and working hour reductions; in addition, GDL is seeking the ability to represent all personnel
on-board the trains, as opposed to the current limitation that only allows the union to represent
train drivers and engineers. Both strike actions are expected to end 48-66 hours after starting.
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Guinea (Security threat level - 4): Opposition supporters and security officers clashed in
Conakry on 20 April 2015 during fresh protests against the country’s electoral timetable.
Reports indicate that protesters blockaded roads with barricades of burning tires and fought
running battles with police officers. At least two people were injured in the Hamdallaye
neighborhood. In anticipation of the protests, security forces were heavily deployed
throughout the city from early in the day; many shops and businesses also shut down, while
traffic was diverted away from locations where earlier protests took place. Similar unrest also
occurred in the city of Mamou, which is located approximately 190 mi/300 km from Conakry.
At least 12 police officers suffered injuries in clashes in that city.
The opposition has staged multiple days of protests in recent weeks over the timing of
elections. The current schedule has a presidential election taking place in October 2015, prior
to local polls; this schedule violates a 2013 agreement between the country’s political factions,
which called for local elections to take place first.
Somalia (Security threat level - 5): On 21 April 2015, a suicide bomber drove a vehicle
laden with explosives into the Bonodo Restaurant, located in central Mogadishu; the bombing
occurred during lunch time (Mogadishu’s local time is UTC+3). The restaurant is situated
approximately 0.5 mi/1 km from the presidential palace and is popular with government
officials. At least 11 people were killed in the bombing, but that number is preliminary and
likely to increase.
As of last report, there had been no claim of responsibility for the attack, but it is highly likely
that it was the work of al-Shabab. The militant Islamist group commonly targets facilities
affiliated with the Somali government, and -- as repeated recent incidents have shown -retains the ability to carry out attacks in Mogadishu despite gains made against the outfit by
African Union and Somali forces.
South Africa (Security threat level - 3): South Africa’s defense minister announced on 21
April 2015 that the military will be deployed to “volatile areas” to help stem a wave of antimigrant attacks. Reports indicate that troops will be sent to Johannesburg’s Alexandra area,
where a Mozambican national was stabbed and killed on 18 April; a Zimbabwean couple was
also targeted in a shooting there on the night of 20 April. Troops will also be deployed to parts
of KwaZulu-Natal province, where the anti-migrant violence began in late March before
subsequently spreading to Johannesburg in the past week. This will be the first military
deployment since the unrest began. The troops will be tasked with supporting the local police
forces.
GOVERNMENT WARNINGS
Afghanistan (Security threat level - 5): On 21 April 2015, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul issued
a Security Message, which reads in part as follows: "As of mid-April 2015, militants planned to
conduct an imminent attack in Police District 2 of Kabul City, Afghanistan. There was no
further information regarding the timing, target, location, or method of any planned attack. The
U.S. Embassy is taking this threat seriously and is limiting movements throughout Kabul."
.