English

Spokesperson Jen Psaki addresses Secretary Kerry’s call with Afghanistan President Karzai and meetings with Middle Eastern officials, coordination with Jordanians on Syria, meetings with South Korea and Japan, Venezuelan leadership in DC, human rights in Honduras, and dialogue with India and Pakistan.

Spokesperson Patrick Ventrell addresses demonstrations in Brazil, supporting the Syrian opposition, Iraqi militants fighting in Syria, the resignation of the prime minister of Palestine, Taliban and Afghan officials meeting in Doha, Syrians fleeing to Lebanon, and the location of Edward Snowden.

As the military's assault against Boko Haram and civilians in northern Nigeria continues, so too does the ongoing and underreported conflict in the villages around Jos, the capital of Plateau state in Nigeria's Middle Belt. As in other parts of the Sahel stretching from Khartoum to Dakar, rivalries between ethnic groups, settlers and indigenes, herders and farmers, and religious groups overlap to create a kaleidoscope of insider and outsider identities. Resulting conflicts, in turn, create openings for international jihadist Islam, as in other parts of the Sahel. In the Middle Belt thus far, conflicts still remain largely local, but there is potential that they could acquire a cross-border dimension.

The United States issued a rare criticism of South Sudan on Wednesday, saying the African state was failing to protect civilians in the east where the army is fighting an insurgency.