The u. N. Rushes more resources into the Central African republic after at least 48. 00 killed in fighting between militia groups and market traders at a missile attack in yemen is blamed on hooty rebels who are now threatening to target sensitive locations in saudi arabia and the u. A. E. And im peter sim 2 of the supporters the College Playoffs reached the finals we reported on measures to protect younger players from injury. Usa strikes in western iraq have killed several militia fighters 3 locations were hit in iraq including on the border with syria the target was a Shia Militia Group called hezbollah which isnt to be confused with hezbollah in lebanon iraq has ball is part of the Popular Mobilization forces which helped the Iraqi Governments fight against arsenal the u. S. Is drugs also get to charge a. Its in syria but the pentagon hasnt said with his some of what the pentagon has had to say in response to repeated hizbollah attacks on iraqi bases that host Operation Inherent resolve Coalition Forces u. S. Forces have conducted precision defensive strikes against 5 cateye of his ball the facilities in iraq and syria and that will degrade his ability to conduct future attacks against Coalition Forces lets go live now to our Jazeera Simona 14 in baghdad can you tell us the latest of what youre hearing about these strikes. Well the pentagon has for the 1st time confirmed that it has hit targets of Popular Mobilisation forces in iraq now this is quite a Significant Development the Popular Mobilization forces have in the past accused the u. S. Of striking its positions but this was never confirmed so this is quite a Significant Development and of course it comes at the back of a series of rocket attacks aimed at bases where both iraqi and u. S. Personnel are based the latest of these attacks occurred on friday in kirkuk and for the 1st time a u. S. Contractor was killed and several u. S. Personnel or injured in this attack now secretary of state mike compare had warned in december that any such attacks that would result in harm of u. S. Forces or their allies would be met with decisive force so these strikes that happened tonight are a response to the attack on friday but more broadly a response to this increase in rocket attacks against against bases here in iraq now its quite significant because until now the u. S. Has been appealing to the Iraqi Government to take its responsibility to protect u. S. Forces here on the ground who are here by the invitation of the government seriously but there seems to be some sort of this illusion meant with the government for not doing enough to really protect these bases but also its not really doing it thats really doing enough to rein in these groups under the Popular Mobilization forces which are officially at least integrated into the armed forces of course have also been promises of many investigations but very few of them actually none of them have really attribute responsibility so it seems that the u. S. Has decided to take matters into its own has this is quite drastically relevant because until now the u. S. Has tried to rather keep a low profile because there is a lot of opposition to u. S. Military presence here in iraq especially by these group. And lets remember that the p. M. S. Has many groups that also hold seats in parliament and there have been efforts to actually launch bills to try to expel u. S. Forces so it remains to be seen what reaction there will be to this strike by u. S. Forces both in parliament but also on the ground. Talk a little bit more about these groups you talk with the Popular Mobilisation forces being integrated into the Iraqi Military but theyre also linked to iran and the tide does barbara and how that organization factors into this is well because thats been the target of these particular strikes well the Popular Mobilization forces include dozens of different groups and there have been several efforts by the Current Administration as well as previous administrations in iraq to formally integrate them now to what extent that is actually happening on the ground is a big question there are several groups that are relatively there answer to the iraqi Prime Minister as the commander in chief but then there are some groups which are often referred to as rogue elements who are said to be answering to the horizon rather than to baghdad and to type hezbollah is one of these groups and it is one of the groups that u. S. Officials said was responsible for at least one of these attacks that we have seen on u. S. Bases so the big question here is how will the Iraqi Government react there are u. S. Air strikes happening on its also against groups that are supposedly integrated into the armed forces so we have to wait and see how the government will react to this what it will take it all measures to try to stabilize the situation so one thank you smother 14 live from baghdad ukraines government and pro russian separatists in the east of the country have completed a full swap of prisoners from the 5 year conflict with more on that we cross not a barber sara you know european news. Stan thank you yes 200 fighters from across both sides were exchanged in whats being seen as a sign that there could be a resolution to the ongoing war this latest Prisoner Exchange comes after talks between the leaders of ukraine and russia a few weeks ago in paris and the heywood reports. For many this was a Long Time Coming ukrainian prisoners finally free to leave the territory they fought to keep but still controlled by pro russian separatists security was tight as a Prisoner Exchange began in Eastern Ukraine some had arrived at the checkpoint in heavily 45 because their identities checked and checked again but the men disbelieve them relief that it was happening and they will be able to return home with their. Fathers though found to fight on this moment ukrainian prisoner said they would fight for their country to president there were more developments while this pro russian separatists thought hed been beaten and tortured by the cranium security services. Sundays exchange was the result of direct talks between president for lenski and putin in france earlier this month they agreed to implement a full ceasefire in a bid to end the war in the donbass region of ukraine relations between russia and ukraine for howard when protesters in kiev managed to drive out a kremlin backed government in 2014 russia then seized control of crimea from ukraine and within weeks russian backed separatists took control of the eastern part of ukraine. More than 13000 people including civilians have died during 5 years of complex the have been attempts to pour to try to end the war and the prisoner swaps ukraine wants to join nato wants your union wants to move west. Or ukraine and this. Difference may just. Not be result of Prisoner Exchange this one has caused controversy in ukraine protesters gathered outside a Detention Center angry some members of a Ukrainian Police unit accused of killing demonstrators in kiev and 2014 were released there is little will on civilians caught up in the fighting but this war to continue this Prisoner Exchange then a sign that tensions could be easing and he would al jazeera journalist alexander go frys in moscow and says that for the most part the president is welcome but there is some criticism that ukrainians who died in the revolution have been betrayed. Zelinsky faced criticism in ukraine from the very start when he openly showed his willingness to talk with russian president Vladimir Putin and also a willingness to compromise with him and critics say he might have compromised too much or did he is a bit too willing on the other hand there is effect that he did win the elections by promising to end this conflict and we could read on social networks and also ukrainian media that this prisoner swap is welcome the there were posts like are finally our people are heading back home some of them have been kept by the russian separatists are since 2015 at the same time what caused the criticism mostly in this particular swap that happened today is that. The russian separatists were released 5 x. Special Police Members who were charged with killing people in the square with ben this in the center of kiev in 2014 so before the crimea was annexed by russia before a 1st gun was fired in the east ukraine and critics say why are you handing over or dispy people they have nothing to do with the fighting in east ukraine and they feel that people who died and the whole ukrainian revolution of 2014 has been in a way surrendered has been the way betrayed. Well lets speak now to michael q. Hes a former spokesperson for the organization for security and cooperation in europes special Monitoring Mission to ukraine e joins us via skype from portugal sir thank you for joining us here on aljazeera so as weve been hearing this prisoner swap did not go without criticism its obviously great news for all the people personally involved here the people who were prisoners but when it comes to either finding peace or some kind of Long Term Agreement for for the conflict between ukraine and russia do you see this as a step in the right direction. Good to be with you it was of course you know we call these types of things as confidence Building Measures as you pointed out at the beginning this is something that was agreed to a few weeks ago in paris but as your correspondent pointed out it has constant controversy at home i had a bit it is a bit of a lopsided swap if i can put it that way ukraine gave up 127 captives and got back and returned 76 including i should point out 2 contributors to Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty stunned islam by say of an all or how as you look there are facing up to 15 years in captivity but you know i think that next milestones will be looking for is the ceasefire promised for the end of the year but im not getting my hopes up too high because there are 3 disengagement zones that have been active for quite some time and there have been cease fire violations according to the u. S. C. There for quite some time so difficult to be optimistic i suppose at what i would call it an optimistic note but the leaders of both france and germany did come gradually the parties involved for this present a swap and that mention specifically a future a ceasefire do you think that more pressure from Key Countries like that would help the situation or not. Well absolutely it would help however has to be pointed out with whats going on in washington right now with a disgraced President Trump his his attention is not on ukraine whatsoever and putin russia knows that and it makes it that much more difficult for his the lansky to get any future gains or wins and the march for peace and the other thing i should say many another indication of the way putin manipulates the situation if i can put it that way is the getting the ukrainians to agree to give up those 5 but a quote Riot Police Officers i mean i cannot overstate this enough this that this is probably the 5 most hated despised men in ukraine for what they did for the unit they belong to and i think putting realizes by zaleski handing them over it could so some social does court force that i was going ukraine when it comes to. Obviously apparel can be told the way that crimea another area that was an extent by russia a few years ago one can see the strategic importance of crimea as a naval base when it comes to these territories why do you think that they are crucial of interest to russia. Great question i mean look for ukraine it was the former industrial heartland but no more and for russia well i think its more symbolic than anything it for putin its a distraction from the his own domestic problems at home of inflation pension problems and also its slowing economy but i think that another question has to be asked if ukraine were to get the gun buyers back who is going to pay the billions of dollars you know in reconstruction ive been to the occupied territories the lines going to next many times a part of the open sea and i can tell you barbara some of the scenes ive seen there are equivalent to hell on earth there are so bombed out and civilians so traumatized including many children so it remains to be seen what happens in terms of the return of the with to territory. I called buster q former spokesperson for the organization for security and cooperation in europes special Monitoring Mission to ukraine so i thank you for sharing your views and experience with us thank you all that have more from london a little later in the news hour now though lets go back to stand in doha we say that barbara thank you all the uns sent a Rapid Response team to the Central African republic the violence between shop on this and fighters demanding body at least 40 people were killed in the capital bangui on thursday dozens of shops and homes were set on fire after traders refused to pay the un is warning against an escalation of fighting following years of andras between muslim and christian militias one shop owner who did not want to be identified said hes fed up and. Weve had enough every time theyre asking for money sometimes they take things by force we cant continue like this when we were in north. Well the Central African republic has filed to become stable since its independence from france in 1960 violence and turmoil worsened 6 and a half years ago when muslim rebels formed a group called silica seized power in the majority christian nation and alliance of mainly christian militias called anti blackall was formed to counter them a Transitional Government was handed power in 2014 but attempts to broadcast any last piece have repeatedly broken down how much of the conflict is over the countrys vast wealth the diamonds gold oil and you rania joshua servia is a senior policy analyst for africa and the middle east at the Heritage Foundation in harrisburg pennsylvania he says tension has been building in the p. K. 5 district of bangui for some time p. K. 5 has been a flashpoint in the capital bangui that has seen various levels of violence for years now it was a bastion of safety for muslims who fled to p. T. Fi during the sectarian violence that broke out in the country between christians and muslims so very restive very volatile and again this is just yeah im out there round of violence in the capital city and in this neighborhood car is a desperately complex environment there was a recent Peace Agreement signed in in february there were 14 armed groups that were signatories to that agreement and that doesnt represent all the armed groups in the countries that gives you some sense of again the complexity of this so this is a very difficult situation and in a desperately poor country very corrupt its one of the least developed on earth. Theres much more still to come taiwans leader wants china is the biggest threat to his wellbeing pointing to the events in hong kong plus it is Mass Violence and i consider this. Domestic terrorism. Speaks out after the latest attack against the Jewish Community. At the queen of the slopes. In austria all the action. At least one person has been killed in an airstrike carried out by forces loyal to libyan warlord who leaf a half to a number of others were injured in the attack that targeted. In the Eastern Suburbs of the capital tripoli the Yemeni Government is blaming hooty rebels for a missile attack on a Major Military graduation which killed at least 7 people theres been no claim of responsibility for the strike in the town of dolly in southern yemen the apparent target was security built forces which are trained and equipped by the saudi you a coalition that coalition intervened in yemens war in 2015 trying to restore the government to power meanwhile the who identified in saudi arabia and the u. A. E. Next year as he is a pro hooty journalist based in sana he says as the who these make these threats there are significant disagreements within the saudi u. A. E. Coalition. I think because if we see that their goal in the south is different saudi arabia is supporting the legitimacy of the other on the other side we see that United Arab Emirate is creating a militia and Security Forces which actually want yemen to be separated over they call it the session of yemen thats why i think if they continue this way i dont think that this coalition can continue on as well we have seen today press conference for the spokesperson of yemeni out of voters here in sanaa and he has warned saudi arabia and he said that this year. 2020. Name it if they are victory. Difference because we know that in many other means and has been developed that it depends on if they can limit. The power of saudi. Forces i believe that they can conduct the maid t