AMERICAS

United States (Security threat level – 2): On the evening of 27 December 2021, a gunman carried out multiple shootings in Colorado’s Denver metropolitan area. The gunman initially opened fire in central Denver shortly after 1700 local time (0000 UTC on 28 December), killing two people and wounding one more. Another person was shot and killed at a nearby location; a shooting also occurred in a third location in the area, but no one was injured. Police officers responding to the shootings spotted the suspected gunman’s vehicle, and a gunfire exchange ensued. The suspect’s gunfire disabled the police vehicle and he fled to the neighboring Lakewood suburb, where one person was killed at a business establishment. Police officers again engaged the suspect in Lakewood’s Belmar shopping area, after which the suspect entered a hotel — where a staff member was shot and wounded. The suspect then fled the hotel on foot and exchanged fire with police officers, during which one officer was shot and wounded. The suspect was also killed in the episode, which lasted for more than one hour. Authorities have launched a probe to establish a motive for the shootings.

United States (Security threat level – 2): At approximately 1915 local time on 27 December 2021 (0315 UTC on 28 December), a private aircraft crashed into a residential area in the city of El Cajon, located in California’s San Diego County. The Learjet 35A aircraft, with registration N880Z, struck power lines during the crash, leaving more than 600 homes and businesses without electricity. One home was damaged in the crash but there were no reports of injuries on the ground. Emergency crews found no survivors among those aboard the aircraft; however, it is unknown how many people were on board. The aircraft — en route to nearby Gillespie Field Airport (KSEE/SEE) — originated at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport (KSNA/SNA). The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash.

ASIA

India (Security threat level – 3): On 27 December 2021, thousands of doctors led by the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) staged a protest in the capital New Delhi to demand that the central government stop delaying allocations of new postgraduate medical students to universities due to staffing shortages amid the COVID-19 pandemic as well as an expected increase in omicron variant cases in the coming months. Minor scuffles between demonstrators and police officers were reported in some areas of the city. However, there were no reports of injuries. Authorities stated that they temporarily detained 12 protesters. Disruptions to medical services were reported at Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Lady Hardinge Hospital. During a meeting between FORDA leaders and government officials, the health minister requested that the group end the protest and pledged to establish a committee to review demonstrators’ grievances at a 6 January Supreme Court hearing. FORDA leaders are reportedly planning to meet later on 28 December to decide whether to end or continue the strike.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Somalia (Security threat level – 5): On 27 December 2021, President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed suspended Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble amid a long-running dispute over parliamentary elections. Roble refuted the dismissal and continued to carry out his routine tasks at the prime minister’s office. Roble accused the president of attempting to “militarily take over” the prime minister’s office while members of pro-Roble militias threatened to take over streets near the presidential palace in the capital Mogadishu. Roble also ordered security personnel to abide by his directives in lieu of the president.

The country’s elections began on 1 November. While voting was scheduled to conclude by 24 December, it is still ongoing and only 24 out of the 275 representatives have been elected. Both the president and prime minister have repeatedly accused one another of election rigging.

Previously, in April 2021, rival militias allied to the president and the prime minister both seized portions of Mogadishu after the prime minister refused an attempt by the president and his allies to extend the presidential term for another two years in lieu of conducting elections. Fighting between the two groups resulted in approximately 60,000 people being displaced from their homes in Mogadishu.