The former Chadian ruler Hissene Habre has been sentenced to life after being convicted of crimes against humanity. at a trial in Senegal.

The landmark case examined allegations of rape, sexual slavery and extrajudicial killings during his reign in the eighties.

"This is a historic day for Chad and for Africa. It is the first time that an African head of state has been found guilty in another African country," Yamasoum Konar, a representative of one of the victims' groups, told the BBC.

"This will be a lesson to other dictators in Africa," he further said.

The Turkish government said it was "unacceptable" that US troops are donning the insignia of the YPG, the Kurdish movement in northern Syria, which it considers a terrorist organisation.

The photographs were published by AFP on Thursday, and picture US soldiers near Raqqa, with shoulder patches of the YPG insignia.

Selling the Nigerian government warplanes would be a “mistake” said a New York Times editorial this week, as the West African country looks to purchase 12 jets from the USA.

Though current Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is “an improvement” over his predecessor, “he has not done enough to end corruption and respond to charges that the army has committed war crimes in its fight against the group,” said the editorial. “Selling him the planes now would be a mistake.”

It went on to note that the US State Department’s latest annual human rights report stated Nigerian security forces are alleged to have engaged in extrajudicial killings, torture and rape. Last month Amnesty International to call for an investigation into reports that Nigeria's military secretly buried more than 300 Shia Muslims in a mass grave.

The editorial also quoted Tim Rieser, aide to US Senator who wrote legislature banning US aid from reaching militaries accused of abuses as stating, “We don’t have confidence in the Nigerians’ ability to use them in a manner that complies with the laws of war and doesn’t end up disproportionately harming civilians, nor in the capability of the U.S. government to monitor their use”.

US President Barack Obama called on the Taliban to join the Afghan government “in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability,” as he confirmed the death of leader Akhtar Mohammad Mansur in a drone strike on Saturday.

“Today marks an important milestone in our longstanding effort to bring peace and prosperity to Afghanistan,” said Mr Obama. “Mansur rejected efforts by the Afghan government to seriously engage in peace talks and end the violence that has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children.

“The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict - joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability,” he added.

The strike, which took place inside Pakistan-controlled Balochistan, “sent a clear message to all those who target our people and our partners,” said the US president. “You will have no safe haven.”

US President Barack Obama has lifted a 50 year old arms embargo on Vietnam, in an announcement made at a joint press conference with the Vietnamese President in Hanoi on Monday, amid criticism from human rights groups.

Making the announcement, Mr Obama said the weapons sales will be made on a case-by-case basis and “will need to still meet strict requirements, including those on human rights, but this change ensures Vietnam has access to equipment it needs to defend itself”.

"Hearts can change and peace is possible," he added.

Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang hailed the move, stating it would bring an end to a “painful chapter” between the two countries.

Stating that the relationship between the two countries has “reached a new moment”, Mr Obama also denied that the decision was made due to any geopolitical concerns regarding China.

"The decision to lift the ban was not based on China or any other considerations. It was based on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of moving towards normalization with Vietnam," he said.

Britain is investigating reports that cluster munitions have been used by a Saudi-led coalition in its on-going campaign against Houthi militants in Yemen, reports Reuters.

Prosecutors in Rwanda called on governments across Europe to ensure genocide fugitives are prosecuted, following the successful conviction of a suspect for genocide in Sweden earlier this month.

Augustin Nkusi, spokesperson for the national prosecution body in Rwanda, praised the ruling but warned that genocide suspects still roam free across Europe.

“Twenty-two years down the road, it should be made clear to genocide suspects that they cannot escape justice forever,” he said. “We still have many genocide suspects in Europe roaming freely even with warrants for their arrest.”

Afghanistan's spy agency claimed that the leader of the Taliban Mullah Akhtar Mansour has been killed in a US drone strike in Baluchistan on Saturday.

US President Barack Obama on May 18 signed an executive order to detect and prevent mass atrocities.

Mr Obama said the prevention of atrocities is a "core national security interest of the United States."

However some human rights groups expressed disappointment at the limitations of the order.