Photo Anadolu Agency

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has proposed a visa waiver between his country and East African nations so as to ease the movement of people and goods.

“It is in our best interest to ease the movement of people and goods within the region in order to facilitate trade and investment as well as contributing to our end goal of East African regional integration,” Kiir said at the 21st ordinary summit of the heads of states of countries in the East African Community on Saturday.

He also proposed the removal of visa fees, saying it will be a win-win situation for every country.

The summit was attended by regional leaders -- including Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye and Tanzania’s Deputy President Samia Suluhu.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that his country will remove all visa restrictions for South Sudanese citizens on the basis of reciprocity as requested by Kiir to allow free movement of people in the region.

The citizens of East Africa counties currently pay a $50 visa fee to travel within the region. - Benjamin Takpiny, Anadolu Agency

Uganda Hippos will play their first-ever quarterfinal match at the ongoing AFCON U20 tournament in Mauritania against west African opposition Burkina Faso on Thursday evening.

The Hippos tactician Morley Byekwaso believes his players have gone through enough tests playing against the hosts Mauritania, Mozambique and Cameroon during the Group stage.

While attending the Pre- Match Press Conference at the Stade Cheikha Boidiya on Wednesday, Byekwaso stated that his team has no pressure and has played under all situations during the group matches.

He further promised an interesting and attacking style of football from his team.

‘Burkina Faso is a strong Team but we have gone through all the tests and challenges in our group games. We are facing a new team that is physical but we are like a wounded lion. We have lost and won, there is nothing to lose but to give out what we are naturally capable of doing. It will be an interesting match for both teams. We shall play more attacking football to have the best results from the match.’ Said Byekwaso.

Uganda Hippos finished Group A in the second place with 6 points from 3 matches (Uganda Hippos 2-0 Mozambique, Cameroon 1-0 Uganda Hippos and Mauritania 1-2 Uganda Hippos) while Burkina Faso won 2 matches and drew 1 in the three games played in group B.

The winner between Uganda Hippos and Burkina Faso will meet the winner between Morocco and Tunisia in the semifinals. FUFA

MOGADISHU, Somalia

The Somali National Army (SNA) claimed that it killed more than 50 al-Shabaab members, including two senior commanders, in an operation in the lower Shabelle region.

The military operation against the Somali-based al-Qaeda affiliated terror group took place in Mushaani, Daniga, and Majabta, according to Somali military radio.

Military officials in the region who spoke to Anadolu Agency confirmed the operation.

Army Chief of Staff Odawa Yusuf Rageh told military radio Friday that the terrorist killed included Moalim Bukhari, the group's intelligence chief in lower Shabelle and Sheikh Hasan Ganeey, the commander in the region.

He said al-Shabaab training camps in villages were also destroyed.

At least 20 al-Shabaab terrorists were killed Thursday in a military operation in the region. Anadolu Agency