firste habre is the leader to be tried by another african nation over abuses of human rights. also, one of china's richest men opens a theme park he is hoping will rival disneyland. we will have the details in our business update. and the man known as the human arrow makes a death-defying jump over the great wall of china. that and more on the way. first, our top stories. genie: the city of fallujah in iraq is one of just two urban centers still held by the icelandic state group. iraqi -- by the islamic state group. iraqi troops have surrounded fallujah for a week and they have just begun with what they say is a final push into the city center. if the mission succeeds, it would take fallujah back from the islamic state group for the first time in over two years. our correspondent has the details. >> it is a battle for fallujah. this video, taken by the iraqi army, appears to show government troops and shiite militias just outside the city, where they claim they have captured a weaponss shipment bound for islamic state fighters. kilometersust 50 west of baghdad, was the first c

to president ronald reagan in 1982 with the rise of the chadian dictator hissene habre, but we're going to go to break first. we're talking to reed brody, counsel and spokesperson for human rights watch you has been working with victims of hissene habre's regime since 1999 and played a critical role in bringing habre to trial. we are speaking to him in dakar, senegal, where habre was tried and convicted. stay with us. ♪ [music break] amy: this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. in a historic ruling, the former dictator of chad, hissene habre, has been convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life in prison. he was a close ally of the united states in the 1980's. on monday, secretary of state john kerry released a statement welcoming the court's ruling. the statement read in part -- "this ruling is a landmark in the global fight against impunity for atrocities, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. as a country committed to the respect for human rights and the pursuit of justice, this is also an opportunity for the united states to reflect

. >> hissene habre's conviction is the first time in african dictator has been convicted by another africanntry. >> we were in the courtroom. we are joint life now from the car. talk to me about the significance of this verdict today. >> good evening fromdakkar, a city that has made african legal history today. you mentioned yourself, the first tme in african court has prosecuted, judged, and condemned the former african leader. that is unprecedented and that is one of the main signals coming out of this verdict, that africa is very capable of judging its own. other authoritarian leaders on the content may now be getting the message that they cannot take impunity to grant -- i think the other signal coming out of this trial is that it is possible for victims to get together, even 25 years after the crime that they were submitted to and achieve justice. and get a dictator that committed such atrocities judged and prosecuted and condemned. those victims have been so tenacious and patient. that is a message to victims and other countries, that if they manage to get the attention of the interna

today, the former leader of chad, hissene habre, was found guilty of crimes against humanity. he was sentenced to life in prison. it is the first time in african union-backed court has tried a for crimeser against humanity. >> minutes after the verdict was pronounced, able let out their joy. years inple spent prison. some are physically damaged or torture. >> i am very satisfied with the verdict. with life in prison is fine with me. >> i'm surprised you have -- i am surprised to have so much joy. they feel this is a historic day for the country and africa. the day the chadian people put a dictator in prison. tosene habre was sentenced life in prison meant for crimes against humanity. it is estimated 40,000 people were killed. >> when we dug a hole, we would put two bodies inside. here, two more. on the other side, the same thing. >> this man was a prisoner during hissene habre's role. every day for two years, he buried at least six people. >> i don't know why people were executed. other people died. what i know is that they accused me of being involved in politics, but this is not true. i'm just a farmer. >> thousands of files

hissene habre was convicted of rape, forced slavery, kidnapping, and ordering the killings of 40,000 people from 1982 to 1990. human rights watch says he is the first of state to be convicted on the continent. >>> a kenyan military defeat has largely been shrouded in secrecy until now. terrorists launched a bold attack on a kenyan base in somalia back in january. but kenya's government kept it quiet. >> now the world is finally starting to see just how deadly that attack was. robyn kriel has this exclusive report. >> reporter: the photos he sent home told his family he was brave. but in his personal life, the corporal didn't like conflict. >> he was always jolly. he had a permanent smile. >> reporter: his job was to drive tanks out of the base in southern somalia. his pictures showed what he called his new home. >> and i don't know even in the family. >> reporter: on january 15th, his camp was attacked by militants. his family didn't hear from him again. kenya's defense force brought four caskets home with full military honors, but the corporal was not among them. the somali government says there were an estimated 200 kenyan soldiers at the base th