African young women resisting beyond borders
In some cases, issues that have been historically treated as simply "women’s issues" are slowly making it to the center of political contestation. Younger people on the continent are pushing for changes which even their elders, including those who reject the status quo, aren't providing. Feminist voices are gaining prominence as a crucial part of this resistance. The post African young women resisting beyond borders appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
Negros Oriental hog ban lifted
The province of Negros Oriental is opening its borders to hog raisers and traders to revive its pork industry, which has been battered by African swine fever......»»
Ghana bus strapping kills 9
Gunmen killed nine people when they opened fire on a bus in a northern Ghana district struggling with ethnic tensions and concerns over Islamist violence from across the border in Burkina Faso, a local official said Friday. The attack on Thursday morning targeted a bus carrying mostly women on their way to a local market and escorted by police, because of the tensions, in Pusiga district near the volatile Bawku area of Ghana’s Upper East Region. Pusiga district chief Zubeiru Abdulai, a local mayor, told AFP that the nine victims died from gunshot wounds when their bus was ambushed near a remote forest close to the border with both Burkina Faso and Togo. “The vehicle was occupied by mostly women and was being escorted by the police due to the volatile situation in Bawku,” he said. “The police are investigating the incident now and it will be difficult for me to establish the main reason behind the attack.” Police did not immediately respond to calls seeking more details on the attack. Upper East Region has struggled with a decades-long conflict between ethnic Kusasi and Mamprusi communities over the right to choose a new chieftain and over land rights in the mostly Muslim Bawku region, where there is a heavy police and army presence. Those tensions often flare into violence. Jihadist violence in Burkina Faso has also forced people to flee across the frontier into Ghana. Earlier this year, Ghana sent 1,000 more troops and police to Bawku to reinforce security after gunmen killed an immigration officer and wounded two more. Officials did not blame any group for that attack. Ghana’s northern frontier is also an area with well-established smuggling routes, porous borders and illegal gold mining — a combination local officials and experts worry could benefit jihadists. With Islamist militants controlling large parts of Burkina Faso over the border, Western partners are looking to help Ghana and coastal West African neighbors Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast strengthen their defenses to prevent jihadist attacks. With AFP The post Ghana bus strapping kills 9 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Morocco medics face flow of quake victims with limited resources
The hospital in Amizmiz caring for Moroccans injured in the earthquake is now a tent pitched on asphalt under a blazing sun, and it has only around a dozen beds. When one bed becomes free, it is immediately filled again as the flow of victims from the disaster keeps on coming from villages at the foot of the Atlas mountains. Three days after Friday night's quake, the strongest ever to hit the North African country, relief workers are battling to cope in the aftermath. Patients are now being cared for under the large grey tent because of fears that the hospital building itself may be vulnerable to aftershocks. An ambulance brings the latest victim, 81-year-old Lhoucein Barouj whose leg is fractured. The old man has a haggard look, his mouth open. Relatives said he was seen by a traditional osteopath, but this will be the first hospital treatment he has received in three days. He has not had any pain relief either. "We had to carry him out of the house ourselves in a blanket and carry him for kilometers (miles)," said his daughter Habiba. Then "we waited in a field" for helpers, who came eventually to their village, Ait Mbarek. As in other mountainside villages hit by the 6.8-magnitude quake, landslides have blocked access, and a shutdown in communications has also delayed treatment for many of those affected. Basic care The quake struck southwest of the tourist center of Marrakesh, killing more than 2,800 people and injuring a similar number, according to the latest official figures. Most of the victims were in Al-Haouz province, where the epicenter was. On Monday, some arrivals seeking medical help looked exhausted and disoriented, among them a little girl in a Bugs Bunny T-shirt, her head bandaged as she lay cradled in her father's arms. The hospital at Amizmiz is local, and can handle basic medical care. But "we can't treat everything here", said ophthalmologist Doha Hamidallah. "We handle primary treatment such as sutures and fractures. But more serious cases are sent to Marrakesh University Hospital" some 50 kilometers (30 miles) away, she said. Hamidallah, who is in her 30s, arrived from Casablanca on Sunday to help along with "dozens of other doctors of all kinds from all over the kingdom". They take it in turns to triage patients. Tired and overwhelmed nurses deal with the flow of new patients arriving in private, public or military ambulances amid the clatter of helicopters above. Others distribute medicine to those who need it, mostly people with diabetes. "We also have to treat patients who were not injured directly by the quake, but who've been unable to get their medicine," said Christophe, a carer with the Moroccan Red Crescent. The first hours after the quake were difficult in the small hospital. "In terms of coordination, we could only go with the flow," said Dr Hamidallah. Mobile teams A voice is raised behind her, adding to the hubbub. "We need someone local who knows the area. Anybody?" A team is being formed at short notice to head out to houses in Anougal which have been cut off. "We send out mobile teams with doctors to the isolated villages," explained Christophe. Soldiers have also set up a field hospital nearby, and some 35 kilometres further east the authorities are putting up a temporary clinic with prefabricated buildings. This is at the entrance to Ouirgane, parts of which have been badly affected. Another military hospital was deployed on Monday morning in Asni village. More than 300 patients have already been admitted, military doctor Colonel Youssef Qamouss told AFP. Organising care has been complicated, but vital to manage stocks of the medical equipment available. John Johnson of the French group Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), awaiting a green light from the authorities to help, said the Moroccans are coping well. "They have everything they need for primary care, but some things are lacking for trauma patients" such as anti-tetanus shots and painkillers, he said. There will also be a need for mental care in the days and months to come, he added. A few streets away, life has come to a standstill. One man stands with his arms crossed, staring at what used to be his home. The post Morocco medics face flow of quake victims with limited resources appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
G20 to the last mile
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. These two words capture a deep philosophy: The world is one family. This is an all-embracing outlook that encourages us to progress as one universal family, transcending borders, languages and ideologies. During India’s G20 presidency, this has translated into a call for human-centric progress. As one Earth, we are coming together to nurture our planet. As one family, we support each other in the pursuit of growth. And we move together toward a shared future — one future — which is an undeniable truth in these interconnected times. The post-pandemic world order is very different from the world before it. There are three important changes, among others. There is a growing realization that a shift away from a GDP-centric view of the world to a human-centric view is needed. The world is recognizing the importance of resilience and reliability in global supply chains. There is a collective call for boosting multilateralism through the reform of global institutions. Our G20 presidency has played the role of a catalyst in these shifts. In December 2022, when we took over the presidency from Indonesia, I had written that a mindset shift must be catalyzed by the G20. This was especially needed in the context of mainstreaming the marginalized aspirations of developing countries, the Global South and Africa. The Voice of Global South Summit in January 2023, which witnessed participation from 125 countries, was one of the foremost initiatives under our presidency. It was an important exercise to gather inputs and ideas from the global South. Further, our presidency has not only seen the largest-ever participation from African countries but has also pushed for the inclusion of the African union as a permanent member of the G20. An interconnected world means our challenges across domains are interlinked. This is the midway year of the 2030 agenda and many are noting with great concern that the progress on SDGs is off-track. The G20 2023 Action Plan on Accelerating Progress on SDGs will spearhead the future direction of the G20 toward implementing SDGs. In India, living in harmony with nature has been a norm since ancient times and we have been contributing our share toward climate action even in modern times. Many countries of the global South are at various stages of development and climate action must be a complementary pursuit. Ambitions for climate action must be matched with actions on climate finance and transfer of technology. We believe there is a need to move away from a purely restrictive attitude of what should not be done, to a more constructive attitude focusing on what can be done to fight climate change. The Chennai High-Level Principles for a Sustainable and Resilient Blue Economy focus on keeping our oceans healthy. A global ecosystem for clean and green hydrogen will emerge from our presidency, along with a Green Hydrogen Innovation Center. In 2015, we launched the International Solar Alliance. Now, through the Global Biofuels Alliance, we will support the world to enable energy transitions in tune with the benefits of a circular economy. Democratizing climate action is the best way to impart momentum to the movement. Just as individuals make daily decisions based on their long-term health, they can make lifestyle decisions based on the impact on the planet’s long-term health. Just like Yoga became a global mass movement for wellness, we have also nudged the world with Lifestyles for Sustainable Environment. Due to the impact of climate change, ensuring food and nutritional security will be crucial. Millets, or Shree Anna, can help with this while also boosting climate-smart agriculture. In the International Year of Millets, we have taken millets to global palates. The Deccan High Level Principles on Food Security and Nutrition is also helpful in this direction. Technology is transformative but it also needs to be made inclusive. In the past, the benefits of technological advancements have not benefited all sections of society equally. India, over the last few years, has shown how technology can be leveraged to narrow inequalities, rather than widen them. For instance, the billions across the world that remain unbanked, or lack digital identities, can be financially included through digital public infrastructure. The solutions we have built using our DPI have now been recognized globally. Now, through the G20, we will help developing countries adapt, build, and scale DPI to unlock the power of inclusive growth. That India is the fastest-growing large economy is no accident. Our simple, scalable and sustainable solutions have empowered the vulnerable and the marginalized to lead our development story. From space to sports, economy to entrepreneurship, Indian women have taken the lead in various sectors. They have shifted the narrative from the development of women to women-led development. Our G20 presidency is working on bridging the gender digital divide, reducing labor force participation gaps and enabling a larger role for women in leadership and decision-making. For India, the G20 presidency is not merely a high-level diplomatic endeavor. As the Mother of Democracy and a model of diversity, we opened the doors of this experience to the world. Today, accomplishing things at scale is a quality that is associated with India. The G20 presidency is no exception. It has become a people-driven movement. Over 200 meetings will have been organized in 60 Indian cities across the length and breadth of our nation, hosting nearly 100,000 delegates from 125 countries by the end of our term. No Presidency has ever encompassed such a vast and diverse geographical expanse. It is one thing to hear about India’s demography, democracy, diversity and development from someone else. It is totally different to experience them first-hand. I am sure our G20 delegates would vouch for this. Our G20 presidency strives to bridge divides, dismantle barriers, and sow seeds of collaboration that nourish a world where unity prevails over discord, where shared destiny eclipses isolation. As the G20 president, we had pledged to make the global table larger, ensuring that every voice is heard and every country contributes. I am positive that we have matched our pledge with actions and outcomes. The post G20 to the last mile appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bontoc town bans pigs, pork products entry
BAGUIO CITY — The local government of Bontoc town in Mountain Province announced that it is temporarily banning the entry of hogs and pork products from the lowland municipalities amid reported cases of the African swine fever in other areas, particular in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur. In a public advisory, Bontoc Mayor Jerome Tudlong Jr. warned residents of the town to be aware of ASF cases logged in backyard farms of Cervantes and is said to be fast spreading in nearby areas. “To prevent further spread of this disease and to help protect the livelihood of our swine raisers against the re-infection of ASF in our municipality, the entry of live swine/pigs, pork, locally processed pork products and by-products from the said area is hereby temporarily suspended,” Tudlong said. To recall, the hog disease was earlier detected in a barangay in Cervantes last July this year, which prompted other towns of Ilocos Sur to safeguard their borders to ensure that no pigs or pork products can enter their areas of responsibility. On 24 July 2023, the provincial government of Benguet issued a temporary ban of entries of hogs and swine products from Cervantes. In the first week of August, Abra Province and Bauko, Mountain Province did the same. Checkpoints were setup in the boundaries of Ilocos Sur and nearby provinces. On 12 August, three hog traders were intercepted transporting 11 pigs from Cervantes. The post Bontoc town bans pigs, pork products entry appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DA inaugurates full-inspection facility
The Department of Agriculture and Pacific Roadlink Logistics Inc. are set to build the country’s first full and first-border inspection facility in Angat, Bulacan to ensure only imported products which are safe will be sold at the local markets. The memorandum of understanding for the inspection facility project was signed Thursday, along with the facility’s groundbreaking which will rise on a 10-hectare land and accommodate up to 250 containers daily. The facility — also called cold/commodity examination facility for agriculture — will also house testing equipment which can produce results in four to six hours. This is faster than the daylong inspections at the Port of Manila. “Usually, Customs agents just open and close containers to speed up inspections because the inspection area is too small to check most of the containers at the same time. This means only 10 percent of the total goods in the container are checked,” Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines representative Nicanor Briones said. The facility will prevent sale of unsafe imported food caused by animal diseases, such as African Swine Fever. Government data showed the global disease affected half of the swine population in Luzon and led to a total of P200-billion loss in income to the local industry players nationwide. As a full-service inspection facility, it also provides firms the option to not undergo second-border inspections. “For many years, we’ve been confronted by challenges on how to secure our borders against phytosanitary threats that pose problems not only to the livelihood of our farmers and fisherfolks but also to national food security. Our use of second-border inspection facilities in the form of cold storage facilities even exposes us further to complex problems, such as the rampant agricultural smuggling,” said DA Assistant Secretary for Inspectorate and Enforcement James Layug. The facility is expected to create jobs for 1,500 residents of Angat and other parts of Bulacan. The post DA inaugurates full-inspection facility appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Uniform ASF policies for NegOr, Cebu
The provinces of Negros Oriental and Cebu have agreed to come up with identical measures for handling the African Swine Fever problem. This was agreed upon during the courtesy call of Negros Oriental Governor Manuel “ Chaco” Sagarbarria to Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia on 29 June 2023. Sagarbarria said that both provinces would sign, in the coming days, a memorandum of agreement that would stipulate identical protocols about biosecurity measures,as well as on the mobility of hogs and related products into their respective territories by lifting the ban on hogs from Bureau of Animal Industry-declared ASF-infected areas. “Now, we have a problem since the live hogs of Negros Oriental cannot cross Cebu. We are vice versa also, we found it a problem with Cebu because it is here where the hogs are being processed. Once it’s processed here, it goes back to Negros,” Sagarbarria said. “Now, gov and I agreed that we will create a MoA between two provinces to make sure to follow the proper protocols and biosecurity, which is also up to standard. We need to know where the hogs are to make sure this is not infected, that way we can secure our borders more,” he added. He cited not only securing the borders but it would support, the local farmers. He added that the measures would be important to alleviate the situation of the hog raisers in his province, who for some time, had to sell their products for a very low price at P85 to P90 per kilo for live hogs. Both Garcia and Sagarbarria said that the two provinces will no longer follow the zoning classifications, but would still implement the biosecurity measures. “More or less, the same measures, requirements, protocols or biosecurity measures are needed. We will not follow the zoning but maybe before we cross, we can do an immediate antigen test that ASF quick test so we can make sure that the pigs are not infected. On their side whatever products that they bring in,we can also test,” Sagarbarria stressed. Earlier, Garcia has called on other local chief executives to exercise their local autonomy and denounce the BAI policies on ASF, which Garcia insist as an economically disruptive policies. The post Uniform ASF policies for NegOr, Cebu appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sudan capital sees heavy fighting on eve of Muslim holiday
Fighting raged in the Sudanese capital on Tuesday, the eve of the Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday, after paramilitaries seized Khartoum's main police base. Fighting in the city between the army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces is now concentrated around military bases. At the same time in Sudan's west, the conflict is worsening to "alarming levels" in Darfur, the United Nations warned. Since the war erupted on April 15, the RSF has established bases in residential neighborhoods of the capital while the army has struggled to gain a foothold on the ground despite its air superiority. As the RSF fights to seize all of Khartoum, millions of people are still holed up despite being caught in the crossfire without electricity and water in the oppressive heat. Late Sunday the RSF announced they had seized the headquarters, on Khartoum's southern edge, of the paramilitary Central Reserve police sanctioned last year by Washington for rights abuses. On Tuesday the RSF attacked army bases in central, northern, and southern Khartoum, witnesses said. Mawaheb Omar, who has been stuck at home with her four children, told AFP that she expected Eid celebrations, normally a major event in Sudan, to be "miserable and tasteless as we can't even buy mutton". Looting On Saturday the UN urged "immediate action" to stop killings of people fleeing El Geneina, the West Darfur state capital, by Arab militias aided by the paramilitaries. Washington has blamed the "atrocities" in Darfur primarily on "the RSF and affiliated militia". The RSF is descended from the Janjaweed militia unleashed by Khartoum in response to a 2003 rebel uprising in Darfur, leading to war crimes charges. In the current fighting, the RSF has been accused of looting humanitarian supplies, factories, and houses abandoned by those displaced by the fighting or taken by force. Daglo responded to these accusations on Tuesday in an audio recording posted online. "The RSF will take swift and strict action" against those in its ranks who have carried out such abuses, he said. The RSF had announced on Monday evening that it was beginning to try some of its "undisciplined" members, as well as the release of "100 prisoners of war" from the army. Since the beginning of the conflict, both sides have regularly announced prisoner swaps through the Red Cross, without ever giving the exact number of those captured. Daglo, a native of Darfur, also spoke of the fate of this gold-rich area where more than one in four Sudanese live. We must "avoid plunging into civil war", he said. The UN and African blocs have warned of an "ethnic dimension" to the conflict in Darfur, where on Tuesday Raouf Mazou, the UN refugee agency's assistant high commissioner for operations, told a briefing in Geneva there is a "worsening situation" in West Darfur state. "According to reports from colleagues on the ground, the conflict has reached alarming levels, making it virtually impossible to deliver life-saving aid to the affected populations," he said. New fronts The army is not only faced with difficulties in Khartoum. New fronts have opened against it from a rebel group in Kordofan state, south of the capital, as well as in Blue Nile state on the border with Ethiopia. In South Kordofan, authorities have decreed a night-time curfew to curb the violence. The UN mission in Sudan, which withdrew almost all its staff from the country at the start of the war, expressed "grave concern" about the violence in Kurmuk, near the Ethiopian border. Fighting there has caused hundreds of civilians to flee to Ethiopia, it said. Since the conflict flared, around two million people have been displaced within Sudan, while another 600,000 have fled across the borders, mainly to Egypt in the north and Chad in the west. Aid has reached at least 2.8 million people in Sudan, the UN said, but agencies report major hurdles to their work, from visas for foreign humanitarians to securing safe corridors, and a lack of funds. A record 25 million people in Sudan need humanitarian aid and protection, the UN says. The post Sudan capital sees heavy fighting on eve of Muslim holiday appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
$1.5 bn pledged to curb Sudan’s slide into ‘death and destruction’: UN
Donors at a UN conference on Monday pledged close to $1.5 billion to combat the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and help its neighbours host refugees fleeing the fighting. Sudan is descending into death and destruction at an unprecedented speed, UN chief Antonio Guterres said as he urged donors to step in and curb the unfolding catastrophe. The conference comes midway through a three-day ceasefire which appeared to have brought calm to the capital Khartoum, after the failure of earlier truces to ensure secure aid corridors. "Today, donors have announced close to $1.5 billion for the humanitarian response to Sudan and the region," the UN's humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said, closing the hybrid pledging conference hosted in Geneva. "This crisis will require sustained financial support and I hope that we can all keep Sudan at the top of our priorities." UN refugees chief Filippo Grandi added: "It is very important that now these contributions be clearly allocated and disbursed as quickly as possible because we're really short of funds in this particular emergency." More than two months into the fighting, the United Nations is worried that the crisis could spill over and destabilise neighbouring African states. "The scale and speed of Sudan's descent into death and destruction is unprecedented," UN Secretary-General Guterres told the conference. "Without strong international support, Sudan could quickly become a locus of lawlessness, radiating insecurity across the region." Since April 15, the army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has been battling the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanded by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, after the two fell out in a power struggle. The death toll has topped 2,000, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project said. Hundreds of kilometres west of Khartoum, up to 1,100 have been killed in the West Darfur state capital El Geneina alone, according to the US State Department, blaming "primarily" the RSF. "The situation in Darfur and Khartoum is catastrophic," Guterres said. A record 25 million people -- more than half of Sudan's population -- are in need of aid, according to the UN. Roughly 2.5 million people have been uprooted across Sudan by the war, which has forced around 550,000 to seek refuge in neighbouring countries, according to UN figures. Around $3 billion needed While Griffiths highlighted donors' generosity, the amount pledged Monday was less than half of what humanitarians have said is needed this year to respond to the dire needs. The UN has two appeals for tackling the crisis -- the humanitarian response within Sudan, which needs $2.6 billion this year, and the regional refugee response, which needs $470 million. Both were less than 17 per cent funded going into Monday's conference. Qatar's prime minister told the conference there was "no military solution" to the conflict, as he pledged $50 million. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani urged the warring parties to "put the aspirations of the Sudanese people in the forefront". Germany doubled its existing donation to 200 million euros ($218 million), while the European Union pledged 190 million euros in humanitarian and development assistance. Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the conflict risks a humanitarian crisis that could spill over the borders. He said the security and stability of Sudan "is our own stability and security". Relative calm in Khartoum UN human rights chief Volker Turk called the Sudan crisis a "powder keg" and a "reckless, senseless conflict taking place in a context of total impunity", with "utter indifference for human life and dignity" at its heart. The temporary ceasefire was a chance to end the "sea of suffering", he told the UN Human Rights Council. Several Khartoum residents told AFP they heard no air strikes, artillery or another fighting on Monday, a rare respite for the war-weary, suffering shortages of medical care, electricity, water and other essentials. The UN, African Union and East African regional bloc IGAD, in a joint statement ahead of the donors' meeting, expressed particular concern about "the rapidly deteriorating situation in Darfur". They said the conflict had "taken on an ethnic dimension, resulting in targeted attacks based on people's identities and subsequent displacement of communities". With their 72-hour ceasefire both the RSF and army "agreed to allow the unimpeded movement and delivery of humanitarian assistance throughout the country", US and Saudi mediators said on Saturday. The post $1.5 bn pledged to curb Sudan’s slide into ‘death and destruction’: UN appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
G7 urges Sudan ceasefire
KHARTOUM, Sudan (AFP) — G7 foreign ministers on Tuesday urged warring forces in Sudan to "end hostilities immediately" and return to negotiations, after days of fighting that has killed almost 200 people and wounded 1,800. A weeks-long power struggle in the north African country exploded into deadly violence Saturday between the forces of two generals who seized power in a 2021 coup: Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. "We urge the parties to end hostilities immediately without pre-conditions," the G7 foreign ministers meeting in Japan said in a statement. They warned the fighting "threatens the security and safety of Sudanese civilians and undermines efforts to restore Sudan's democratic transition". US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had spoken with the two generals and "underscored the urgent need for a ceasefire." "Too many civilian lives have already been lost," Blinken tweeted, adding he had "stressed the importance of ensuring the safety of diplomatic personnel and aid workers." Following the call, Daglo said in a tweet that the pair had "discussed pressing issues in Sudan," adding he was grateful for the US's "commitment to restoring stability in Sudan." Blinken also confirmed a US diplomatic convoy had been fired upon on Monday, though those inside were unharmed, in what he called a "reckless" act. In a separate incident, the European Union's ambassador to Sudan was attacked in his home in Khartoum on Monday, the bloc's top diplomat Josep Borrell said. A spokesperson told AFP the veteran diplomat was "OK" following the assault. Terrified residents Analysts say the fighting in the capital is unprecedented and could be prolonged, despite regional and global calls for a ceasefire as diplomats mobilize. Battles have taken place throughout the vast country and there are fears of a regional spillover of the conflict that has seen air strikes, artillery and heavy gunfire. Terrified residents of Khartoum are spending the last and holiest days of Ramadan watching from their windows as tanks roll through the streets, buildings shake and smoke from fires triggered by the fighting hangs in the air. Those compelled to venture out face queues for bread and petrol at outlets that are not shuttered. Residents are also dealing with power outages. Volker Perthes, the head of the UN mission to Sudan, told the Security Council in a closed-door session Monday that at least 185 people had been killed and another 1,800 wounded. "It's a very fluid situation so it's very difficult to say where the balance is shifting to," Perthes told reporters after the meeting. Medics in Sudan had earlier given a death toll of nearly 100 civilians and "dozens" of fighters from both sides, but the number of casualties was thought to be far higher, with many wounded unable to reach hospitals. The official doctors' union warned fighting had "heavily damaged" multiple hospitals in Khartoum and other cities, with some completely "out of service." The World Health Organization warned that several Khartoum hospitals "have run out of blood, transfusion equipment, intravenous fluids and other vital supplies." In the western region of Darfur, the international medical aid organization Doctors Without Borders reported receiving 136 wounded patients at the only hospital in El Fasher still operating in North Darfur state. "The majority of the wounded are civilians who were caught in the crossfire — among them are many children," MSF's Cyrus Paye said. Due to limited surgical capacity, "11 people died from their injuries in the first 48 hours of the conflict." Call for talks Three UN World Food Programme staff were also among those killed on Saturday in Darfur, where humanitarian missions have had medical and other supplies looted, according to Save the Children and MSF. A number of organizations have temporarily suspended operations in the country, where one-third of the population needs aid. "This renewed fighting only aggravates what was already a fragile situation, forcing UN agencies and our humanitarian partners to temporarily shutter many of our more than 250 programs across Sudan," said UN emergency relief coordinator Martin Griffiths. Influential northern neighbor Egypt said it had discussed with Saudi Arabia, South Sudan and Djibouti — all close allies of Sudan — "the need to make every effort to preserve stability and safety." President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called on the two sides to "return to the negotiating table" and said he was working on the return of Egyptian military "trainers" captured Saturday at an air base by RSF forces. No more civilian flights are arriving in Khartoum, where fighting has damaged aircraft. The post G7 urges Sudan ceasefire appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sudan fighters open ‘humanitarian corridor’ as toll mounts
Sudan's army and rival paramilitaries on Sunday began an hours-long humanitarian pause on the second day of urban battles that killed at least 56 civilians and three UN staff. The raging battles between the powerful armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) sparked an international outcry and regional concern. Neighbors Egypt and Chad closed their borders with Sudan. After the killing of the three World Food Programme workers, the agency said it was suspending operations in the impoverished country. Deafening explosions and intense gunfire rattled buildings in the capital Khartoum's densely-populated northern and southern suburbs as tanks rumbled on the streets and fighter jets roared overhead, witnesses said. Violence erupted early Saturday after weeks of power struggles between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo who heads the heavily-armed RSF. Each accused the other of starting the fight. The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors reported 56 civilians killed as well as "tens of deaths" among security forces, and around 600 wounded. Late Sunday afternoon the army said they had "agreed to a United Nations proposal to open a safe passage for humanitarian cases", including the evacuation of wounded, for three hours from 1400 GMT. RSF confirmed the measure, though they said it would last four hours, and both sides maintained their right to "respond in the event of transgressions" from the other side. One hour into the agreed pause, heavy gunfire could still be heard in central Khartoum near the airport, and dense black smoke billowed from the surrounding area. "The gunfire and explosions are incessant," said Ahmed Hamid, 34, from a northern Khartoum suburb. "The situation is very worrying and it doesn't seem like it will calm any time soon," said Ahmed Seif, another Khartoum resident. Daglo's RSF says they have seized the presidential palace, Khartoum airport, and other strategic locations, but the army insists they are still in control. Footage obtained by AFP showed heavy smoke billowing from a building near the army headquarters in Khartoum, with the military saying a building had "caught fire" but that it had been contained. On Sunday, the stench of gunpowder wafted through Khartoum's streets deserted except for soldiers as frightened civilians sheltered inside their homes. Medics pleaded for safe corridors for ambulances and a ceasefire to treat the victims because the streets were too dangerous for transporting casualties to the hospital. 'Appalled' Fighting also erupted in the western Darfur region and in the eastern border state of Kassala, where witness Hussein Saleh said the army had fired artillery at a paramilitary camp. The UN said its WFP employees had been killed Saturday in clashes in North Darfur and announced a "temporary halt to all operations in Sudan". UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had warned that an escalation in the fighting would "further aggravate the already precarious humanitarian situation". The UN says one-third of Sudan's population needs humanitarian aid. UN Special Representative Volker Perthes condemned the killings and said he was also "appalled by reports of projectiles hitting UN and other humanitarian premises in several locations in Darfur". WFP said an aircraft managed by the organization "was also significantly damaged" at Khartoum airport. "We cannot do our lifesaving work if the safety and security of our teams and partners is not guaranteed," WFP head Cindy McCain said. 'No negotiations' Created in 2013, the RSF emerged from the Janjaweed militia that then-president Omar al-Bashir unleashed against non-Arab ethnic minorities in Darfur a decade earlier, drawing accusations of war crimes. The RSF's planned integration into the regular army was a key element of talks to finalize a deal that would return the country to civilian rule and end the political-economic crisis sparked by the military's 2021 coup. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the fighting "threatens the security and safety of Sudanese civilians". Similar appeals came from Britain, China, the European Union, and Russia, while Pope Francis said he was following the events "with concern" and urged dialogue. After a meeting on the situation in Sudan, the African Union said a senior official would "immediately" travel there on a ceasefire mission. But the two generals appear in no mood for talks. In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Daglo, also known as Hemeti, said, "Burhan the criminal must surrender". The army declared Daglo a "wanted criminal" and the RSF a "rebel militia". There "will be no negotiations or talks until the dissolution" of the group, it said. The October 2021 coup triggered international aid cuts and sparked near-weekly protests met by a deadly crackdown. Burhan, who rose through the ranks under the three-decade rule of now-jailed general Bashir, has said the coup was "necessary" to include more factions in politics. Daglo later called the coup a "mistake" that failed to bring about change and reinvigorated remnants of Bashir's regime ousted by the army in 2019 following mass protests. The post Sudan fighters open ‘humanitarian corridor’ as toll mounts appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Deadly fighting between army, paramilitaries in Sudan kills 27
Fighting in the Sudanese capital raged into the early hours of Sunday after a day of deadly battles between paramilitaries and the regular army that left at least 27 people dead and 170 wounded. Explosions and gunfire rang out on the deserted streets of Khartoum, according to witnesses, after the paramilitaries said they were in control of the presidential place, Khartoum airport and other vital facilities. The army denied the claims, and in a statement late Saturday, the Sudanese air force urged people to stay indoors as it continued air strikes against bases of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Fighter jets were earlier seen flying overhead. Windows rattled and apartment buildings shook in many parts of Khartoum during the clashes, according to AFP correspondents, with explosions heard early Sunday. The doctors' union said at least 27 people were killed including two at Khartoum airport and the rest in others parts of Sudan. Around 170 others were wounded in the clashes, it added in a statement early Sunday. Saudi Arabia's flag carrier Saudia said one of its planes, with passengers and crew aboard waiting for departure, was "exposed to gunfire damage". Bakry, 24, who works in marketing, said Khartoum residents had "never seen anything like" this unrest, which left dark smoke hanging over the capital. "People were terrified and running back home. The streets emptied very quickly", said Bakry, who gave only a first name. Violence erupted after weeks of deepening tensions between military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, paramilitary commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, over the planned integration of Daglo's RSF into the regular army. The integration was a key element of talks to finalize a deal that would return the country to civilian rule and end the political-economic crisis sparked by the military's 2021 coup. Created in 2013, the RSF emerged from the Janjaweed militia that then-president Omar al-Bashir unleashed against non-Arab ethnic minorities in the western Darfur region a decade earlier, drawing accusations of war crimes. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for "an immediate cessation of hostilities" and discussed ways to de-escalate with the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and African Union Commission Chair Moussa Faki. He also spoke with Burhan and Daglo urging them "to return to dialogue." The Arab League, following a request by Egypt and Saudi Arabia, is scheduled to hold an urgent meeting Sunday to discuss the situation in Sudan. In a joint call, the Saudi and United Arab Emirates foreign ministers, along with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, emphasized "the importance of stopping the military escalation", the Saudi ministry said. Similar appeals came from the African and Arab regional blocs, the European Union, France, Italy, Russia and Iran. But in an interview with UAE-based Sky News Arabia, Daglo, who is also known as Hemeti, said, "Burhan the criminal must surrender." He denied that RSF had started the fight, after Burhan in an earlier statement said he "was surprised by Rapid Support Forces attacking his home at 9:00 am". The army, on its Facebook page, declared Daglo a "wanted criminal" and the RSF a "rebel militia", saying there "will be no negotiations or talks until the dissolution" of the group. The military said it carried out air strikes and destroyed two RSF bases in Khartoum. It said the airport and other bases remain under its "full control", and published a photograph of black smoke billowing from what it said was the RSF headquarters. The latest deaths, during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, came after more than 120 civilians had already been killed in a crackdown on regular pro-democracy demonstrations since the coup. RSF published on Twitter a video showing uniformed men which it claimed were "Egyptian soldiers who surrendered with Sudanese military" in Meroe, northern Sudan. Egypt's army confirmed "the presence of Egyptian forces" in Sudan for exercises, and said it was following the situation. Daglo told Sky News Arabia the Egyptians would not be harmed and would be returned home. Haggling between Daglo and Burhan has twice delayed the signing of an agreement with civilian factions setting out a roadmap for restoring the democratic transition disrupted by the 2021 coup. On Saturday, witnesses reported clashes around the state media building in Khartoum's sister city Omdurman. Others described clashes in the Darfur region and elsewhere. Chad, which borders Darfur, said it was closing its frontier, "faced with this troubling situation." The military's civilian interlocutors and ex-prime minister Abdalla Hamdok appealed for a ceasefire, a plea echoed by US ambassador John Godfrey who tweeted that he "woke up to the deeply disturbing sounds of gunfire and fighting". Daglo has said the coup was a mistake that failed to bring about change and reinvigorated remnants of Bashir's regime ousted by the army in 2019 following mass protests. Burhan, who rose through the ranks under Bashir's three-decade rule, maintained the coup was necessary to bring more groups into the political process. The post Deadly fighting between army, paramilitaries in Sudan kills 27 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
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