NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: See press release in the next post here at Sudan Watch (Sat 10 Jun 2023 - 'Conflict Observatory - A remote monitoring platform to provide reporting on conflict activity in Sudan')
Note that the press release ends with satellite imagery showing extensive fire-based damage observed at the SAMIL Plumpy'Nut® Production Facility in Khartoum, plus findings and a link to the first report Fri 9 Jun 2023 published at Conflict Observatory's website.
Here is a press release at the US Department of State's website announcing the public launch of the Sudan Conflict Observatory monitoring platform.
________________________________
U.S. Department of State www.state.gov
Press Release
Dated Friday 9 June 2023 - full copy:
Public Launch of Sudan Conflict Observatory Monitoring Platform
MEDIA NOTE
JUNE 9, 2023
As the United States and our partners continue intense diplomatic efforts to end the fighting in Sudan, facilitate humanitarian assistance, and support the aspirations of the Sudanese people for a civilian government, we are monitoring the activities of the warring parties. Through commercial satellite imagery and open-source data analysis, this monitoring has documented multiple serious violations by both sides of their obligations under the May 11 Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan and subsequent ceasefires.
Today, the U.S. Department of State announced that some results of this monitoring will be released publicly via the Sudan Conflict Observatory platform. This remote monitoring platform provides independent, expert reporting on conflict activity in Sudan, including damage to infrastructure committed by combatants, military equipment movements, and rapid population shifts. Additional reports will be released periodically through the Sudan.ConflictObservatory.org website. This effort is a collaboration among the geographic information systems companies Esri and PlanetScape Ai, as well as Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab.
The Sudan Conflict Observatory platform affirms the U.S. commitment to transparency as we work with partners to bring an end to the military conflict in Sudan; address human rights violations and abuses; and ensure immediate, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access for organizations providing life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable and those displaced due to the fighting. The United States is unwavering in our support for the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people and their demands for freedom, peace, and justice.
For more information, please contact csopublicaffairs1@state.gov.
View original: https://www.state.gov/public-launch-of-sudan-conflict-observatory-monitoring-platform/
[Ends]
