Showing posts with label WAR CRIME ALERT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WAR CRIME ALERT. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Sudan fighting continues despite ceasefire. 200 killed. Residents trapped at home, low on food, water, meds

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: Yellow highlighting in these reports is mine. Also, a report I have added below shows the United Kingdom is the penholder on Sudan; The US is the penholder on South Sudan, Sudan/South Sudan, Sudan sanctions and South Sudan Sanctions (Source here and here).

Here is a general summary of the BBC's live reporting on Sudan today:

Witnesses say ceasefire broken within minutes

Soldiers loot homes in Sudan capital, say witnesses

Aid workers attacked and sexually abused, says UN

Sudan health system at risk of collapse - aid group

Humanitarians are trapped by fighting - MSF

US speaks to Sudan's rival generals

State-owned radio still off air in Sudan

US diplomatic convoy attacked in Sudan - Blinken

Here is a photo taken in Sudan of people leaving the capital in search of safety. 

Read the above reports here: 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-africa-64393826


Here is a full copy of one of the reports:


10:46

State-owned radio still off air in Sudan


BBC Monitoring

The world through its media


The state-owned Sudan Radio - also known as Radio Omdurman - has remained silent since Saturday.


It is unclear why, as this station broadcasts and operates from the same premises as the state TV channel, which resumed broadcasts on Monday morning having been off air for more than 20 hours.


Reels of patriotic music and footage of the army's victories have been played on TV, and in a statement on Facebook the Sudanese army said it had retaken control of the TV premises from the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF).


State TV also aired a statement by the RSF's spokesman, Naj al-Din Ismael, saying he had defected from the paramilitary group and joined the national army.


Journalists in Sudan have told the BBC as fighting continues there is also a propaganda war between the rival factions of the military, which is largely being fought on social media.


View original here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-africa-64393826?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=643e5e44457ab20a78fe5ff2%26State-owned%20radio%20still%20off%20air%20in%20Sudan%262023-04-18T09%3A46%3A29%2B00%3A00&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:a665c275-b32b-407a-b0ed-510f5df0ab8d&pinned_post_asset_id=643e5e44457ab20a78fe5ff2&pinned_post_type=share

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Here is a full copy of a report from BBC News online

By Mohamed Osman & Cecilia Macaulay

BBC News, In Khartoum & London

Published Tuesday 18 April 2023 19:24 GMT BST UK

Sudan fighting continues despite ceasefire

Combat around the army HQ goes on as residents hoped for a 24-hour respite to get food and water. 

A fourth day of fighting raged as residents remained trapped in their homes

Fighting is continuing in areas of Sudan's capital, Khartoum, despite a ceasefire due to start at 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT).

In particular the battle has not stopped around the army headquarters, which is in the city centre and is surrounded by residential areas.

Two rival generals at the heart of the conflict had agreed to a 24-hour humanitarian pause to allow civilians to get medical help and supplies.

Residents are low on food and water.

Earlier on Tuesday, a woman living in Khartoum told the BBC that she has no more drinking water left in her home: "This morning we ran out."

Duaa Tariq said only one bottle remained, which was exclusively for her two-year-old child, as her family crammed into a "tiny corridor" to avoid gunfire.

"Most of the people [that] died, died in their houses with random bullets and missiles, so it's better to avoid exposed places in the house" like windows, Ms Tariq said.

Nearly 200 people have been killed in the fighting so far.


Half an hour before the ceasefire was due to start, Khartoum residents were shocked to hear that three children - brothers living in the east of the city - had been killed in a bombardment.


Residents broke their Muslim Ramadan fast just after 18:00 local time to the sound of gunfire, with eyewitnesses in Bahri, in the north of the city, saying aircraft were flying overhead.


Another woman in Khartoum told the BBC that heavy weapons fire continued well after the ceasefire was due to come into effect. She described how earlier in the day she had escaped with her one-year-old child from her home as it was being struck by missiles.


Even if the fighting does die down in the next 24 hours, it is unlikely to be enough time for civilians to seek help, with the Red Cross saying the health system is on the verge of collapse.


The aid group said it has been receiving multiple calls for help from people trapped in their homes in a city that has an estimated population of 10 million residents, with most struggling to cope without electricity.


Fighting has also been taking place elsewhere in Sudan, including in Darfur to the west.


The UN aid chief has warned of reports that say humanitarian workers are being attacked and sexually assaulted.


"This is unacceptable and must stop," Mr Griffith's tweeted, after the time the ceasefire was expected to have been implemented.


The fighting is between army units loyal to the de facto leader, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, a notorious paramilitary force commanded by Sudan's deputy leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti.


View original including BBC's map showing fighting at key locations in Khartoum city centre and update at 22:19 re-titled 'Hopes crumble for a pause in fighting in Sudan'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-65317693


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Here is a full copy of a report from What's In Blue 

Insights on the work of the UN Security Council

Published Monday 17 April 2023. 


Sudan: Meeting under “Any Other Business”

Today (17 April), following the closed consultations on Yemen, Security Council members will discuss the situation in Sudan under “any other business”, at the request of the UK (the penholder on the file). Special Representative and head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) Volker Perthes is expected to brief.

Perthes is expected to update Council members on the latest developments in Sudan after fighting erupted in the morning of 15 April in and around Khartoum between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), headed by Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Sudan’s military leader and Chairperson of the Transitional Sovereign Council, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the Deputy Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council. According to local media reports, fighting initially erupted in the Soba suburb, south of Khartoum, and then spread to several strategic areas in the capital, including Sudan’s presidential palace, the headquarters of the state television, Khartoum International Airport, and the military’s headquarters.

Multiple media outlets have reported that fighting has continued for the third day today (17 April) between the SAF and RSF in Khartoum and other parts of the country. At the time of writing, the hostilities had reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 74 civilians and more than 600 injuries. Three World Food Programme (WFP) humanitarian aid workers also lost their lives as a result of the fighting.

The fighting follows months of rising tensions between the SAF and RSF. The two factions had formerly cooperated closely; the RSF participated in the 2019 coup d’état that ousted former President Omar Hassan al-Bashir. After the 2019 coup, Dagalo became the deputy of the Transitional Military Council, which then transferred its powers to the Transitional Sovereign Council. The RSF then also participated in the October 2021 coup, following which the Transitional Sovereign Council seized power.

The tensions between al-Burhan and Dagalo came to a head several weeks ago, owing to disagreements over the final agreement on a political transition, including on key security and military reforms. On 5 December 2022, a broad grouping of Sudan’s civilian political actors and its military leadership signed the Sudan Political Framework Agreement, which is aimed at paving the way for a two-year, civilian-led transition ahead of elections. On 8 January, its signatories launched the final phase of talks aimed at reaching a “final and just” political settlement under the facilitation of the Trilateral Mechanism—comprised of the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and UNITAMS. (For background, see our 19 March What’s in Blue story.) The sides were initially expected to sign the final agreement on 1 April, but this was postponed to 6 April.

Afterwards, the signing was postponed indefinitely because of disagreement between Dagalo and al-Burhan over the reintegration of the RSF into the armed forces and their command and control, according to local media reports. In an 8 April statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said that Sudan remains at a “decisive juncture” and that “all efforts must now go to get the political transition back on the right path”. He urged all parties to overcome obstacles on security sector reform and avoid any delays in the signing of the political agreement.

Last week, the SAF began deploying troops inside Khartoum and Merowe town in Northern State. In a 13 April statement, SAF Spokesperson Nabil Abdallah said that the deployment of RSF forces had been done without the approval or coordination of the armed forces and may lead to the collapse of security in the country.

On 15 April, Security Council members issued a press statement expressing deep concern over the clashes between the SAF and RSF and the resulting deaths and injuries. They urged the parties to cease hostilities, to restore calm, and to pursue dialogue in order to resolve the ongoing crisis in the country. Council members stressed the importance of maintaining humanitarian access and ensuring the safety of UN personnel. The statement reaffirmed Council members’ commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Sudan.

On 15 April, Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement that strongly condemned the outbreak of fighting between the SAF and RSF in Sudan. He called on SAF and RSF leaders to immediately cease hostilities, restore calm, and initiate a dialogue to resolve the current crisis in the country. The statement further noted that Guterres is engaging with leaders in the region and called on regional countries to support efforts to restore order and return to the path of transition.

On 16 April, the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) met to consider the situation in Sudan. In a communiqué adopted following the meeting, the AUPSC strongly condemned the ongoing armed confrontation between the SAF and RSF throughout Sudan. The AUPSC called on both sides to commit to an immediate ceasefire without conditions, to protect civilians, and to provide humanitarian support to civilians. It urged regional countries and other stakeholders to support ongoing efforts to return the country to the transition process aimed at restoring constitutional order. The AUPSC further decided that it will undertake a “field mission” to Sudan to engage with all Sudanese stakeholders on the situation in the country. It requested the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, to continue using his good offices to engage with the parties to facilitate dialogue and a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Sudan.

On 16 April, the IGAD Summit of Heads of State and Government convened for an extraordinary emergency session to discuss the situation in Sudan. During the meeting, IGAD decided to send South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh, and Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to Sudan “at the earliest possible time” to “reconcile the conflicting groups”.

On 16 April, the SAF and RSF agreed to a proposal, advanced by Perthes and the Trilateral Mechanism, to commit to a three-hour temporary pause in fighting on humanitarian grounds, ending mid-day on 16 April. Media outlets reported that despite the agreement on a pause, heavy fire was heard in central Khartoum.

In a 16 April statement, Guterres condemned the deaths and injuries of civilians and called for those responsible to be held accountable. The statement further noted that the UN and other humanitarian premises had been hit by projectiles and looted in several locations in Darfur. Following the deaths of the WFP workers, WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain issued a statement demanding immediate steps to guarantee the safety of  humanitarian workers in the country. She noted that, in a separate incident, one WFP-managed UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) aircraft was significantly damaged at Khartoum International Airport during an exchange of gunfire on 15 April. She said that the WFP was halting all its operations in Sudan while the security situation is being reviewed.

View original here: 

https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/whatsinblue/2023/04/sudan-meeting-under-any-other-business-3.php


About What's In Blue
When the Security Council approaches the final stage of negotiation of a draft resolution the text is printed in blue. What's In Blue is a series of insights produced by Security Council Report on evolving Security Council actions. These insights supplement the SCR Monthly Forecasts and other reports and are designed to help interested UN readers keep up with what might soon be “in blue.” Learn more

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Wednesday, September 04, 2019

WAR CRIME ALERT ICC 2016: 2 UN peacekeepers killed, 1 wounded

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: Here below are three news reports dated July 2016 about multiple UN peacekeepers being attacked, killed, injured in Juba, South Sudan. 

Troops even fired on a UN building in Juba. Was there a proper investigation, were those responsible for the attacks caught, put on trial and sentenced? If not, why not? 

Former UN chief Ban-Ki Moon is quoted as saying any attack on a peacekeeper constitutes a war crime and comes under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. Yellow highlighting is mine for quick future reference.

Article by Khmer Times
Dated 14 July 2016
Peacekeeper Injured in S. Sudan
Photo: Cambodian peacekeepers and doctors tend to the injured soldier in Juba

A United Nations peacekeeper from Cambodia was injured in gunfire on Sunday in Juba, South Sudan, according to the Cambodian National Center of Peacekeeping Forces. 

Major General Phal Samom, deputy director of the Cambodian National Center of Peacekeeping Forces, said yesterday one soldier serving in Cambodia’s peacekeeping force was injured. 

“We just confirmed that there is a soldier who was injured, but we did not receive more details on the injured soldier,” Maj. Gen. Samom said. “We will follow up with information and spread it publicly once we get more.” 

According to a Cambodian UN peacekeeper in South Sudan, the solder was only lightly wounded on his left arm during a firefight in the capital.  

Fighting broke out once again in South Sudan last week and escalated on Sunday when troops started firing on a UN building in Juba. 

Since its creation in 2011, South Sudan has been embroiled in fighting between the country’s president, Salva Kiir, and his deputy, Riek Machar. President Kiir claims Mr. Machar attempted a coup d’etat against him, and despite repeated attempts to hammer out a peace accord, both sides continue to fight.

Troops loyal to both men have killed hundreds of soldiers and civilians in the recent fighting despite calls from both President Kiir and Mr. Machar for calm. Both men appeared together on national television earlier this week to implore rebel groups to put down their arms, to no avail.

Two Chinese UN peacekeeping troops were killed in an attack on Sunday in Juba. Their armored vehicle was hit by a mortar shell, according to the South China Morning Post.  

The fighting over the last four years has killed more than 300,000 civilians and forced almost two million people to flee their homes.

About 150 Cambodian troops are serving under the UN umbrella as peacekeepers in South Sudan, according to the Cambodian National Center of Peacekeeping Forces.

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Article from UN News
Dated 14 July 2016
Cambodian peacekeepers treat South Sudan wounded

As a ceasefire in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, appears to be holding, doctors at a United Nations hospital there continue to treat people wounded during six days of clashes between rival forces.

More than 270 people died as a result of the fighting, including two UN peacekeepers from China.

Dianne Penn reports on a hospital ran by Cambodian peacekeepers at the UN Mission in the country, UNMISS, which has been helping the injured get back on their feet.

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Article from Phnom Penh Post.com
Dated 14 July 2016 06:48 ICT
Cambodian peacekeeper injured by bullet in South Sudan
Photo: A United Nations peacekeeper stands at the UN compound in Juba earlier this week, where heavy fighting has seen multiple peacekeepers injured in recent days. AFP / UNMISS

A member of Cambodia’s UN peacekeeping team in South Sudan has suffered a gunshot wound, and while senior military officials say the incident was not related to the rapidly deteriorating security situation in the civil war-torn country, there are conflicting reports as to what happened.

Phal Samorn, deputy director general of the National Centre for Peacekeeping Forces, Mines and Explosive Remnants of War, said the Cambodian peacekeeper was hit by a bullet that had been fired into the sky during South Sudan’s independence day celebrations. “Rith Virak, who is a member of the RCAF, sustained light injuries to his left hand,” Samorn said.

Ministry of Defence spokesman Chhum Socheat also said the peacekeeper was injured during a celebration and the gunshot wound was not due to the ongoing fighting. He added the Cambodian peacekeepers are not in “clear danger”.

“This was an accident and it was not in war,” he said. “We have them far away from the war zone.”

However, an official at the centre, who asked to remain anonymous, said Virak was injured by bullets from the fighting in Juba between soldiers of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army and the opposition.

He said Virak was outside guarding the Cambodian military camp on July 7 when he was injured.

Two Chinese UN peacekeepers were recently killed in the conflict. The Kingdom currently has 153 peacekeepers stationed in South Sudan.

Additional reporting by Vong Sokheng 
Contact author: Bun Sengkong

SOURCE: https://phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodian-peacekeeper-injured-bullet-south-sudan