Month: April 2023

Comoros Refuses to Accept Deported Migrants From French Mayotte, Closes Port

Comoros has refused to allow a boat carrying migrants to dock from the French Indian Ocean department Mayotte, where the authorities have announced a controversial operation against illegal migrants.

Comoros decided to suspended all passenger traffic at the Mutsamudu port on the island of Anjouan, where deported migrants usually land on Anjouan Island, from Monday to Wednesday, after authorities in Mayotte announced Operation Wuambushu (Take back) to remove illegal migrants who have settled in slums on the island.

Fighting Reported in Sudan Despite Ceasefire – UN Envoy

The United Nations’s top diplomat in Sudan, Volker Perthes, has told the Security Council that the latest temporary ceasefire is holding only in some parts of the country, and that the army and RSF are each accusing the other of truce violations.

The Horn Of Africa States: What Is At Stake – OpEd

The Sudan conflict has once again bared facts about the Horn of Africa States and the greater region surrounding it. The region has neighbors like the GCC countries which have significant interest not only in the region but also Yemen just across from the region. It has also Sudan as a neighbor and Egypt further north. On the south is the East Africa Community (South Sudan and Uganda and Kenya). All of these countries and regions have their own issues which impact on the region, one way or the other. Let us take these regions and countries one at a time.

Sudan Conflict: Can We Stop Another African Nation’s Descent Into A Human-Engineered Inferno? – OpEd

The endless sorrow of the Sudanese people is like a scar that refuses to heal, a constant reminder of the pain and suffering that has plagued the African continent for far too long. They fight for freedom, for a chance to live without fear, but their struggle seems to fall on deaf ears, drowned out by the apathy of the world. It’s as if humanity has put on a pair of tinted glasses, seeing only the surface of the crisis in African countries, ignoring the depths of despair that lie beneath. The recent massacre and emergency in Sudan are just another chapter in this tragic story of ignorance and neglect.

Al-Qaeda Still Potent

A terror group which globalised the concept of Jihad and have existed for more than three decades is not dependent on just one leader for its survival

With the recent killing of Al-Qaeda (AQ) chief Ayman al-Zawahri in Afghan capital Kabul a lot of speculation is happening on the future of this terror outfit. Some analysts even going to the extent and suggesting that Al-Qaeda is nearing its end. But certainly that is highly unlikely. The group survived its ideological chief Osama bin Laden’s death in 2011. In fact with the killing of Zawahri Al-Qaeda may regenerate itself and become more dynamic. Ayman al-Zawahri was an Egyptian-born jihadist who became al-Qaida’s top leader in 2011 after his predecessor, Osama bin Laden, was killed by a U.S. operation. Zawahiri was not a very charismatic personality, nor was he effective at connecting with the younger generation. As a leader of AQ for over a decade, he could not bring back the lost capabilities. But he managed to keep the terror brand alive amidst the rise of Islamic State (IS). A new leader might not have these shortcomings. The trajectory of the movement might shift dangerously with a new and more effective communicator, reaching and inspiring a new generation. This happened previously with Anwar al-Awlaki re-invigorated Al-Qaeda in Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in the late 2000s. Reaching out to new audiences in new ways and identifying with Westerners in particular. Ironically, a new leader might benefit the movement, offering an opportunity to reinvigorate itself.

The US and the War Crimes in the War on Terror

“The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.”

– Thucydides, 5th Century BC.

For the past two decades, the International Criminal Court has concentrated on the war crimes and criminals who have operated in Africa. Over the past month, however, the court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Commissioner or Children’s Rights. Our own Department of Justice is even considering a federal indictment of Syrian leaders responsible for the torture and execution of an American human rights worker, Layla Shweikani. The war crimes of Syrian President Basher al-Assad are well known, but this would mark the first time that the United States has criminally charged Syrian officials with human rights abuses. There is no indication, however, that the ICC or the Department of Justice will take on the war crimes committed by the United States during its Global War on Terror in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in New York City and Washington.

Ethiopian Prime Minister to Negotiate With Oromo Forces

On April 25, 2023 the Ethiopian government and Oromo militants will meet at the negotiating table in Tanzania.

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said that two events will happen this week. First, “all regional states presidents will travel to Mekelle” to help cement the peace agreement reached in Pretoria, South Africa in November 2022. Second, the negotiation that will be held with OLF/Shene will start in Tanzania on April 25, 2023.

Sudan Conflict: More Complex Than Meets The Eye – Analysis

After weeks of escalating tensions, open military clashes broke out on April 15 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), where the latter is a powerful paramilitary group. Despite the fact that both groups were previously close allies who jointly seized control of Sudan in 2021, subsequent tensions over control and decision-making on national key issues have driven them apart. This includes, but is not limited to, opposing views on the integration of the RSF into the Sudanese military and transitional planning for eventual civilian rule in Sudan. The currently developing events in Sudan resemble a typical power struggle seen in fragile states, where more than one powerful armed group exists and each is vying for control. However, the political conflict and escalating military confrontation is actually much more complex than a simplistic power struggle.