UN mission says both Sudan sides committed abuses, peacekeepers needed

UN mission says both Sudan sides committed abuses, peacekeepers needed
FILE — Residents displaced from a surge of violent attacks squat on blankets and in hastily made tents in the village of Masteri in west Darfur, Sudan, on July 30, 2020. (AP)
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Updated 06 September 2024
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UN mission says both Sudan sides committed abuses, peacekeepers needed

UN mission says both Sudan sides committed abuses, peacekeepers needed
  • Report said that both the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces were responsible for attacks on civilians

GENEVA: Both sides in Sudan’s civil war have committed abuses that may amount to war crimes, and world powers need to send in peacekeepers and widen an arms embargo to protect civilians, a UN-mandated mission said on Friday.
Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have both raped and attacked civilians, used torture and made arbitrary arrests, according to the report that said it was based on 182 interviews with survivors, relatives and witnesses. “The gravity of our findings and failure of the warring parties to protect civilians underscores the need for urgent and immediate intervention,” the UN fact-finding mission’s chair, Mohamed Chande Othman, told reporters.
Both sides have dismissed past accusations from the US and rights groups, and have accused each other of carrying out abuses. Neither immediately responded to requests for comment on Friday, or released a statement in response to the report.
Othman and the two other mission members called for an independent force to be deployed without delay.
“We cannot continue to have people dying before our eyes and do nothing about it,” mission member Mona Rishmawi said. A UN-mandated peacekeeping force was a possibility, she added.
The mission called for the expansion of an existing UN arms embargo which currently just applies to the western region of Darfur where thousands of ethnic killings have been reported. The war that started in Khartoum in April last year has spread to 14 out of 18 of the country’s states.

Hundreds of rapes reported
The mission said it had also found reasonable grounds to believe the RSF and its allied militias had committed additional war crimes including the abduction of women who were forced into sexual slavery and the recruitment of child soldiers.
Mission member Joy Ngozi Ezeilo said unnamed support groups had received reports of more than 400 rapes in the first year of the war, but the real number was probably much higher.
“The rare brutality of this war will have a devastating and long-lasting psychological impact on children,” she said.
The fact-finding team said it had tried to contact Sudanese authorities on multiple occasions but had got no answer. It said the RSF had asked to cooperate with the mission, without elaborating.
The conflict began when competition between the army and the RSF, who had previously shared power after staging a coup, flared into open warfare.
Civilians in Sudan are facing worsening famine, mass displacement and disease after 17 months of war, aid agencies say.
US-led mediators said last month that they had secured guarantees from both parties at talks in Switzerland to improve access for humanitarian aid, but that the Sudanese army’s absence from the discussions had hindered progress.
The report is the three-member mission’s first since its creation in October 2023 by the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
A group of Western countries including Britain will call for its renewal at a meeting this month, with diplomats expecting opposition from Sudan which says the war is an internal affair.


Failure to implement UN resolutions has ‘emboldened’ Israel: Pakistani PM

Failure to implement UN resolutions has ‘emboldened’ Israel: Pakistani PM
Updated 20 min 46 sec ago
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Failure to implement UN resolutions has ‘emboldened’ Israel: Pakistani PM

Failure to implement UN resolutions has ‘emboldened’ Israel: Pakistani PM
  • Addressing UN General Assembly, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif slams suffering in Palestine, Lebanon
  • Heightened risk of regional war with potentially ‘unimaginable’ consequences

LONDON: The failure to implement UN resolutions has “emboldened” Israel and heightened the risk of a regional war with potentially “unimaginable” consequences, Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif told the UN General Assembly on Friday.

He slammed Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip as a “systematic slaughter of innocent people,” and “an assault on the very essence of human life and dignity.”

He said: “The blood of Gaza’s children stains the hands of not just the oppressors, but also those who are complicit in prolonging this cruel conflict. When we ignore their endless suffering, we diminish our humanity.”

Sharif added: “In a span of a few days, Israel’s unrelenting bombing of Lebanon has killed over 500 people, including women and even small children.”

Stressing that condemning Israel’s atrocities is not enough, he called for immediate action to “end this bloodshed.”

He added: “We must work for a durable peace through the two-state nation. We must seek a viable, secure, contiguous and sovereign state of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem) as its eternal capital.”

Sharif emphasized that to advance these goals, “Palestine must also be immediately admitted as a full member of the UN.”

In May, the UNGA adopted a resolution supporting Palestine’s bid to become a full UN member. This resolution was adopted with 143 votes in favor and nine against. 


International coalition, Yemeni government condemn Houthi assaults on humanitarian workers in Yemen

International coalition, Yemeni government condemn Houthi assaults on humanitarian workers in Yemen
Updated 27 September 2024
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International coalition, Yemeni government condemn Houthi assaults on humanitarian workers in Yemen

International coalition, Yemeni government condemn Houthi assaults on humanitarian workers in Yemen
  • Coalition, Yemen underscored necessity for all staff to be able to perform duties without fear of arbitrary detention or intimidation

LONDON: The detention of UN staff, NGO workers, civil society members and former diplomatic mission staff in Yemen by Houthi forces was condemned by an international coalition on Friday.

Representatives from the US, UK, Germany, Sweden, France, the Netherlands and the internationally recognized government in Yemen met earlier this week and issued a joint statement on Friday expressing strong concern over the safety of these individuals and called for their immediate release.

They underscored the necessity for all staff to be able to perform their duties without fear of arbitrary detention or intimidation.

The group urged the international community to explore all possible diplomatic channels to negotiate the release of current detainees. The Houthis, they insisted, must adhere to international norms that ensure the safety of diplomatic, humanitarian and civil society personnel.

“The detentions of these individuals are unacceptable, and we cannot continue with business as usual while such risks to life and freedom exist,” the coalition said in the statement.

The representatives emphasized that continuing operations in Houthi-controlled areas poses significant threats to the safety of personnel working on the ground, hindering efforts to provide critical assistance to those most in need across Yemen.

“As a result of the detentions, we support the UN in its decision to minimize the exposure of staff to risk in Houthi-controlled territories,” the statement said.

“We welcome the UN decision to suspend all non-life saving and non-life sustaining activities in Houthi-controlled areas and call on the international community to redirect such assistance to elsewhere in the country,” it added.

The representatives expressed deep concern for the welfare and dignity of Yemen’s population, emphasizing their commitment to supporting the country’s well-being despite the challenges posed by the current situation.

The coalition reaffirmed its commitment to Yemen’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, standing firmly by the Yemeni people in their time of need.

“Our commitment to Yemen remains strong, and we will continue to pursue all means to alleviate the suffering of its people,” the statement said.

The detentions, widely condemned by the international community, have drawn attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen with millions of people in desperate need of assistance.


‘Stop this war now,’ Slovenian PM tells Israel’s Netanyahu

‘Stop this war now,’ Slovenian PM tells Israel’s Netanyahu
Updated 27 September 2024
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‘Stop this war now,’ Slovenian PM tells Israel’s Netanyahu

‘Stop this war now,’ Slovenian PM tells Israel’s Netanyahu
  • Addressing UN General Assembly, Robert Golob demands Israel ‘stop the bloodshed, end the occupation’
  • Sudan experiencing ‘man-made humanitarian catastrophe’ with millions displaced

LONDON: Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob on Friday called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, telling his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu to “stop this war now.”

Golob was addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, with Slovenia having assumed the presidency of the UN Security Council on Sept. 1. 

During the speech, he left no room for doubt, thumping the lectern as he said: “I want to say this out loud and clear to the Israeli government: Stop the bloodshed, stop the suffering, bring the hostages home and end the occupation.”

He told the UNGA that the UNSC is finding itself unable to respond “in an effective way to major conflicts such as Gaza, Ukraine or Sudan,” adding that the council needs reform.

“In Gaza, almost four months since the council’s resolution on (a) ceasefire and hostage release, the deal is nowhere close,” Golob said.

“As the (UN) secretary-general (Antonio Guterres) said yesterday … people in Gaza are existing, not living, existing among lakes of sewage, piles of rubbish and mountains of rubble. The only certainty they have is that tomorrow is going to be worse.

“In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, violence and dehumanization of Palestinians is increasing and has reached a boiling point.

“All this is taking us further away from the two-state solution with Israelis and Palestinians living side-by-side in peace and security. 

“(The) escalation of (the) Gaza crisis into the region is now a reality. The region is (on) the brink of an abyss. De-escalation is urgently needed, starting with the ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon.”

Golob also highlighted the civil war in Sudan, saying: “We’re witnessing a man-made humanitarian catastrophe, with millions displaced and in desperate need of humanitarian aid. At the same time, we’re seeing (an) atrocity happening again in Darfur.”

He blamed the five permanent members of the UNSC for “misusing veto power and putting national interest first,” adding: “We urgently need a council that’s a true representation of the international community, a council that’s fit for the world of today.

“We need to ensure that the distribution of the seats is fair. The council needs stronger voices of the regions that have been underrepresented, such as (the) African continent.”

Golob added that the “erosion of respect for international humanitarian law” is making it harder for humanitarian work to be carried out.

“In Gaza, humanitarians aren’t just occasional collateral victims — they seem to have become a deliberate military target,” he said.

“There’s no other explanation for the highest number of humanitarian workers being killed last year, of whom the vast majority (were) in Gaza.

“The sense of impunity for crimes in Gaza is putting humanitarian organizations under stress elsewhere. This is undermining the very essence of the UN.”

Golob also addressed climate change and the measures being taken to halt its effects across the world, especially threats to water supplies, including the use of supercomputers and artificial intelligence.

“Unfortunately, people suffering from armed conflicts don’t have the luxury of high-tech solutions. More often than not, they’re denied basic access to clean drinking water,” he said.

“Even more, we’re increasingly seeing how access to water is becoming weaponized in Yemen, Somalia, Gaza and Sudan.”

Golob spoke about how children disproportionately suffer as a result of climate change and conflict, once again highlighting the dire situation of young people in Gaza.

“Slovenia is offering concrete help with the foundation Let Them Dream, which is dealing with the rehabilitation of children from Gaza,” he said.

“It’s an extremely noble and human project which was launched years ago and has already helped hundreds of children from Gaza who came for rehabilitation in Slovenia, and will continue to do so. Sadly, some of these kids are now already the victims of recent aggression on Gaza.”

Golob concluded his address by telling delegates about an experience earlier this week when he met two young “courageous” Palestinian girls at an event hosted by Save the Children.

“They spoke about their challenges in life. They spoke about their feelings. They spoke about their plans for the future. And despite all of the destruction, dehumanization and fear, there was no anger nor hate in their stories,” he said.

“They just had this enormous wish to live a normal, decent life. They just had this enormous wish to be able to educate and study in order to be able to contribute back to their community.

“One wants to become a doctor, the second wants to become a humanitarian worker. Today, I fulfill my promise to them, and I bring their story to the General Assembly.”


Israel hits Beirut suburbs with heavy airstrikes

Israel hits Beirut suburbs with heavy airstrikes
Updated 56 min 9 sec ago
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Israel hits Beirut suburbs with heavy airstrikes

Israel hits Beirut suburbs with heavy airstrikes
  • 2 dead, 76 wounded in initial toll reported by Lebanese health ministry
  • Israeli military spokesperson said central command center target was embedded deep within civilian areas

BEIRUT: The Israeli military said Friday it struck the central headquarters of Hezbollah in Beirut, where a series of massive explosions leveled multiple buildings, sending clouds of orange and black smoke billowing in the skies.
The strikes in the suburbs south of Lebanon’s capital came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the UN, vowing that Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah would continue. His comments further dimmed hopes for an internationally backed ceasefire aimed at preventing a spiral into all-out war.
Three major Israeli TV channels said Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was the target of the strikes. But the unsourced reports could not immediately be confirmed by The Associated Press, and the army declined comment. But given the size and timing of the blast, there were strong indications that a high-value target may have been inside the buildings struck.
To a degree unseen in past conflicts, Israel this past week has aimed to eliminate Hezbollah’s senior leadership.
Friday’s bombings were the most powerful yet seen in the Lebanese capital the past year. The Israeli army spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said it targeted the main Hezbollah headquarters, located beneath residential buildings. Four buildings in the Haret Hreik neighborhood of Dahiyeh were reduced to rubble, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV reported. The blast rattled windows and shook houses some 30 kilometers (18 miles) north of Beirut. Ambulances were seen headed to the scene, sirens wailing.
Officials at a nearby hospital said they received at least 10 wounded, three critically including a Syrian child.
Israel dramatically intensified its airstrikes in Lebanon this week, saying it is determined to put an end to more than 11 months of Hezbollah fire into its territory. The scope of Israel’s operation remains unclear, but officials have said a ground invasion to push the militant group away from the border is a possibility. Israel has moved thousands of troops toward the border in preparation.
At least 25 people were killed in Israeli strikes early Friday, Health Minister Firass Abiad said, bringing the death toll in Lebanon this week to more than 720. He said the dead included dozens of women and children.
A predawn strike Friday in the mainly Sunni border town of Chebaa hit a home, killing nine members of the same family, the state news agency said. A resident identified the dead as Hussein Zahra, his wife Ratiba, their five children and two of their grandchildren.
At the UN, Netanyahu vowed to “continue degrading Hezbollah” until Israel achieves its goals.
Netanyahu’s comments have damped hopes for a US-backed call for a 21-day truce between Israel and Hezbollah to allow time for a diplomatic solution. Hezbollah has not responded to the proposal.
Iranian-backed Hezbollah, the strongest armed force in Lebanon, began firing rockets into Israel almost immediately after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, saying it was a show of support for the Palestinians. Since then, it and the Israeli military have traded fire almost daily, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes on both sides of the border.
An Israeli security official said he expects a possible war against Hezbollah would not last for as long as the current war in Gaza, because the Israeli military’s goals are much narrower.
In Gaza, Israel has vowed to dismantle Hamas’ military and political regime, but the goal in Lebanon is just to push Hezbollah away from the border with Israel — “not a high bar like Gaza” in terms of operational objectives, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to military briefing guidelines.
The Israeli military said it carried out dozens of strikes over the course of two hours around the south on Friday, including in the cities of Sidon and Nabatiyeh. It said it was targeting Hezbollah rocket launchers and infrastructure. It said Hezbollah fired a volley of rockets toward the northern Israeli city of Tiberias.
In the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, civil defense workers pulled the bodies of two women – 35-year-old Hiba Ataya and her mother Sabah Olyan – from the rubble of a building brought down by a strike. “That’s Sabah, these are her clothes, my love,” one man cried out as her body emerged.
Israel says its accelerated strikes this week have already inflicted heavy damage on Hezbollah’s weapons capabilities – and a string of its top commanders have been assassinated in strikes. Officials have suggested its limited fire of missile and rockets the past week show it has been set back.
But the group boasted a large arsenal of rockets and missiles and its remaining capacities remain unknown.
Hezbollah officials and their supporters remain defiant. Not long before the explosions Friday evening, thousands were massed in another part of Beirut’s suburbs for the funeral of three Hezbollah members killed in earlier strikes, including the head of the group’s drone unit, Mohammed Surour.
Men and women in the giant crowd waved their fists in the air and chanted, “We will never accept humiliation” as they marched marched behind the three coffins, wrapped in the group’s yellow flag.
Hussein Fadlallah, head of Hezbollah in Beirut, said in a speech that no matter how many commanders Israel kills, the group has endless numbers of experience fighters who are deployed all over the front lines. Fadlallah vowed that Hezbollah will keep fighting until Israel stops its offensive in Gaza.
“We will not abandon the support of Palestine, Jerusalem and oppressed Gaza,” Fadlallah said. “There is no place for neutrality in this battle.”

The explosives used in the strike were 2,000-pound bombs, according to unverified reports.

The administration of US President Joe Biden in June sent to Israel large numbers of munitions, including thousands of Hellfire missiles, according to two US officials briefed on an updated list of weapons shipments.


Iranians protest Gaza, Lebanon ‘bloodbath’

Iranians protest Gaza, Lebanon ‘bloodbath’
Updated 27 September 2024
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Iranians protest Gaza, Lebanon ‘bloodbath’

Iranians protest Gaza, Lebanon ‘bloodbath’
  • In Tehran after Friday prayers, a protest took place around Enghelab Square in the city center
  • Demonstrators carried portraits of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah as well as Palestinian and Hezbollah flags

TEHRAN: Thousands of Iranians protested on Friday in the capital Tehran and other cities to condemn Israeli attacks on Lebanon and Gaza, AFP journalists and state media reported.
Officials had on Wednesday called on the nation to demonstrate in support of the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon “and to condemn the barbaric crimes of the Zionist regime in Palestine,” the official IRNA news agency said.
Hezbollah is part of the “Axis of Resistance,” Iran-aligned armed groups across the Middle East which have targeted Israel, and also US forces, in support of Palestinian militants Hamas.
In Tehran after Friday prayers, a protest took place around Enghelab Square in the city center, an AFP journalist said.
Demonstrators carried portraits of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah as well as Palestinian and Hezbollah flags.
“Israel is destroyed. Lebanon is victorious,” they chanted, deploring “a bloodbath in Lebanon.”
Protesters also burned Israeli and US flags.
State television aired footage of other demonstrations in Semnan, Qom, Kashan, Kermanshah, Shiraz and Bandar Abbas.
Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, triggering a war with Israel and near-daily cross-border fire from Hezbollah in Lebanon against Israel, which has hit back.
Those exchanges have intensified dramatically over the past week. Israeli raids on Lebanon since Monday have killed hundreds in the deadliest violence since Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war.
As the violence escalates, analysts say Iran is walking a tightrope by trying to support Hezbollah without getting dragged into a full-blown conflict and playing into its enemy’s hands.