The international medical humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is responding to the consequences of fighting in the Abyei region of Sudan following violent clashes that began on the night of Friday 20 May. Whole towns have emptied and thousands of people are on the move in a bid to escape the fighting. The situation in the area remains extremely volatile. The population left their homes with few belongings, and travelling conditions are particularly harsh now that the rainy season has started and the roads are muddy. “We have witnessed a massive movement of people out of Agok (40 km... Continue Reading
Publish Date: Thursday, May 26th 2011 |
By Correspondent Chinyere Ogbonna – The United Nations peacekeeping operation in Sudan has strongly condemned the latest looting and burning of the town of Abyei by armed men, which has forced large numbers of civilians to flee to the south of the disputed area. The mission (UNMIS) reported that looting and burning began in Abyei, two days after the wider area – disputed by north and south was taken over by Sudanese Government forces. The Security Council has condemned that move in its entirety describing it as a serious breach of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the... Continue Reading
Publish Date: Tuesday, May 24th 2011 |
By Nangayi Guyson – JUBA – The people of South Sudan, who voted successfully to become an independent state, are now facing a rise in armed conflicts with militia groups which threaten the lives of civilians, a top UN official warned on Wednesday. A UN assistant secretary general for peacekeeping operations, Atul Khare, told the UN Security Council that South Sudan’s democratic achievements could be undermined by “unresolved or incomplete” issues in the CPA. “Following the referendum, tensions in the south have risen,” Khare said. “In particular, conflicts between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army and a number of insurgents and... Continue Reading
Publish Date: Thursday, April 21st 2011 |
By Nangayi Guyson – Khartoum – The Sudanese government has accused Israel of carrying out an attack on Tuesday near Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast which killed two people. Sudan’s Foreign Minister Ali Karti on Wednesday told reporters that, “This is absolutely an Israeli attack and Khartoum reserve the right to react to the aggression”. He said Israel undertook the attack in order to scupper Sudan’s chances of being removed from a US list of state sponsors of terrorism. One of the two people killed in the strike was a Sudanese citizen who had no ties to Islamists... Continue Reading
Publish Date: Wednesday, April 6th 2011 |
By Nangayi Guyson – Juba -More than 70 people have been reported dead in two days of fighting between the South Sudan army and rebels, officials say. The clashes between the SPLA and fighters loyal to rebel leader George Athor have broken out in three states. After similar clashes last week, the southern government accused the north and President Omar al-Bashir of trying to destabilize it. “The fighting was very heavy, but the rebels are now being pursued,” said SPLA spokesman Philip Aguer, reports the AFP news agency. The fighting left 34 SPLA soldiers and 36 rebels had been killed.... Continue Reading
Publish Date: Saturday, March 19th 2011 |
