Africa

The head of the United Nations peacekeeping operations has warned that the increased intensity of attacks on civilians and peacekeepers is bringing Central African Republic (CAR) to the tipping point.

Set to arrive in Libya next week, the new United Nations Special Representative said that he was coming to Tripoli to work with the Libyans, in an attempt to help find a solution out of the political crisis that led to the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 and pushed the country into a crisis that sees thousands of migrants and refugees fleeing to Europe and other countries in Africa.

Portuguese coach Augusto Inacio is sacked by Egyptian giants Zamalek after less than four months in charge of the Cairo based side.

Senegal winger Ismaila Sarr says he decided to move to French side Stade Rennes ahead of a proposed move to Spanish giants Barcelona.

How child malnutrition affects communities across Ghana.

The centre encourages women to open up emotionally, as well as teaching cooking and other skills.

The United Nations deputy chief wrapped up her visit to two African countries &#8211 Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo &#8211 where today she stressed the importance of women&#39s participation in peace, security and development processes.

The United Nations advocate for ending sexual violence in conflict has welcomed the surrender of fugitive rebel leader Ntabo Ntaberi Sheka to the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), known as MONUSCO.

The United Nations Security Council today welcomed the Joint Declaration issued after a meeting between two Libyan political figures and urged all Libyans to support its calls for a negotiated political solution, national reconciliation, and an immediate ceasefire.

The EU wants to shut down the migrant route from Libya, but deaths on the Mediterranean are on the rise.

Pallbearers are lifting the mood in Ghana with flamboyant coffin-carrying displays.

In our series of letters from African journalists, Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani considers why women abducted by Boko Haram and then released would choose to return to their captors.

They've been training with Everton as part of their fight-back against dangerous prejudice.

When celebrated Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky visited South Africa in 1962, he defied racist laws to perform his music to a black audience.

The Hadza are one of the last remaining hunter-gatherer tribes in the world. Could their diet hold lessons for everyone?

Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour Thursday said his government received American pledges to repeal permanently the economic embargo on Sudan next October if the two countries continue the bilateral cooperation.

Speaking to reporters in Khartoum following the return of President Omer al-Bashir from a tour in the Gulf countries included United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, Ghandour said he received a phone call from the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan.

"I received a long telephone call from the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State after July 12, in which he pledged to lift sanctions on Sudan by October 12 if the cooperation between the two countries continues at the same pace in the agreed five tracks," said Ghandour.

Ghandour added that the US official had expressed Washington's desire to establish "positive relations" with Sudan. "Also, I conveyed to him Khartoum's desire to normalize relations with the most important and largest country in the world," Ghandour said.

After the delay of the sanctions relief on 12 July, the State Department pointed to the need to discuss human rights, religious freedom and Sudan's commitment to UN sanctions on North Korea.

President Omer al-Bashir's agreement to the request of Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman to resume the meetings of joint committee on the sanctions "means institutional and positive communication with Washington, but also affirms Riyadh's supportive stance to lift sanctions on Sudan." said Ghandour.

He disclosed that the Saudi Crown Prince demanded to communicate with the State Department, Pentagon (Defence Department), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the CIA to clear all the outstanding issues.

Observers in Khartoum believe that the purpose of al-Bashir's visit to UAE and Saudi Arabia was mainly to discuss the lift of sanctions. Mayn thought it was related to the ongoing rift between the Gulf countries and the tiny state of Qatar which is accused of supporting terrorism.

The top diplomat said the condemnation of support to terrorism in the joint communiqué issued at the end of the visit of Sudanese president to Saudi Arabia does not target any country, and reiterated Sudan's neutrality on the conflict.

He further said al-Bashir will visit soon Kuwait and Qatar within the ongoing efforts to end rift.

(ST)

A selection of the best photos from across Africa this week.

July 20, 2017 (BENTIU) – Hundreds of civilians fled Bentiu town, following renewed clashes on Thursday between South Sudan's rival forces at Panakuach, north of Unity state.

The map of Unity state

Aid workers at the protection of civilians' sites confirmed the attack.

A number of civilians, eyewitnesses told Sudan Tribune, were seen fleeing the town into the United Nations camp in Rubkotna.

“A large number of civilians feared of their safety in Bentiu, as the armed opposition approached 40 kilometers away northwest of Bentiu,” an eyewitness said Thursday.

Some civilians accused government forces blocked them from entering the UN camp, allegations Sudan Tribune could not verify.

However, the rebel spokesperson, Brig Gen. William Gatjiath Deng claimed he was unaware of any fighting between the rival factions.

The official said the rebels would defend their territory, despite the recently declared ceasefire, if the government forces provoke them.

The spokesperson for the armed opposition faction in Juba, Dickson Gatluak told Sudan Tribune that their forces fighting alongside government troops would counter attacks from rebels in Unity State.

“The situation in Bentiu must be monitored with maximum attention. At present time, the SPLA-IO [armed opposition] troops in collaboration with the SPLA [South Sudan army] are monitoring the situation in areas of the oil-rich state, north of the country,” he said.

The situation around Bentiu town has reportedly remained tensed amidst fears of a full-scale war between the two main rival factions.

South Sudan's conflict started in December 2013 when President Kiir accused Machar of a coup attempt. Since then, tens of thousands of people been killed and over 2 million displaced.

(ST)

July 20, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - A Sudanese court refused bail on Thursday for the prominent human rights defender Mudawi Ibrahim who is accused of espionage and intelligence activities.

Chairman of the Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO) Mudawi Ibrahim Adam (www.democracyandsecurity.org)

On 5 June, the State Security Prosecutor Babiker Abdel-Latif said the complainant informed the prosecution of the involvement of the accused in a criminal organisation conducting espionage and intelligence activities in favour of foreign embassies in the country.

“They also provided false allegations pertaining to the use of chemical weapons and distorting the image of the country,” stressed the prosecutor.

The Khartoum Criminal Court on Thursday rejected a request by the defence for the release on bail of the human rights activist with the usual guarantee in the case where he was charged with "running espionage and intelligence activities."

Headed by Judge Abdin Hamad Dahi, the court, justified its refusal saying the accused are facing charges of criminal complicity and espionage, which cannot be dealt in accordance with the ordinary criminal procedure code.

The court session was attended by many activists and representatives of foreign diplomatic missions in Khartoum.

The judges decided to hold the next session in mid-September.

Ibrahim, an engineering professor and Chair of the non-governmental organisation Sudan Social Development Organisation (SUDO) was arrested by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on 7 December 2016.

(ST)

July 20, 2017 (NYALA) - The military intelligence in South Darfur state this week have arrested 10 commanders of a former rebel group accused of inciting their combatants to rebel against the government.

Fighters with Sudan's Justice and Equality (JEM) Movement in al-Fasher, northern Darfur, on July 25, 2011 (Ashraf Shazly AFP/Getty)

The military intelligence company of the 16th Infantry Division of the Sudanese Army arrested several commanders of the Justice and Equality Movement - Comprehensive Peace (JEM-CP), a photographer and a computer technician and accused them of participation in an attempt to form a rebel group.

Sources told Sudan Tribune that the accused would appear before a military court next week.

The two main groups in Darfur region: Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and JEM split to small factions many of which signed a peace agreement with the government. However, many of them remained divided and weigh their relations with Khartoum according to its positions towards their rivals.

Recently the JEM-Dabajo protested over its representation in the new national dialogue government saying over groups with less military strength got more portfolios in the national and regional governments and threatened to suspend its participation in the government.

Reached by Sudan Tribune, Issa Dodah Hasabo a JEM-CP Executive Bureau member confirmed the arrest of their commanders including Siam Burah Gibril suspected of inciting their fighters who are deployed in different areas to rebel.

Hasabo said JEM-CP signed a peace agreement with Khartoum in 2011 after breaking away from a JEM faction led by Adam Abdel Rahim Abu Rishah which had joined the Darfur Peace Agreement in 2006.

However, he dismissed the charges against his comrades pointing that some officials of the group toured the last June all the areas where are deployed the fighters of the group to brief them on the implementation of the security arrangements before the end of 2017.

Hasabo further said that the local authorities had been advised of the move, adding they issued identification cards in preparation for the enforcement of the security arrangements.

The peace agreements signed with the rebel factions generally provide to integrate the former rebel combatants in the regular forces or other administration and services. But the government delayed its implementation due to the lack of financial resources.

(ST)