BRUSSELS | 13 August (IDN | EEPA) — The following are the situation reports on Ethiopia, Sudan, Rwanda and EU countries discuss “return hubs”, RSF-aligned coalition captures Sudan’s Geisan, Severe drought in Central Tigray.
Migration and refugee situation (per 13 August)
- Preliminary discussions took place between Rwanda and EU countries on the establishing of possible “return hub” cooperation, confirmed the spokesperson for the Rwandan government, Yolande Makolo, adding that no deal has been finalised yet.
- The talks focused on creating an “emergency transit mechanism” for families who cannot immediately be sent back, awaiting return to their home country or resettlement elsewhere in Rwanda.
- 177 asylum seekers, including Sudanese, Eritreans, South Sudanese, Ethiopians and Somalis, have been evacuated from Libya to Rwanda under the Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM), bringing the total of received asylum seekers in the country to 3000 since 2019 through this mechanism.
- A major Western Mediterranean criminal network involved in migrant and refugee smuggling, and also illegal drugs and weapons trafficking, has been dismantled by Spanish authorities, in cooperation with Europol and police in several other European countries.
- The operation which was carried out in June, resulted in 78 arrests and the seizure of assets, including numerous high-speed boats.
- The US may end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for people from South Sudan and Myanmar, says the ruling by two US federal judges. TPS grants people protection against deportation, with the termination currently affecting about 232 South Sudanese nationals.
Situation in Ethiopia (per 13 August)
- Three young men were reported to be abducted from a public minibus in Abeshige District, Gurage Zone, Central Ethiopia, and then tortured and shot by security forces after being accused of having ties with the Fano militia.
- After the killings, the bodies were dumped in a local area and residents were banned from retrieving or burying them, leaving them exposed for days, according to local sources.
- Severe drought in the Abergelle Yechila district in Central Tigray is endangering crops and livestock, with thousands of animals dead and thousands of hectares producing little or no yield, while water and fodder shortages worsen.
- Farmers report repeated replanting attempts because of ongoing rainfall failure, with disrupted farming in multiple kebeles and livestock being moved to other areas to survive.
- The security forces claim to have repelled an attack on Gilgel Beles town, Benishangul-Gumuz, on early Tuesday morning. The attempted attack was to be carried out by the “Gumuz Force,” which is aligned with Fano forces.
- The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) accused the Ethiopian federal government of carrying out drone strikes in southern Tigray, allegedly hitting Merewa Secondary School, causing casualties and damaging the building.
- Ethiopia’s Ministry of Finance has launched a contingency financing tool in collaboration with the World Bank that can quickly redirect unspent funds and provide rapid liquidity when the government declares a national emergency.
- The tool aims to address urgent disruptions such as fuel shortages, fertilizer supply-chain problems, trade and macroeconomic shocks, and promptly onset climate or health disasters.
Situation in Sudan (per 13 August)
- The Tasis coalition, aligned with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), captured Geisan, Blue Nile, after a reported launch of an offensive from Ethiopian territory and advancement into areas previously held by Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), according to the footage obtained by the Sudan War Monitor.
- More than 20 civilians were killed and others injured as a result of armed clashes in Geisan, while 2,500 people were forcibly displaced, reports the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
- Drone strikes were reported in El Obeid, North Kordofan, on 12 August. About 15,000 families are estimated to have been displaced over the past three weeks due to attacks.
- SAF’s air defences shot down several drones by the RSF attacking Khartoum since Wednesday, with witnesses in western Omdurman describing intense explosions and drones approaching from the west.
- Heavy rains and flash floods in North Darfur destroyed 108 homes and left dozens of families displaced across Kabkabiya and Shangal Tobay towns.
- The RSF-appointed governor of Kordofan, Hamad Mohammad Hamad Khalifa, says he has resigned and defected, announcing his exit during a live interview with Al Arabiya, a Saudi-owned media.
- Khalifa urged Sudanese people to unite against what he called “outlaw militias,” accusing the RSF of driving tribal and ethnic conflict and using the Tasis government as a political cover.
International and regional situation (per 13 August)
- High-level political and security talks between South Sudan and Sudan resumed in Juba after several years, bringing together senior defence and security officials to focus on border security and related cooperation.
- The meetings are held under their Joint Political and Security Mechanism (JPSM), established by the 2012 cooperation agreement, co-chaired by the two countries’ defence ministers.
- Funding for acute malnutrition programmes in parts of Somalia has fallen by more than 80% this year, even though very high levels of severe malnutrition are being found among children in displacement camps, reports Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
- MSF reports that it is admitting far more nutrition cases than last year, while clinics and hospitals are stretched and in need for large scale-up of interventions.
- South Sudan’s embassy in Nairobi has been closed due to unpaid rent arrears, with staff and visitors saying it shut on 11 August, disrupting the consular services.
- Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) introduced new campaign financing rules for the 2027 General Election, setting spending caps of about 6.1 billion KES for presidential candidates and about 24.45 billion KES in total for political parties.
Links of interest
Rwanda confirms talks with EU to potentially host migrant return hubs
Rwanda receives over 170 asylum seekers from Libya
Rwanda receives nearly 180 asylum seekers evacuated from Libya
Mediterranean smuggling network ‘dismantled’ in Spain-led raid, 78 arrested
US courts clear way for deportations of South Sudan, Myanmar nationals
Three Young Men Executed in Gurage Zone Over Alleged Fano Ties
News: Drought returns to devastate Tigray’s Abergelle Yechila
Ethiopia drone strike in north kills three, Tigray sources say
Emergency Stabilization Fund Project for Composting and Economic Crisis, Including Oil
Ta’sis Coalition Overruns Geisan in Fresh Blue Nile Offensive
Sudan: Attacks and further displacement in Blue Nile and North Kordofan
Sudanese army repels RSF drone attacks on Khartoum for second day
Floods destroy homes, displace dozens of families in Sudan’s North Darfur: UN
RSF-appointed Kordofan governor defected, resigns in TV statement
South Sudan, Sudan resume security talks after years-long hiatus
Somalia malnutrition response hit by more than 80% funding drop as child hunger surges, MSF says
South Sudan Embassy in Nairobi Closed Over Four Months of Unpaid Rent
Presidential candidates face Sh6.1 billion campaign spending limit in 2027 general election
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