Situation in Sudan (per 19 May)
- Shelling of the Abu Shouk displacement camp by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed at least 14 people on Sunday. The local emergency response room stated that the shelling hit a market, mosques, and homes near public facilities.
- A full assessment of the damage and deaths in Abu Shouk is not possible due to security concerns.
- The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) took control of the Attrun area in North Darfur, which had been under control of the RSF since 9 April, local authorities said on Sunday. The area is strategically important as it links North Darfur to the Northern State.
- Fighting between SAF and RSF and respective allies has increased, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan. SAF has launched airstrikes on military installations in Nyala, particularly on the international airport.
- RSF is running all of the institutions in Nyala and is detaining or killing anyone who opposes them, according to witnesses.
- RSF drone attacks on Port Sudan also continue, with severe fuel and gas shortages persisting in the city.
- RSF launched consecutive attacks on villages in western White Nile State. RSF is looting consumer goods, livestock, money, phones, and satellite internet devices. At least one person was killed.
- Conflict in Ghadeer, South Kordofan, has displaced an estimated 318 households, and the situation remains tense between SAF and RSF.
- A statement by Sudanese emergency rooms in Khartoum state rejects attempts to draw them into the country’s political and military conflicts. The Khartoum emergency rooms emphasise that they are independent and have no ties to political or military entities.
- They warn against attempts by military and political entities to exploit the emergency rooms through misleading statements.
- Parts of the city of Khartoum, Sudan, have been without electricity for days after drone strikes destroyed three power plants.
- The situation in Port Sudan’s prison is “catastrophic,”a lawyer from the Sudanese Emergency Lawyers states. Among others, the desalination plant has stopped working, and some defendants have been held for up to 18 months without trial.
Situation in South Sudan (per 19 May)
- South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation dismissed reports circulating on social media alleging that President Salva Kiir had passed away. It condemned what it called the deliberate spread of misinformation.
Situation in Ethiopia (per 19 May)
- The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has launched the second phase of registration of polling stations for the 7th round of national election, using a digital system.
- NEBE is using a mapping system to register the location of polling stations based on “distance, geographical location, and accessibility to voters,” it states.
- Four opposition parties issued a statement voicing their concern over the lack of visible preparation for the elections.
- At least seven journalists have been arrested in Ethiopia in the last month, in what the Committee to Project Journalists warns is a tightening of the screws on the media in Ethiopia.
Situation in Somalia (per 19 May)
- At least 13 people were killed and at least 21 injured in a suicide bombing attack at an army recruitment centre in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
- A suicide bomber detonated explosives targeting a queue of young recruits. Although the attack has not been claimed, Mogadishu often faces similar attacks from Al-Shabaab.
- The United States issued a level 4 travel advisory for Somalia, urging all to avoid travel to Somalia due to the escalation in security threats. The travel advisory was issued due to threats of terrorism, armed conflict, kidnapping, and limited consular access as key reasons.
Regional Situation (per 19 May)
- The government of Djibouti has reportedly launched a deportation campaign targeting undocumented migrants and refugees, particularly Yemeni, Somali, and Ethiopian nations, in relation to violations of residency and work permit regulations.
- Hundreds have been arrested in recent raids on informal settlements, with the aim to deport them, local sources warn.
International Situation (per 19 May)
- The Arab League rejected the formation of a parallel government in Sudan on Sunday. The statement follows the Arab League Summit in Baghdad, which ended on Saturday. The Arab League further called for a political solution in Sudan through an elected civilian government.
- The African Union, the Arab League and the United Nations have agreed to unify and coordinate the international response to the war in Sudan and push for a permanent ceasefire, according to a statement following a high-level meeting at the sidelines of the Arab League Summit.
- Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) strongly condemned the suicide bombing attack in Somalia on Sunday.
- The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has raised concern over the unprecedented migration and refugee situation in the Horn of Africa, ahead of its 4th Scientific Conference on Migration, Displacement and Urbanisation.
Links of interest
Sudan War: RSF Shelling Kills 14 in Darfur Displacement Camp
Sudan’s army retakes strategic area in North Darfur from paramilitary RSF
Sudan’s army and RSF militia enter bone-breaking phase in Nyala and Port Sudan
RSF kills one, injures three, loots villages in Sudan’s White Nile
Sudan’s Khartoum emergency rooms reject politicization in conflict
Port Sudan prison conditions ‘catastrophic,’ trials delayed, lawyer says
South Sudan Quashes Salva Kiir ‘Death’ Reports
News: NEBE launches second phase of digital polling station registration for 7th national election
Opposition Parties Ring Alarm Ahead of National Vote
7 journalist arrests in a month as Ethiopia quashes independence of media regulator
At least 13 reported killed in suicide bomb blast in Somalia’s Mogadishu
US Issues Urgent Level 4 Warning For Somalia As Armed Conflict And Kidnapping Threats Surge
Djibouti begins deportation campaign targeting Yemeni, Somali, and Ethiopian migrants
Arab League rejects parallel government in Sudan, urges political solution
AU, Arab League, UN vow coordinated push for Sudan peace
Arab states condemn suicide bombing near military base in Somali capital
IGAD raises alarm over rising migration and urban strain in the Horn of Africa
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