♦ Sudan: This week’s news in brief ♦

13/01/2021 07:13 DABANGA SUDAN

A compact digest of this week’s most-read highlights, from the heart of Sudan.

A compact digest of this week's most-read highlights, from the heart of Sudan. Subscribe to receive this digest weekly in your inbox.

New attacks at the Ethiopian border in eastern Sudan
January 12 – 2021 EL FASHAGA / EL GEDAREF Five women and a child were killed in an attack by Ethiopian gunmen on a village in eastern Sudan’s El Gedaref on Monday. A listener told Radio Dabanga from El Fashaga that Ethiopian militiamen (known as shifta in the region) launched a new attack on El Fashaga El Sughra. He saidd that the Sudanese army repelled the attack.

After incidents on Sunday, in which Sudanese army forces were able to repel an Ethiopian attack, the Ethiopian forces reportedly set up an ambush by stationing snipers with automatic rifles on top of dense trees. The ambush was supposed to target the Sudanese army but killed civilians instead.

There are fears that military confrontations are imminent as Sudanese and Ethiopian army forces move closer to the border areas between El Gedaref and the Ethiopian Amhara region.

New government to be announced this week
January 11 – 2021 KHARTOUM / JUBA Ibrahim El Sheikh, leading member of the Central Council of the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) reported that a new Sudanese government, which will include members of the rebel movements that signed the Juba Peace Agreement, will be announced this week.

Three seats will be added to the Sovereign Council for members of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebel alliance. At this moment, the Sovereign Council consists of five military members and six civilian members. The FFC have nominated persons for 17 portfolios, El Sheikh said. Seven ministries are to be allocated to the rebel alliance: Finance, Federal Governance, Energy and Mining, Education, Social Development, and Urban Development.

“We are very close to the announcement of the new cabinet, as soon as the prime minister returns from his medical check-up in the United Arab Emirates this week,” the party leader stated.

Women protest rape, violence, and sexual harassment in Darfur
January 12 – 2021 KHARTOUM / EL FASHER The Sudanese Women’s Revolution Initiative held a vigil in front of the Ministry of Justice in Khartoum to protest against rape, sexual harassment, and discrimination against women.

FFC: ‘2021 budget will lead to economic collapse’

January 11 – 2021 KHARTOUM In an interview with Radio Dabanga, professor Mohamed Sheikhoun, member of the FFC Economic Committee, accused acting Finance Minister Heba Mohamed of presenting incorrect information about the 2021 education budget.

GERD: Irrigation minister 'deeply concerned'

January 9 – 2021 KHARTOUM Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Yasir Abbas, has expressed “deep concern” over the Ethiopia's intention to proceed with the filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and the absence of bilateral talks last week before a tripartite meeting on Sunday.

SLM-AW denies claim that it will join peace talks

January 9 – 2021 JUBA According to the South Sudanese team preparing peace talks, Abdelwahid El Nur, head of the Sudan Liberation Front (SLM-AW), agreed to join peace talks after years of rejecting a dialogue with Khartoum. The group itself denied the news.
 

Eastern Sudan peace agreement will 'definitely' go ahead

January 8 – 2021 JUBA The Sudanese government will definitely implement the eastern Sudan track protocol. “The text of the eastern Sudan agreement will be adjusted on a number of points in the coming days,” said Sovereign Council member, Lt Gen Shamseldin Kabashi.

At least 17 dead after clashes in White Nile State

January 7 – 2021 EL MOGEINES The clashes that erupted on Sunday between local residents and South Sudanese militiamen in the border area of El Mogeines have now left 17 dead and more than 20 injured. Two more people were killed and another wounded on Wednesday.
 

January 7 – 2021 NEW YORK / EL TINA / NIERTETI The UN Secretary-General has announced the selection of Volker Perthes as Special Envoy of the Secretary General to Sudan and Head of the UN Integrated Transition Support Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS).
 

Corruption in Religious Affairs Ministry exposed

January 6 – 2021 KHARTOUM Minister of Religious Affairs and Endowments Nasreldin Mofareh told a press conference at the office of the High Council for the Haj and Omra (pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia) in Khartoum that the fraudulent practices included “wasting of money paid by pilgrims to the Council”.

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