Situation Report: RSF and SAF fighting over control of Babanusa in West Kordofan, Kidnapping for ransom in Oromia, IDPs protest in Mekelle

Three days of severe fighting has been reported from Babanusa in West Kordofan, where Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a military offence against Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) in order to capture their headquarters; An increasing number of people are kidnapped for ransom in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Victims are tortured until family members pay the ransoms; Internally displaced persons in Tigray held a peaceful protest in Mekelle yesterday calling for withdrawal of foreign forces from Tigray so as to be able to safely return to their home; and more.

News Highlights: Eritreans deported from Ethiopia, UK Court deems Rwanda deportations unlawful, New patrol boats to Libya

In this week’s News Highlights: Violence against civilians and refugees; Public facilities attacked and aid restricted in Sudan; Two-day Eid ceasefire broken; Women and civil society urge for cessation of violence in Sudan; RSF releases 125 SAF soldiers; Displacements due to conflict and food insecurities in Sudan; Troika condemns violence in Sudan; Kenyan President Ruto say there are ‘signs of genocide’ in Sudan; UNSC talks about Sudan; Eritreans face forced return from Ethiopia; Tigray church calls for resume of food aid to Tigray as hunger related death toll rises; Study finds children in primary school experience high levels of trauma; Facilities in Oromia looted and destroyed; Tigrayans disappeared during war still missing; Officials removed in Puntland, Somalia; EU delivers patrol boats to Libya coast guard despite its links with militia groups; NGO vessel rescues 86 people off Libyan coast; Dozens missing and 3 dead off Tunisian coast; Frontex contacts Libyan coast guard for SaR operations; Tunisian model should be extended in other countries, says EU chief; Hungary and Poland block conclusions on migration at EU Summit; ECtHR rules in favour of 67 ill-treated migrants and refugees; Walid case continues in the Netherlands; Rwanda deportation plan deemed unlawful; UK says cost of transferring to Rwanda is in the hundreds of thousands; Greece to continue “strict but fair” migration policy after elections; Greek police and Spanish NGO rescue more than 300 migrants and refugees; Save the Children’s proposal for the protection of unaccompanied minors in Italy; Spain and Morocco under investigation for delayed rescue; and Amnesty accuses Spain and Morocco of Melilla cover-up.