Europe External Programme with Africa is a Belgium-based Centre of Expertise with in-depth knowledge, publications, and networks, specialised in issues of peacebuilding, refugee protection, and resilience in the Horn of Africa. EEPA has published extensively on issues related to the movement and/or human trafficking of refugees in the Horn of Africa and on the Central Mediterranean Route. It cooperates with a wide network of universities, research organisations, civil society, and experts from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, and across Africa. The Situation Reports can be found here. To receive the situation report in your e-mail, click here. You can unsubscribe at any moment through the link at the bottom of each e-mail.
Situation in Sudan (per 21 August)
- Armed individuals clashed within the Zalengei hospital in Central Darfur after two different patients were brought in with gunshot wounds on 16 August. A grenade attack left one person dead and five injured.
- Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) decided to suspend its activities at the hospital and evacuate its staff following the attack, citing safety concerns.
- A drone strike by a drone belonging to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) destroyed three World Food Programme (WFP) trucks in Mellit in Sudan’s North Darfur region on Tuesday. SAF has denied the strike.
- SAF and allies state they have repelled a major attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on El Fasher, North Darfur, on Wednesday.
- At least seven people, including two children, were killed in an RSF attack on the village of al-Ghabshan al-Maramrah in North Kordofan on Tuesday.
- SAF is reportedly torturing people to death and operating “execution chambers” in Khartoum.
- SAF chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has reshuffled the military’s top command, forming a new presidency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- Both sides in the Sudan war are recruiting children, according to an investigation by Ayin Network in collaboration with the Sudan Human Rights Hub (SHRH). Some of the recruitment is voluntary, under exploitation of the difficult economic situation, and some of it is forced.
- The ongoing conflict in Sudan has worsened with the cholera outbreak affecting over 100,000 people and causing nearly 2,500 deaths, exacerbated by a lack of clean water and medical care, particularly in displaced persons camps in regions like Darfur.
Situation in Ethiopia (per 21 August)
- Shire is a hub for smuggled gold. Cheaper gold is smuggled in from Eritrea, Sudan and other places such as DRC, and mixed in with high quality gold to be sold at a higher price, states The Reporter Ethiopia.
- Large parts of the trade come from Eritrean military officers, and the business is conflated with human trafficking. “It is all run by Eritrean and Tigray convoys, on both sides, […] The Eritrean and Tigrayan generals are partners, and each have their own network of smuggling routes.” stated a source.
- A seven-year-old boy was killed after being kidnapped for ransom. His body was found in the Enda Krecherat’ locality of Endabaguna, Shire area of the Tigray region.
- The boy’s mother paid 600.000 Ethiopian birr, whereas the kidnappers were demanding 2 million. The kidnappers sent her videos threatening to kill the boy with a knife.
- Three bank employees of the Cooperative Bank of Oromia were killed in an attack by unidentified armed men in the Sululta woreda, Oromia region, while transporting cash. 11 security forces were killed as well.
- An Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) worker was killed on 15 August after having been kidnapped on 14 August. He was serving in the North Gondar Zone, in the Amhara region. Two of his colleagues survived.
- Yonas Amare, a senior editor at the Ethiopian Reporter and The Reporter, has been missing since his abduction by masked individuals in military uniforms on 13 August, in Addis Ababa, with no information on his whereabouts.
- This detention comes on top of the earlier detentions of journalist Khadar Mohamed Ismael, and radio host Abdulsemed Mohammed.
- Army 15, stationed in the Adigrat area of Tigray and led by General Gu’ush Gebre (Fenqel), issued a statement critical of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The Army 15 leaders are said to have criticised the relation between TPLF and the PFDJ in Eritrea.
- A Tigray Defense Force (TDF) unit reportedly opened fire at people protesting in southern Tigray, which triggered large rallies in several towns.
- Tigray opposition party Salsay Weyane Tigray (SaWeT) states it has withdrawn from the Interim Advisory Council of Tigray. The party accused the Council of being inactive.
International Situation (per 21 August)
- Amnesty International urges the Ethiopian government to abandon proposed amendments to the Civil Society Organisation (CSO) law, which would significantly restrict civic space.
- The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that it is preparing to deliver humanitarian supplies to combat the cholera outbreak in South Sudan.
- Peaceful protests were held in front of the Eritrean embassy in London, UK, to demand the release of seven pastors who have been imprisoned in Eritrea for 21 years.
- A coalition of organisations is calling for the extension of the mandate of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) for the Sudan ahead of the UN Human Rights Council’s 60th session.
Refugee and Migration Situation (per 21 August)
- Soldiers of two units of Haftar’s forces in Libya, from the al Saiqa unit and the 155th brigade, are being trained in Sardinia, Italy, to stop migration. The 155th brigade is tasked with controlling the Libyan area at the borders with Egypt, Chad and Sudan.
- Yemeni authorities state they have broken up two migrant smuggling networks from the Horn of Africa, linking one ring to a Houthi commander and the other to the head of an Ethiopian community in al-Mahra. The networks are accused of trafficking and extorting the refugees and migrants.
- The strict regulations imposed by Italy’s right-wing government on private sea rescue organisations are causing more migrants and refugees to die at sea, as there are too few boats to facilitate surveillance and rescue, critics state.
- At least 35 or 40 migrants have died in the Sahara desert since the start of the year, states Alarmphone Sahara. Many more deaths have likely gone undetected.
Links of interest
Central Darfur: MSF suspends activities at Zalingei hospital after attack
Drone strike destroys U.N. food aid trucks in Sudan’s North Darfur
Sudan army, allies say they repelled major RSF attack on El Fasher
7 killed as RSF fighters ambush village in Sudan
Sudan army torturing people to death, says rights group
Sudan’s army chief reshuffles top command in first major change since war began
Child soldiers: widespread participation in Sudan’s war
Sudan: non basta la guerra ora arriva anche il colera
Changing Tide: Shire Emerges as Hub for Gold Smuggled from Eritrea, Sudan
Kidnapped 7 Years Old Boy Killed After Mother Pays 600,000 Birr Ransom
News: Armed attack by ‘unidentified’ assailants near Addis Abeba leaves three bank employees, 11 security forces dead
News: Latest killing of humanitarian worker in Amhara region draws ERCS condemnation, renewed plea for safety
Ethiopian Reporter’s Yonas Amare Abducted by Masked Men
Ethiopian journalist abducted by masked men; 2 others detained
Army 15 Opposes TPLF, Calls Peaceful Resolution to Contested Areas
News: Salsay Weyane Tigray withdraws from interim advisory council over mandate failures
Ethiopia: Authorities must drop proposed changes to the CSO law, halt restrictions on civic space
Israel to deliver humanitarian aid to South Sudan
Protests held in London demanding release of Eritrean pastors imprisoned for 21 years
Sudan: Extend the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission for two more years
What we know about Libyan soldiers trained in Italian bases
Yemen Breaks Up Migrant Smuggling Rings, One Tied to Houthi Commander
Mediterranean Sea: ‘No one left to check whether boats are sinking’
At least 35 migrants have died in Niger desert since January – NGO
Disclaimer: All information in this Situation Report is presented as a fluid update report, as to the best knowledge and understanding of the authors at the moment of publication. EEPA does not claim that the information is correct but verifies to the best of ability within the circumstances. Publication is weighed on the basis of interest to understand potential impacts of events (or perceptions of these) on the situation. Check all information against updates and other media. EEPA does not take responsibility for the use of the information or impact thereof. All information reported originates from third parties and the content of all reported and linked information remains the sole responsibility of these third parties. Report to info@eepa.be any additional information and corrections.