Clashes Between Rival Sudanese Security Forces Kill Dozens of Civilians
Fighting between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continued in the country’s capital (Reuters) of Khartoum today despite international calls for a ceasefire. The clashes have killed at least ninety-seven civilians since they broke out on Saturday, according to the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors, an activist group. Hundreds more have been injured. The army and RSF had previously been in talks (CNN) to merge their forces as part of a transition toward restoring a civilian-led government in the wake of the country’s 2021 coup.
Meanwhile, the UN World Food Program has suspended its operations in Sudan after three of its workers were killed in clashes over the weekend. The World Health Organization has struggled to reach people in need, as several hospitals in Khartoum face medical shortages.
“Reportedly, the sticking points center on the timeline for integrating the RSF into the military and the overall substance of security sector reform—a critical set of issues in Sudan, where the economy cannot begin to serve the interests of the whole population while various security elites maintain exclusive access to lucrative sectors,” CFR’s Michelle Gavin writes for the Africa in Transition blog.
Pacific Rim
In Japan, G7 Ministers Commit to New Targets for Solar and Wind Capacity
Ministers from Group of Seven (G7) countries pledged to increase offshore wind capacity (Reuters) by 150 gigawatts and solar capacity by more than 1 terawatt by 2030, but they stopped short of establishing the same deadline for phasing out coal.
China/Russia: China’s defense minister began a four-day trip (CNN) to Moscow over the weekend, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss bilateral military cooperation. The trip comes as Western countries have urged China to pressure Russia to put an end to the war in Ukraine.
South and Central Asia
India and Russia to Consider Free Trade Deal
Ministers from both countries said they are discussing a free trade agreement (Reuters) to help bolster bilateral commercial ties. Russia became India’s top supplier of crude oil last month, and Moscow has sought to increase industrial imports from New Delhi.
Myanmar: The ruling military regime said it released (Bloomberg) more than three thousand prisoners to mark the traditional New Year holiday, one week after it was criticized for an air strike that killed over one hundred civilians.
Iran Issues Sentences for 2020 Downing of Passenger Plane
A court sentenced (CNN) as many as ten Iranian military personnel yesterday for the 2020 downing of Ukrainian Airlines Flight 752 that killed all 176 people on board, an Iranian state-backed news agency reported. The families of victims criticized the ruling for allowing senior officials they viewed as responsible for the shooting to go unpunished.
Iran: Authorities sent warning messages (WaPo) to businesses and car owners as part of an enforcement campaign to catch women who violate the country’s dress code by not wearing headscarves.
Senegalese Opposition Groups Form Coalition to Oppose President’s Third Term
More than one hundred political and civil society groups signed a pledge (AFP) to oppose a possible third term for President Macky Sall ahead of elections next year.
Europe
Russia Sentences Ukraine War Critic to Twenty-Five Years in Prison
Opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza, who holds Russian and British citizenship, received the longest jail sentence (Guardian) given to a government critic for opposing the war in Ukraine.
Hungary/Poland: The European Union (EU) called Polish and Hungarian bans (NYT) on Ukrainian grain imports “unacceptable” for their unilateral nature. Farmers in the two EU countries have said that they have lost income as a result of an excess of Ukrainian grain.
Americas
Russian Foreign Minister Kicks Off Latin America Tour in Brazil
Sergey Lavrov arrives in Brazil today (MercoPress) before traveling on to Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba. He is expected to discuss the war in Ukraine with Brazilian officials. On Sunday, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the decision to start the war was “made by two countries” (Reuters).
Brazil/UAE: During a meeting with Brazilian delegates in Abu Dhabi yesterday, Emirati officials signed a pledge (Agência Brasil) to invest about $2.45 billion in northern Brazil, Brazilian state media reported. The agreement includes a commitment to build a green energy plant.
