UN Says Sudan War Is ‘Spiraling Out of Control’ With One Million Refugees |
After four months, the conflict in Sudan is “spiraling out of control” (Reuters), UN agencies said yesterday in a joint statement. More than one million people have now fled to neighboring countries, while over three million are displaced within Sudan’s borders, according to the International Organization for Migration. While the United Nations has called on parties (UN News) involved in the conflict to end their fighting, repeated efforts by the United States and Saudi Arabia to broker a long-lasting cease-fire have failed.
The United Nations estimates that more than four thousand people have been killed so far during the war, with many victims also facing sexual violence. Humanitarian aid groups have struggled to access parts of the country, while aid workers have been targeted. Many Sudanese who have remained in the country are running out of food and are cut off from access to healthcare. |
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“Diplomacy thus far has been messy: the U.S., Saudi Arabia and others will need to pool their efforts in a more coordinated fashion, and with a greater sense of urgency, than they have mustered to date,” the International Crisis Group writes. “The stakes are too high not to make a concerted new push to halt the conflict at this pivotal moment in Sudan’s war-torn history.”
“Humanitarian actors do not have the power to resolve what are inherently political and military issues. As a result, a long-term emergency response entrenches war economies and warlords at the expense of the broader population, trapping countries in a perpetual cycle of violence and vulnerability,” the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Natasha Hall and the Middle East Institute’s Emma Beals write for Foreign Affairs.
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Seoul Calls Tokyo a Partner Ahead of Trilateral Summit |
South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol said in a speech yesterday that Japan is a partner (Yonhap) that shares universal values and common interests. Yoon has focused on mending ties with Japan, which had deteriorated under the previous administration. He also called for stronger security cooperation with Tokyo and Washington ahead of a trilateral summit on Friday.
During this media briefing, CFR experts Sheila A. Smith and Scott A. Snyder preview Friday’s trilateral summit.
North Korea: For the first time, Pyongyang publicly acknowledged (NYT) today that it is holding a U.S. soldier who crossed the border from South Korea last month, saying he fled due to ill feelings about “inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination” in the U.S. Army, with no immediate mention of his fate in North Korea.
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China, India Pledge to Maintain Peace Along Border |
The joint statement comes after military talks (Bloomberg) between the two nations. The agreement is poised to enable cooperation between their leaders ahead of a summit next week of the BRICS grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. China and India have been stuck in their worst border dispute in four decades following a deadly clash in 2020.
Myanmar: The country will withdraw from its previously planned chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2026, Nikkei reports. Other members of the bloc have refused to allow its military leaders to participate in official meetings following Myanmar’s military coup in 2021.
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Middle East and North Africa |
Clashes in Libya’s Capital Kill at Least Twenty-Seven People |
The violence between rival militias in Tripoli broke out (AP) after a commander of one militia was reportedly detained at the airport by the rival group. Libya has experienced relative calm for the past several months as two opposing political authorities in the country remained locked in a stalemate. The Center for Preventive Action tracks Libya’s civil conflict.
Iran: As part of ongoing informal talks with Iran this year, Washington has asked Tehran to stop supplying armed drones to Moscow, the Financial Times reported.
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Niger’s Capital Prepares Recruitment Drive Amid Invasion Threat |
Some Niamey residents are calling for Nigeriens to sign up to fight (AP) with the junta in the event that a regional West African bloc invades the country in response to last month’s military coup. The bloc’s defense chiefs are meeting this week after announcing the creation of a “standby force” that aims to restore order in Niger. |
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UK Authorities Charge Bulgarians Allegedly Spying for Russia |
Three Bulgarian nationals were charged with knowingly possessing fake identity documents while in the United Kingdom (UK), the BBC reported. They were arrested in February as part of a national security investigation and have been in custody since.
Latvia: The government ordered the military (Reuters) to help guard its border with Belarus yesterday after ninety-six people attempted to cross illegally within twenty-four hours.
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Brazil Experiences Large-Scale Power Outage |
Authorities are investigating the cause of blackouts (MercoPress) that occurred in every Brazilian state but one yesterday. In the country’s largest city, São Paulo, the power cut caused traffic jams and subway stoppages. Power was fully restored after six hours.
Haiti: UN Secretary-General António Guterres said a “robust use of force” by a multinational police and military deployment is needed to respond to Haiti’s security crisis in a report to the UN Security Council that was seen by Reuters yesterday.
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Taiwanese Vice President to Visit San Francisco |
William Lai will stop in San Francisco today on the way back to Taiwan from a trip to Paraguay. He is not due (Reuters) to meet with U.S. officials on the trip. Lai said that any Chinese intimidation in response to his U.S. stopover would be an attempt to interfere in Taiwan’s election next year. This Independent Task Force Report led by CFR expert David Sacks details U.S.-Taiwan relations in a new era. |
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Council on Foreign Relations |
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