Paramilitary Group Pushes Into Sudan’s Second Largest City, Displacing Hundreds of Thousands |
Sudanese paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has entered (Reuters) the city of Wad Madani, which has been an aid hub and shelter for displaced people amid the RSF’s war with the Sudanese army. In just four days, at least 250,000 to 300,000 people fled the state of El Gezira where Wad Madani is located, the International Organization for Migration said yesterday. A UN humanitarian official called (WaPo) the situation a “nightmare”; aid officials have said Sudan’s war is one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Roughly half of the population is in need of aid, but it is highly underfunded as global attention has focused on the conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip.
The RSF’s advance into Wad Madani comes after the group took over four of the five capitals in the western Darfur region. The United States, Saudi Arabia, and a group of neighboring African countries have all attempted to negotiate an end to the fighting without success since the conflict broke out in April. |
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“The swift capture of [Wad] Madani by the RSF in Sudan means many woke up today discussing endgames and the realisation that no area of the country might be spared from this war. Terrifying and critical weeks ahead for Sudanese,” the International Crisis Group’s Alan Boswell posts.
“Far greater resources and political will—albeit much of it misdirected—did not solve the previous war [in Darfur in 2003]. This time it is going to be tougher. But there is one promising factor: there are no geostrategic stakes in Darfur. All sides should have an interest in stopping the bloodshed,” Tufts University’s Alex de Waal writes for Foreign Affairs.
The Center for Preventive Action tracks the civil war in Sudan. |
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Earthquake in Northwestern China Kills More Than One Hundred People |
A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck (SCMP) the Chinese province of Gansu last night, causing the deadliest destruction from an earthquake since the Yunnan province quake in 2014.
Japan: Government prosecutors raided the offices (Kyodo) of two factions within Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party as part of a probe into improper use of political funds. Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, who recently replaced four ministers amid the scandal, said at a party meeting today that he would take the “necessary steps to regain public trust.”
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Indian Parliament Suspends Dozens of Opposition Lawmakers |
Senior congressional officials suspended forty-nine lawmakers (BBC) today on grounds that they disrupted proceedings in demanding a response to a recent security breach. The opposition has accused the government of attacking democracy after a record 78 lawmakers were suspended yesterday. Most of the suspensions will be in effect through Friday, though some could extend longer.
Pakistan: The team of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan used an artificial intelligence-generated clone (Reuters, AFP) of his voice to broadcast a speech he had written to followers attending an online rally held by his political party. |
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Middle East and North Africa |
U.S. Announces Ten-Nation Maritime Task Force to Guard Commercial Ships in Red Sea |
The task force will conduct joint patrols (AP) and provide intelligence support in the wake of attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the waterway by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The attacks have damaged ships and prompted some companies to halt their operations until the area is more secure. This article by CFR’s Kali Robinson and Will Merrow looks at Iran’s regional armed network.
Egypt: Election authorities announced that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi won the country’s presidential election with nearly 90 percent of the vote, securing a third term. Sisi’s only serious opponent was blocked (WaPo) from getting on the ballot and was indicted last month on charges that rights groups described as politically motivated, while his family members and campaign staff were arrested or harassed.
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Uganda Court Begins Hearing Challenge to Harsh Anti-LGBTQ+ Law |
The lawsuit against an anti-LGBTQ+ law enacted in May claims (Reuters) that the law violates constitutionally guaranteed rights in Uganda and lacked sufficient public input before being enacted. The law allows the death penalty for some same-sex acts and up to twenty-year prison sentences for “promoting” homosexuality, prompting some international funders to suspend aid to Uganda.
This article by CFR’s Mariel Ferragamo and Kali Robinson explores Africa’s struggle toward inclusive LGBTQ+ laws.
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Pope Francis Allows Catholic Church to Bless Same-Sex Couples |
The first-time endorsement of such blessings in official Catholic policy falls short of allowing same-sex marriage, but represents the most definitive shift (NYT) yet in that direction for the Church. Many other Christian denominations have allowed blessings and marriages of same sex-couples in recent decades.
U.S./Ukraine: After the Pentagon spends its last $1.07 billion of approved funds to buy a new tranche of weapons for Ukraine, its funds for Kyiv will be exhausted (Bloomberg) by December 30, the Pentagon comptroller said in a letter on Friday. Congress remains stalled on approving a $60 billion package of new war aid that was proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden.
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Mexican Poultry Farmers Warn Closure of Texas Rail Crossings to U.S. Will Hurt Trade |
After U.S. officials closed rail crossings in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, over reports of migrant smuggling, Mexican poultry farmers who obtain chicken feed through those routes said the closures would impact global trade and called for (Reuters) the Mexican government to intervene.
Nicaragua: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) ended its humanitarian operations (El País) in Nicaragua at the request of the Daniel Ortega government, the group announced yesterday. The ICRC had been aiding political prisoners in the country through its mission since 2018.
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Texas Signs Law Allowing State to Arrest Undocumented Migrants |
The law inserts state law enforcement agencies (Texas Tribune) into a legal realm that is traditionally the purview of the federal government and prompted pledges of legal challenges from migrant rights groups that said it could handicap protected rights to seek asylum. It would authorize police to arrest people suspected of illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border between ports of entry.
This Backgrounder by Amelia Cheatham, Claire Klobucista, and CFR’s Diana Roy explains how the United States patrols its borders.
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Council on Foreign Relations |
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