cfc complex coverage review, 20 august 2013

7/27/2019 CFC Complex Coverage Review, 20 August 2013

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Complex Coverage ReviewC I V I L - M I L I T A R Y F U S I O N C E N T R E

20 August 2013

gypt 1

aq 2

ebanon 4

ibya 5

Mali 5

omalia 6

udan & South Sudan 6

yria 8

unisia 9

ED & Demining 9

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Egypt Robin [email protected] violence continues to escalate following the militarys ouster of Morsi on 03 July, reportsNational Public Radio (NPR). The 14 August crackdown by Egyptian security forces left more than650deadin what was described as the bloodiest dayof internal fighting in the countrys modern historyTo date, nearly 1,000 people have died as result of the violence, according to The New York TimesWhile Cairo bore the most extreme violence, the unrest has reached cities and towns up and down theNile River. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, who was serving as vice president in theinterim government,resignedin protest over the heavy-handed approach which includes a dawn-todusk curfew in effect until mid-September, according to National Post. UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoonexpressed alarmat the escalation of violence in Egypt. Ban urged an end to violent protests andcalled the governments response in putting them down an excessive use of force in a statemenissued on August 17 by his spokesman.

According to the Interior Ministry, over 1,000 Muslim Brotherhood elements have been arrestedfollowing the 16 August riots when Muslim Brotherhood supporters numbering in the tens of thousandsclashed witharmed vigilantesin the fiercest street battle to engulf the capital since the countrys ArabSpring uprising, reportsABC News. On Saturday, 17 August, security forces raided the Fattah Mosquein Cairo wherein an estimated 1,000 Morsi supporters had barricaded themselves. Those arrestedinclude a Syrian, a man from Turkey and three Irish men. Egyptian security forces reported that over385 suspectswere arrested during the raid, according toAswat Masriya.

This document provides complex coverage of developments in regions of interest from 06 19 August

2013, with hyper-links to source material highlighted in blue and underlined in the text. Formore information on the topics below or other issues pertaining to the region, please contact the members

of the CFC, or visit our website at www.cimicweb.org.
http://www.citizennews.co.ke/news/2012/international/item/12985-egypt-crisis-death-toll-rises-to-650mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/08/18/212636039/whats-next-for-egypt-3-scenarios?ft=1&f=1004http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/08/18/212636039/whats-next-for-egypt-3-scenarios?ft=1&f=1004http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/08/18/212636039/whats-next-for-egypt-3-scenarios?ft=1&f=1004http://www.citizennews.co.ke/news/2012/international/item/12985-egypt-crisis-death-toll-rises-to-650http://www.citizennews.co.ke/news/2012/international/item/12985-egypt-crisis-death-toll-rises-to-650http://www.citizennews.co.ke/news/2012/international/item/12985-egypt-crisis-death-toll-rises-to-650http://www.citizennews.co.ke/news/2012/international/item/12985-egypt-crisis-death-toll-rises-to-650http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/08/18/212636039/whats-next-for-egypt-3-scenarios?ft=1&f=1004http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/08/18/212636039/whats-next-for-egypt-3-scenarios?ft=1&f=1004http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/08/18/212636039/whats-next-for-egypt-3-scenarios?ft=1&f=1004http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/world/middleeast/pressure-by-us-failed-to-sway-egypts-leaders.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/world/middleeast/pressure-by-us-failed-to-sway-egypts-leaders.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/08/14/begyptian-security-forces-sweep-morsi-supporter-camps-in-bloody-battle-amid-gunfire-tear-gas/http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/08/14/begyptian-security-forces-sweep-morsi-supporter-camps-in-bloody-battle-amid-gunfire-tear-gas/http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/08/14/begyptian-security-forces-sweep-morsi-supporter-camps-in-bloody-battle-amid-gunfire-tear-gas/http://www.rferl.org/content/egypt-unrest-un-excessive-use-of-force/25078652.htmlhttp://www.rferl.org/content/egypt-unrest-un-excessive-use-of-force/25078652.htmlhttp://www.rferl.org/content/egypt-unrest-un-excessive-use-of-force/25078652.htmlhttp://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Report-Egyptian-military-Morsi-supporters-in-tense-mosque-standoff-323357http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Report-Egyptian-military-Morsi-supporters-in-tense-mosque-standoff-323357http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/key-events-egypts-uprising-unrest-19989040http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/key-events-egypts-uprising-unrest-19989040http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/key-events-egypts-uprising-unrest-19989040http://allafrica.com/stories/201308180107.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308180107.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308180107.htmlhttp://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/key-events-egypts-uprising-unrest-19989040http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Report-Egyptian-military-Morsi-supporters-in-tense-mosque-standoff-323357http://www.rferl.org/content/egypt-unrest-un-excessive-use-of-force/25078652.htmlhttp://news.nationalpost.com/2013/08/14/begyptian-security-forces-sweep-morsi-supporter-camps-in-bloody-battle-amid-gunfire-tear-gas/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/world/middleeast/pressure-by-us-failed-to-sway-egypts-leaders.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/08/18/212636039/whats-next-for-egypt-3-scenarios?ft=1&f=1004http://www.citizennews.co.ke/news/2012/international/item/12985-egypt-crisis-death-toll-rises-to-650http://www.citizennews.co.ke/news/2012/international/item/12985-egypt-crisis-death-toll-rises-to-650http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/08/18/212636039/whats-next-for-egypt-3-scenarios?ft=1&f=1004mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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The state news agency reports that 250 Brotherhood followers faced possible charges of murder, attempted murder, and terrorism. TheAssociated Press reports that Islamists torched a Franciscan school and thenparaded three nunson the streets like prisoners of warbefore a Muslim woman offered them refuge on 17 August. Two other women from the school were allegedly sexually abused as theythe women pushed through a mob. Islamists have looted and torched 40 churches and attacked 23 others in the four days since securityforces cleared two sit-in camps occupiedby supporters of Egypts ousted president, .

On 19 August, 25 soldiers were killed in a Sinai ambush. According to state-run Nile TV, suspected militants armed with rocketpropelled grenades attacked two buses carrying security forces and killed the soldiers in the city of Rafah, on the border betweenEgypt and Gaza, reports CNN. The Muslim Brotherhood condemned the attack on Egyptian soldiers in Sinai stating, [o]ur peacefuprotests (are) stronger than any weapon, and we dont accept any violence, said Murad Mohamad Ali, media adviser to theBrotherhoods Freedom and Justice Party. Signaling a return to a semblance of normalcy,banks reopenedon August 19 for the firstime since the August 14 bloodshed, and the stock exchange will also resume business, with trading cut to three hours from fourbecause of the instability.

Former president Hosni Mubarakwas acquittedof corruption charges for embezzling funds for presidential palaces, according to AJazeera. Mubarak still faces charges for accepting gifts from state newspapers but he has already paid back the value of the gifts. Theacquittal could stir more political tension within the embroiled country. Mubarak is being held at Tora prison on the southern outskirtsof Cairo, the same facility where leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood are being held after their arrests following the ouster ofMubaraks successor, Mohamed Morsi. Egyptian authorities insisted on 17 August that non -violent members of ousted presidenMohamed Morsis Muslim Brotherhood movement could take part in the countrys transition. Banned for decade s, the MuslimBrotherhood only came topower after the 2011 uprising that overthrew former President Mubarak, reports Agence France-Presse(AFP).

Many Egyptians who were highly critical of the military during Mubaraks long tenure have supported the military takeoverreportedly seeing it as preferable to rule by the Muslim Brotherhood, reports NPR. Mahmoud Badr, activist and co-founder of theTamarud-Rebel movement, whose online campaign encouraged millions of Egyptians to take to the streets in protest demanding theoverthrow of President Morsi, says that what Egypt is passing through now is the price, a high price, of getting rid of the

Brotherhoods fascist group before it takes over everything and ousts us all, reports Reuters.

Internationally, the Egyptian government is seeking support from the Republic ofSouth Sudanto reclaim membership in the AfricanUnion (AU). Egypts membership was suspended on 05 July following the ouster of its first elected president by the military, reportsthe Sudan Tribune. Up until 05 July, the AU had never applied its policies on military coups against a member of the AU's big fivecountries: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Nigeria and South Africa, each of which contributes fifteen per cent of the African portion of theAUs budget. Also, Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy visited Sudan on 19 August on his first trip abroad, afterhundreds diedin clashesbetween Egyptian Islamists and security forces. Yes there is a crisis but we are on the right path and I believe in the future, he said

after talks with his Sudanese counterpart, Ali Karti. TheNational Congress Party(NCP) in Sudan has said that it will not be a part o

the struggle ongoing in Egypt and that it will not take any side in the conflict, referring to the conflict as an internal matter.

On 16 August, King Abdullah ofSaudi Arabiavoiced his support for the military leadership of Egypt and spoke of fighting againstterrorism, a reference to the Muslim Brotherhood, according to Christian Science Monitor (CSM). The Kingdom pledged USD 5billion in aid to Egypt after the ousting of President Mohamed Morsi. A more measured response came from the European Union(EU), which said it intends to review its relationship with Egypt. In a statement, European Council President Herman Van Romuy andEuropean Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso called on all sides in Egypt to refrain from violence and to show restraint.According to the statement, the EU will urgently review its relations with Egypt within the next few days and will adopt measuresaimed at preventing further violence. Turkeys prime minister lashed outon 17 August at the international response to the crisis inEgypt, saying organisations including the UN and EU should be ashamed of their inaction, reports AFP. Turkey recalled itsambassador to Cairo over the violent crackdown on 14 August Egypt. Daily pro-Morsi demonstrations have since taken place inTurkey; the two countries have also cancelled joint naval exercises planned for October.

Meanwhile the US Air Force awarded a contract to General Electric toupgrade the Egyptianair forces fighter jets, reports PoliticoPresident Obama delayed F-16 deliveries to Egypt last month and canceled joint military exercises with the country last weekAccording to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, the US is reviewing all aspects of our relationship. Amid the unrest, the Pentagon

appears to be moving forward with business deals as demonstrated by a previous statement made on 15 August statement in whichHagel states [t]he Department of Defense will continue to maintain a military relationship with Egypt. Middle East scholar Robin

Wright of the Woodrow Wilson Center and the US Institute of Peace stated, Egypt has already returned tomilitary rule,reportsNPR

The question is will they dig in. The military is thumbing its nose at the US, its most important ally. It seems hell-bent on pursuing itsown agenda.
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-08-17/world/41420830_1_christians-muslim-majority-egypt-islamistshttp://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-08-17/world/41420830_1_christians-muslim-majority-egypt-islamistshttp://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-08-17/world/41420830_1_christians-muslim-majority-egypt-islamistshttp://www.cnn.com/2013/08/19/world/meast/egypt-protests/index.html?hpt=hp_t2http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/19/world/meast/egypt-protests/index.html?hpt=hp_t2http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/19/world/meast/egypt-protests/index.html?hpt=hp_t2http://www.voanews.com/content/egyptian-banks-reopen-after-strikes-unrest-116559043/135290.htmlhttp://www.voanews.com/content/egyptian-banks-reopen-after-strikes-unrest-116559043/135290.htmlhttp://www.voanews.com/content/egyptian-banks-reopen-after-strikes-unrest-116559043/135290.htmlhttp://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/08/2013819122749582224.htmlhttp://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/08/2013819122749582224.htmlhttp://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/08/2013819122749582224.htmlhttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Muslim-Brotherhood-welcome-to-join-transition-Egypt-says/articleshow/21887158.cmshttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Muslim-Brotherhood-welcome-to-join-transition-Egypt-says/articleshow/21887158.cmshttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Muslim-Brotherhood-welcome-to-join-transition-Egypt-says/articleshow/21887158.cmshttp://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/08/18/212636039/whats-next-for-egypt-3-scenarios?ft=1&f=1004http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/08/18/212636039/whats-next-for-egypt-3-scenarios?ft=1&f=1004http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0817/Why-Mahmoud-Badr-is-pro-Army-anti-Muslim-Brotherhoodhttp://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0817/Why-Mahmoud-Badr-is-pro-Army-anti-Muslim-Brotherhoodhttp://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0817/Why-Mahmoud-Badr-is-pro-Army-anti-Muslim-Brotherhoodhttp://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article47681http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article47681http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article47681http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Aug-19/227872-egypt-on-right-path-fm-says-in-sudan.ashx#axzz2cN8TFnh9http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Aug-19/227872-egypt-on-right-path-fm-says-in-sudan.ashx#axzz2cN8TFnh9http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Aug-19/227872-egypt-on-right-path-fm-says-in-sudan.ashx#axzz2cN8TFnh9http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Aug-19/227872-egypt-on-right-path-fm-says-in-sudan.ashx#axzz2cN8TFnh9http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Aug-19/227872-egypt-on-right-path-fm-says-in-sudan.ashx#axzz2cN8TFnh9http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Aug-19/227872-egypt-on-right-path-fm-says-in-sudan.ashx#axzz2cN8TFnh9http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0817/Saudi-King-Abdullah-states-support-for-Egypt-s-militaryhttp://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0817/Saudi-King-Abdullah-states-support-for-Egypt-s-militaryhttp://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0817/Saudi-King-Abdullah-states-support-for-Egypt-s-militaryhttp://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/21/us-egypt-protests-eu-idUSBRE97K0WE20130821http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/21/us-egypt-protests-eu-idUSBRE97K0WE20130821http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/21/us-egypt-protests-eu-idUSBRE97K0WE20130821http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/21/us-egypt-protests-eu-idUSBRE97K0WE20130821http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/turkey-pm-condemns/780860.htmlhttp://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/turkey-pm-condemns/780860.htmlhttp://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/turkey-pm-condemns/780860.htmlhttp://www.politico.com/story/2013/08/united-states-egypt-military-relationship-95684.html?hp=t1http://www.politico.com/story/2013/08/united-states-egypt-military-relationship-95684.html?hp=t1http://www.politico.com/story/2013/08/united-states-egypt-military-relationship-95684.html?hp=t1http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/08/18/212636039/whats-next-for-egypt-3-scenarios?ft=1&f=1004http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/08/18/212636039/whats-next-for-egypt-3-scenarios?ft=1&f=1004http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/08/18/212636039/whats-next-for-egypt-3-scenarios?ft=1&f=1004http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/08/18/212636039/whats-next-for-egypt-3-scenarios?ft=1&f=1004http://www.politico.com/story/2013/08/united-states-egypt-military-relationship-95684.html?hp=t1http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/turkey-pm-condemns/780860.htmlhttp://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/21/us-egypt-protests-eu-idUSBRE97K0WE20130821http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/21/us-egypt-protests-eu-idUSBRE97K0WE20130821http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0817/Saudi-King-Abdullah-states-support-for-Egypt-s-militaryhttp://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Aug-19/227872-egypt-on-right-path-fm-says-in-sudan.ashx#axzz2cN8TFnh9http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Aug-19/227872-egypt-on-right-path-fm-says-in-sudan.ashx#axzz2cN8TFnh9http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article47681http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0817/Why-Mahmoud-Badr-is-pro-Army-anti-Muslim-Brotherhoodhttp://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/08/18/212636039/whats-next-for-egypt-3-scenarios?ft=1&f=1004http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Muslim-Brotherhood-welcome-to-join-transition-Egypt-says/articleshow/21887158.cmshttp://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/08/2013819122749582224.htmlhttp://www.voanews.com/content/egyptian-banks-reopen-after-strikes-unrest-116559043/135290.htmlhttp://www.cnn.com/2013/08/19/world/meast/egypt-protests/index.html?hpt=hp_t2http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-08-17/world/41420830_1_christians-muslim-majority-egypt-islamists


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Iraq Linda [email protected] Union Foreign Affairs Chief Catherine Ashton called upon Iraqs political, religious and community leaders to step upefforts to quellgrowing sectarian attacks, claiming that the attacks carried out by al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) were meant to destabilise thecountry, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). More than800 peoplewere killed during the fasting month of Ramadan in thedeadliest levels of violence since 2008, reports AFP.Many Iraqis hold the Shiite-led government of Prime Minister Nouri al Malikresponsible for failing to head off terrorist attacks. On 18 August, Maliki commented that weapons and fighters flowing into Syria arenow making their wayinto Iraq, noting the rising levels of violence sweeping the country, reportsAssociated Press (AP).Iraqs borderpatrols frequently clash with militants and smugglers along the Iraqi-Syrian border. Maliki said, The weapons provided to [Syrianopposition fighters] have been smuggled to Iraq and those wolves that came from different countries to Syria are now sneaking intoIraq. Recently, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari discussed ways to stop Iraqi airspacefrom being used toferry weaponsand illicit cargo from Iran to Syria, according toAP.

Kurdish Regional Government President Massoud Barzani threatened to interveneon behalf of Syrian Kurds caught in the Syrianconflict, reports Voice of America (VOA). Barzani pledged Iraqi Kurdistan capabilities in its mission to protect Kurds. A recenannouncement by Islamists that God supported thekilling of Kurdsin Syria has motivated many Iraqi Kurds to prepare to take uparms to defend kin, reportsInter Press Service (IPS).

In other security developments, the Kurdish mayor of the disputed Kirkuk province is digging a security trench, 53 kilometres to thesouth and west of Kirkuk city in efforts to address rising tensions among the province s Kurdish and Arab populations, reportsAFPArab leaders see the measure as a land grab by Kurds in the long disputed oil-rich territory. Arabs worry that the trench will serve asa barrier between the city and the southern and western parts of Kirkuk province its main Arab-majority areas. They expressedconcerns the move is aimed at isolating Kirkuk to make it ready to be added to the Kurdistan region. Reuters reports that Kurdishleadership and the central government in Baghdad are consideringjoint security operationsand sharing intelligence in order to combattheir mutual enemy, AQI. Holding large swathes of land on both sides of the infamous disputed territories, Islamic State of Iraq andthe Levant (ISIS), a recent AQI affiliate, has continued to launch attacks on both Kurds and Shiites in its goal of establishing a stricSunni Islamic state.

Numerous violent incidents were reported throughout the country during the previous two weeks:

06-Aug-13: Six car bombs targeting various Baghdad neighbourhoods left over forty civilians dead and another 100wounded, according toBBC. Many of the victims were out shopping to prepare for Eid al-Fitr celebrations.

07-Aug-13:APreports that a roadside bombin Mosul struck a police patrol, killing three police officers. Another bomb inMosul missed a police convoy but killed one civilian. A car bomb later exploded in Musayyib, killing two people.

08-Aug-13: Gunmen stormed the home of apolice officerin Tikrit, killing the officer, his wife and three children, reports APMoments later, a car bomb located outside the home detonated, killing an additional eight people.

10-Aug-13: The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), an al Qaeda front group, carried out aseries of bombingsas Iraqfamilies celebrated Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, according to Reuters. Delivering a quick message, ISIL carried ouattacks at markets and parks in Baghdad as well as Shiite majority southern Iraqi provinces , killing over 80 people.

11-Aug-13: In north-eastern Baghdad, gunmen attacked acheckpoint killingtwo security officers and wounding three othersreportsAl Jazeera.

12-Aug-13: In the town of Muqdadiya, a roadside bombnear a school killed two and wounded eleven others, according toReuters. In the Shiite majority town of Balad, a suicide bomber targeted a busy caf resulting in the deaths of thirteencivilians, according toAP.

13-Aug-13:A bomb near a Shiite mosque killed four people in Madain , while two policemen were killed as they attemptedto diffuse a car bomb near the northern city of Kirkuk, reportsRFE/RL. 14-Aug-13: A bomb hidden inside acoffee shopin Mafraq killed nine people, while a roadside bomb in central Baquba killed

four people and wounded ten others, reports CNN.

15-Aug-13: More than thirty people were killed in Baghdad after a series of car bombsdetonated throughout the city, reportsReuters.

16-Aug-13: A key oil pipeline linking Kirkuk with the Turkish port of Ceyhan was sabotaged near the town of Shuradisrupting oil exports, reportsAP.

17-Aug-13: At least four people were killed after the bombing ofthe Basra port, reportsFrance 24.
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protected]


4/10

420 August 2013

18-Aug-13: Two bombs detonated in predominately Sunni neighbourhoods of Baghdad, resulted in four deaths whilewounding seventeen others, reportsAP.

19-Aug-13: In Mosul, a series of attacks by gunmen left six dead, according to AFP. Baghdad carried out seventeenexecutions; most were convicted of crimes related to terrorism. An Egyptian national and two women were among thoseexecuted.

The UN reports a surge in numbers of Syrian refugees travelling to Iraq via a recently completed pontoon bridgeover the Tigris Riverinto the Iraqi province of Dohuk, reports The Guardian. According to UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), many of thenew arrivals travelled from Aleppo, Efrin, Hassake and Qamishly intending to reside with relatives currently in northern Iraq. Alreadymore than 30,000Syrian Kurdshave entered the semi-autonomous Kurdish region, reports AFP. Voice of America(VOA) reports thaapproximately 6,000 Syrian Kurds have crossed intoKurdistan seeking shelter. Meanwhile Kurdish leadership from Iraq and Syria areinvestigating unconfirmed reports of massacres carried out by jihadist group Jahbat al Nusra against Syrian Kurds.

Lebanon Linda [email protected] leader Hasan Nasrallah told followers he was prepared to travel to Syria to fight extremist Sunni Muslims whom he blamedfor the deadliest Beirut bombing in eight years. The blast occurred in a Hezbollah stronghold on 15 August, according to TheWashington Post. Analysts fear that the car bomb that killed at least 21 people could herald a new dark era of sectarian violence

targeting Lebanese civilians. Just two days after the bombing, Lebanese authorities seized a car rigged with 250 kilograms oexplosives just south of Beirut in Naameh, reports The Daily Star.

In addition to cross-border attacks and bombings, the Syrian conflict has also led to a spate ofpolitically motivated kidnappingsreports Time. Two Turkish Airlines pilots were kidnapped from theBeirut airporton 09 August, reports CNN. The militant Shiitegroup Zouar Imam Rezaclaimed responsibilityfor the abduction of the Turkish Airlines captain and co-pilot and offered their releasein exchange for nine Lebanese Shiite Muslims captured near the Turkish-Syrian border in 2012, reports al Arabiya. In response to thekidnappings, Turkish officials cautioned its citizens toleave Lebanonand to avoid all travel to Lebanon, according toAl Jazeera. On10 August, Lebanon vowed to protect Turkish nationals as it stepped up efforts to ensure the safety of tourists in the countryaccording to The Daily Star. Meanwhile, relatives of nine kidnapped Lebanese men who have beenheld hostageby Syrian rebels forthe past year threatened to kidnap any Turkish nationals found in Beirut, reports McClatchy.

Turkish officials announced on 06 August that Turkey would withdraw approximately 250 people from its engineering constructionforce currently supporting the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL), according toAl Jazeera.


06-Aug-13: In Tripoli, the Lebanese Armyfired tear gasto disperse angry supports of a Salafist preacher who was sentencedto fifteen years of hard labour over his involvement in a 2008 attack on the Lebanese military, reports The Daily Star.

07-Aug-13: South of Beirut, a stun-grenade detonated near the Naameh tunnel and was followed byheavy gunfire, reportsThe Daily Star. The area is controlled by the heavily armed pro-Syrian regime Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC1) which has a system of underground tunnels in the town of Naameh. Reuters reports thatfourIsraeli soldierswere injured near the Lebanese border. Also, in Beirut, rival clansclashed in the Lailaki suburb, killing oneperson and wounding eight others, according to The Daily Star. It was the second violent incident between the families inrecent weeks.

08-Aug-13: Ten kidnappedArsal residentswere moved to Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley by members of the Moqdad clan,reports The Daily Star. The captors reported the hostages were in good condition and urged hostage family members to pushtheir community for the release of Youssef Moqdad who was abducted earlier in the month. In an unrelated incident, twomen kidnapped on 15 July were freed after their ransoms were paid. Also, one person was killed and two others werewoundedduring gunfirewith a Lebanese military patrol in the Bekaa Valley, reports The Daily Star.

09-Aug-13: Two Palestinians, one of whom carried a European passport, along with a Syrian national were arrested byLebanese soldiers as they attempted to cross the border into Lebanon, reports The Daily Star. One of the individuals carriedan explosive belt, while the other possessed hand grenades, detonators and firearms.

14-Aug-13: A Syrian woman was abducted and rapedon the outskirts of the Baalbek village of Nahleh in Bekaa Valleyreports The Daily Star.

15-Aug-13: At least 228 people were injured in aBeirut car bombingwhile at least 22 people were killed, reports CNN.

1The PFLP-GC is considered to be the Assad regimes most loyalPalestinian proxyand its role in the Syrian conflict is significant. Currently, the groups aims centre

on countering the Syrian rebel forces in Syria and their allies in Lebanon.
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protected]://www.voanews.com/content/thousands-of-syrians-flock-to-kurdistan/1731354.htmlhttp://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/more-than-30-000-syrians/782738.htmlhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/17/thousands-syrian-refugees-pour-iraqhttp://www.rferl.org/content/iraq-executions-hanging/25079907.htmlhttp://www.rferl.org/content/iraq-executions-hanging/25079907.htmlhttp://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Aug-19/227834-six-killed-in-north-iraq-attacks.ashx#axzz2cNE2Ewsghttp://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/iraq-officials-bomb-attacks-kill-baghdad-19993044


5/10

520 August 2013

On 19 August Lebanese President Michel Sleiman ordered theLebanese Armyto respond if attacked, after a weekend rocket assaulfrom Syria targeted the Hezbollah village of Hermel in the Bekaa Valley, reports The Daily Star. It was the most recent rocket launchoriginating from Syria after four rockets struck homes in Hermel earlier in August causing significant damage but no fatalities. Inrecent months, Syrian rebels have threatened to attack Hezbollah bastions in retribution for the organisations participation in theSyrian conflict, according to The Daily Star.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that over 675,000 Syrian refugees are receiving aid from theagency. Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports that the Lebanese government began to bar Palestinians fleeing Syria from enteringLebanon on 06 August, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). According to HRW, the policy violates Lebanons internationaobligations to asylum seekers. Almost 60,000 of the reported 675,000 refugees from Syria are Palestinian. The Palestinian LiberationOrganisation (PLO) and its rival Hamas, who oversee adozen refugee campsin Lebanon that are home to 400,000 Palestinians arestraining to keep the peace, according to Voice of America (VOA). Palestinian leaders say that jihadists and militant Sunni Islamists areupsetting the balance of power in camps as armed factions within the camps risk an outbreak of violence. After a four-day closure othe shared Syrian-LebaneseArida border-crossing, the crossing was reopened on 08 August, according to The Daily Star. The bordercrossing was closed after it was attacked over the killing of a Syrian man entering Lebanon. Arida residents claim the Syrian man,fleeing violence in his country, was shot dead by Syrian military forces as he attempted to cross into Lebanon.

An increasing number of children are being forced intochild labouras Lebanese families continue to feel the economic, political andsocietal fallout from the neighbouring conflict, reports Inter Press Service (IPS). While exact data is unavailable, the LebaneseMinistry of Labour believes that there are 180,000 child workers in Lebanon compared to 100,000 in 2006. As tens of thousands oSyrian refugees flood the country, Lebanese families are forced to pull children from school to assist in providing for families.

Libya Foard [email protected] al Sheikh resigned from his post as Interior Minister on 18 August after just three months in office, reports BBC. ASheikh claims he lacked the confidence of Prime Minister Ali Zeidan and faced regular interference from the General Nationa

Congress (GNC). According to BBC, the Ministry of Interior is increasingly blamed for on-going violence throughout the country,which has spiked in recent months. Thousands of security forces, includingJoint Forces(JF) andmilitia groups, converged on Tripolto patrol and defend the city from insecurity in what the Libya Herald called the largest mobilisation since the liberationAbdullah al Thani was approved by the GNC and sworn in as thenew Defense Ministeron 12 August, reportsAssociate Press (AP)Al Thani replaces Mohammed Al Barghathi, who resigned in May after raids were carried out against key military targets in Tripoli.He told the Libya Herald that he was taking concrete steps to restore state security and dissolve all militia brigades within sixmonths.

On 08 August, Human Rights Watch (HRW)announcedthat over fifty people were killed in a broadening wave of apparent politicaassassinations in the cities of Benghazi and Derna. According to HRW, the spree began with the assassination of political activist

Abdulsalam Elmessmary on 26 July. Some of the victims include former officials under the Gaddafi regime, a reason that lawenforcement personnel have not conducted comprehensive investigations of the homicides. In a press statement, HRW encouraged theLibyan government to conduct impartial investigations and provide legal counsel to anyone charged with crimes stemming from theinvestigations. The human rights organisation concludes,The assassinations appeared to signal a new turn in the violence withpotentially serious implications for Libyas stability. In another sign of instability and compromised capacity of the judicial sector,Foreign Policy reported that religious conservatives repeatedly marginalised female lawyersin recent months. Leaflets condemningfemale participation in the judiciary appear with greater frequency and some female lawyers have been forced to turn over all but civilcases to male counterparts. Aprominent journalist, Azzedine Kousad of the al Hurra television station, died after being gunned downin his car. According toReporters Without Borders, he was the first journalist to be killed since the toppling of the Gaddafi regime andhis death highlights the increasingly dangerous climate in Libya for journalists and independent media. Ahmed Abu Khattala, a formercommander of a Libyan militia, denied accusationson 07 August that he participated in the 11 September 2012 attack on the USconsulate in Benghazi. Khattala currently resides in Libya, according to AP. The Libyan Ministry of Justice did not comment whencontacted about the charges.

Port strikes continued to undermine the Libyan economy, reports Business Recorder. The Marsa al Hariga port which produces110,000 barrels per day reopened on 19 August after being closed for three weeks amidst protests over workers pay while Es Siderand Ras Lanuf ports, the countrys largest oil export terminals, wereclosed brieflyearlier in August, reports Reuters. The ports haveclosed intermittently in recent months due to outages, protests and worker strikes. PM Ali Zeidan, accompanied by the Minister ofFinance and Minister of Defence, held a press conference to address the closures on 17 August and warned that recent closuresendangered Libyans and disrupted the national economy, notes Tripoli Post. Zeidan threatened to use force to reopen oil terminals inecessary.
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protected]://www.ipsnews.net/2013/08/more-kids-pushed-into-labour-in-lebanon/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2013/Aug-08/226728-border-crossing-with-syria-reopens-after-attack.ashx#axzz2bly2QHKJhttp://www.voanews.com/content/syria-fallout-raises-tensions-in-lebanons-palestinian-camps/1728037.htmlhttp://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2013/Aug-08/226778-palestinians-fleeing-syria-stranded-at-lebanon-border-hrw.ashx#axzz2bly2QHKJhttp://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Inter-Agency%20Regional%20Response%20-%20Syrian%20Refugees%2020130807.pdfhttp://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2013/Aug-18/227744-rockets-from-syria-hit-east-lebanon-hezbollah-stronghold.ashx#axzz2cNE2Ewsghttp://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2013/Aug-19/227846-lebanon-army-ordered-to-respond-to-syrian-attacks.ashx#axzz2cNE2Ewsg


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Mali Foard [email protected] ballotsin a second round of voting for president on 11 August, reports Voice of America (VOA). Former Prime MinisterIbrahim Boubacar Keita, who won the first round with 39 per cent and is commonly referred to asIBK,claimed victoryover his rivalformer finance minister Soumalia Ciss, reports the Washington Post. IBK won with a landslide of77 per cent. Ciss conceded to IBKon 12 August in a move that observers said averted a protracted legal battle and championed the democratic process. This act wilserve as a lesson to young Malian politicians but this gesture shows above all else that Soumalia Ciss is going to work together withIBK to restore the state, and bring peace and development, said Issouf Traore , who voted for Keita, reports the AP . After the firsround of elections on 28 July, Keita wasendorsedby 20 of the 27 presidential contenders due to his criticisms of the Amadou Tourregime, which is widely perceived as tolerating high-level corruption, notes Reuters. . While campaigning last week, IBK promised torestore stability to Mali. Reuters reports that the successful elections could free up nearly EUR 3 billion (USD 4 billion) in aid dollarspledged by western donors. Despite calm at the polls,Reuters noted thelow turnoutin Kidal, a key Tuareg city where many residentsreport feelings of marginalisation by the central government in Bamako. Many Tuaregs seek representation for an Azawad state andIBK has promised to initiate long-lasting peace talks within 60 days aimed to maintain Malian state unity. Such an offer might becomenecessary: voter turnout in Kidal on 28 July was only 12 per cent, far below the national average of 48 per cent. After elections, on 15August, the Chinese Xinhua news agencyreported clashesbetween Malian soldiers and fighters for the National Movement for theLiberation of Azawad (MNLA), the breakaway Tuareg group in Kidal. According to Xinhua, the skirmish broke out in the town oAguelHoc, 200km north of Kidal and was blown out of proportion when French troops intervened.

Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) published a report on past aid abuses in Mali andrecommended several reformsto

improve the effectiveness of economic assistance. Some of their recommendations include: decentralising funds by providing localpopulations with monitoring mechanisms in order to hold leaders who have access to funds accountable for expenditures; deliveringemergency aid to the north where it is most needed; preventing an unemployed youth time -bomb; and fostering ethnic and politicareconciliation.

Somalia Foard [email protected] UN delivered troubling public health and humanitarian news with the announcement on 16 August that a cripplingpolio outbreakwas spreading in southern and central Somalia. It confirmed 105 cases and suggested that thousands of children are now believed tocarry the virus. The UN sayspolio response effortsand outbreak control activities will be necessary for at least six months and willfocus on ten districts in the greater Mogadishu area where the majority of cases originated. In the last year, al Shabaab repeatedlyprevented aid workers from inoculating children. According to AP, the insurgent group continues toproliferate the rumour that aid

workers are infecting babies and children with AIDS rather than the polio vaccine. The UN humanitarian agency, OCHA, alsoannounced on 16 August that over 800 rapes were reported in Mogadishu in the first six months of 2013. Furthermore, the UN envoyin Somalia expressed grave concern that recently a woman was repeatedly raped by soldiers deployed under the African UnionMission in Somalia (AMISOM). It is the first time allegations of agang rapewere brought against AMISOM peacekeepers. Somalsecurity forces have also beenimplicatedin sexual attacks against women in the past. The allegations sparked outrage in Mogadishu,and ajoint investigationteam was launched by the African Union (AU) and the Somali Federal Government (SFG). Doctors WithoutBorders/Mdecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) shocked the humanitarian world byclosing all medical programmesin Somalia. It marks thefirst time the organisation halted medical care in the country since 1991. MSF said it must suspend operations because armed groupand civilian leaders increasingly support, tolerate, or condone the killing, assaulting, a nd abducting of humanitarian workers. TheGuardian reported on 11 August that UK Department for International Development (DFID) announced al Shabaab and al Qaeda-linked militants seized humanitarian materials and supplies worth GBP 480,000 (USD 743,000) between November 2011 andFebruary 2012. Meanwhile, AMISOM, aided by the Somali National Army (SNA), carried out a devastating strike against an elitegroup of al Shabaab fighters on 09 August, reports Standard Digital. AMISOM released a statement saying, The al Qaeda-linked

militia group was preparing to attack the AMISOM defensive position when they were thwarted by the allied forces near Afmado win the centre of Jubaland, approximately 220 km from Kismayo.

In a positive economic development, the SFGsigned an agreementwith UK-based Soma Oil & Gas Exploration, Ltd. on 06 Augustreports Business Daily. The company will conduct seismic testing in Somali territorial waters and specific onshore locations. Thetransaction constitutes the first oil and gas agreementsince President Hasan Sheikh Mohamud was elected in 2012. The companysCEO, Robert Sheppard, issued a statement saying, Despite large recent discoveries in East Africa, Somalia remains a significantlyunderexplored region. We believe that this agreement to assist the Government and the work that is due to be carried out over the next12-18 months will provide significant momentum for the oil and gas sector in Somalia. In other news, four Ethiopian Air Forcemembers were killed when their cargo planecrashedat the Mogadishu airport on 09 August, according to Tadias Magazine. The SFGappointed a committee toinvestigatethe cause of the crash.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.voanews.com/content/voters-in-mali-choosing-president-sunday/1727544.htmlhttp://www.voanews.com/content/voters-in-mali-choosing-president-sunday/1727544.htmlhttp://www.voanews.com/content/voters-in-mali-choosing-president-sunday/1727544.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308050030.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308050030.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308050030.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/ibrahim-boubacar-keita-wins-malis-presidency-after-runoff-opponent-concedes-defeat/2013/08/12/c292c552-03af-11e3-bfc5-406b928603b2_story.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/ibrahim-boubacar-keita-wins-malis-presidency-after-runoff-opponent-concedes-defeat/2013/08/12/c292c552-03af-11e3-bfc5-406b928603b2_story.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/ibrahim-boubacar-keita-wins-malis-presidency-after-runoff-opponent-concedes-defeat/2013/08/12/c292c552-03af-11e3-bfc5-406b928603b2_story.htmlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23734922http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23734922http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23734922http://news.yahoo.com/frontrunner-mali-election-runoff-pledges-reinforce-peace-145417539.htmlhttp://news.yahoo.com/frontrunner-mali-election-runoff-pledges-reinforce-peace-145417539.htmlhttp://news.yahoo.com/frontrunner-mali-election-runoff-pledges-reinforce-peace-145417539.htmlhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-mali-election-kidal-20130811,0,6116788.storyhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-mali-election-kidal-20130811,0,6116788.storyhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-mali-election-kidal-20130811,0,6116788.storyhttp://www.globaltimes.cn/content/804183.shtml#.UhOCwWQ4XV0http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/804183.shtml#.UhOCwWQ4XV0http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/804183.shtml#.UhOCwWQ4XV0http://www.irinnews.org/report/98540/getting-it-right-in-post-conflict-malihttp://www.irinnews.org/report/98540/getting-it-right-in-post-conflict-malihttp://www.irinnews.org/report/98540/getting-it-right-in-post-conflict-malimailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hPqAvsGCS5m8WwnILlfsQtqsLejQ?docId=CNG.0649a65cec8bb193fc5c3e8b189f957f.131http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hPqAvsGCS5m8WwnILlfsQtqsLejQ?docId=CNG.0649a65cec8bb193fc5c3e8b189f957f.131http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/OCHA%20Somalia%20Humanitarian%20Bulletin%20July%202013.pdfhttp://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/OCHA%20Somalia%20Humanitarian%20Bulletin%20July%202013.pdfhttp://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/OCHA%20Somalia%20Humanitarian%20Bulletin%20July%202013.pdfhttp://www.philstar.com/world/2013/06/07/951224/somalia-some-parents-say-no-polio-vaccinehttp://www.philstar.com/world/2013/06/07/951224/somalia-some-parents-say-no-polio-vaccinehttp://www.philstar.com/world/2013/06/07/951224/somalia-some-parents-say-no-polio-vaccinehttp://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=45646&Cr=somalia&Cr1=#.UhIfumQ4XV0http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=45646&Cr=somalia&Cr1=#.UhIfumQ4XV0http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=45646&Cr=somalia&Cr1=#.UhIfumQ4XV0http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/08/20138168502960455.htmlhttp://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/08/20138168502960455.htmlhttp://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/08/20138168502960455.htmlhttp://www.hrw.org/world-report/2013/country-chapters/somaliahttp://www.hrw.org/world-report/2013/country-chapters/somaliahttp://www.hrw.org/world-report/2013/country-chapters/somaliahttp://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/08/20138168502960455.htmlhttp://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/08/20138168502960455.htmlhttp://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/08/20138168502960455.htmlhttp://www.msf.org/article243/msf-forced-close-all-medical-programmes-somaliahttp://www.msf.org/article243/msf-forced-close-all-medical-programmes-somaliahttp://www.msf.org/article243/msf-forced-close-all-medical-programmes-somaliahttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/11/militants-somalia-seize-uk-humanitarian-aidhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/11/militants-somalia-seize-uk-humanitarian-aidhttp://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000090517&story_title=amisom-kill-24-al-shabaab-militants-in-somaliahttp://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000090517&story_title=amisom-kill-24-al-shabaab-militants-in-somaliahttp://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Somalia+allows++UK+company+to+explore+for+oil+and+gas++/-/539546/1939398/-/pxvys3/-/index.htmlhttp://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Somalia+allows++UK+company+to+explore+for+oil+and+gas++/-/539546/1939398/-/pxvys3/-/index.htmlhttp://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Somalia+allows++UK+company+to+explore+for+oil+and+gas++/-/539546/1939398/-/pxvys3/-/index.htmlhttp://puntlandnews24.com/oil-and-gas-agreement-signed-with-somalia/http://puntlandnews24.com/oil-and-gas-agreement-signed-with-somalia/http://puntlandnews24.com/oil-and-gas-agreement-signed-with-somalia/http://www.tadias.com/08/09/2013/update-two-senior-ethiopian-air-force-pilots-among-those-killed-in-mogadishu-crash/http://www.tadias.com/08/09/2013/update-two-senior-ethiopian-air-force-pilots-among-those-killed-in-mogadishu-crash/http://www.tadias.com/08/09/2013/update-two-senior-ethiopian-air-force-pilots-among-those-killed-in-mogadishu-crash/http://somaliamediamonitoring.org/http://somaliamediamonitoring.org/http://somaliamediamonitoring.org/http://somaliamediamonitoring.org/http://www.tadias.com/08/09/2013/update-two-senior-ethiopian-air-force-pilots-among-those-killed-in-mogadishu-crash/http://puntlandnews24.com/oil-and-gas-agreement-signed-with-somalia/http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Somalia+allows++UK+company+to+explore+for+oil+and+gas++/-/539546/1939398/-/pxvys3/-/index.htmlhttp://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000090517&story_title=amisom-kill-24-al-shabaab-militants-in-somaliahttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/11/militants-somalia-seize-uk-humanitarian-aidhttp://www.msf.org/article243/msf-forced-close-all-medical-programmes-somaliahttp://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/08/20138168502960455.htmlhttp://www.hrw.org/world-report/2013/country-chapters/somaliahttp://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/08/20138168502960455.htmlhttp://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=45646&Cr=somalia&Cr1=#.UhIfumQ4XV0http://www.philstar.com/world/2013/06/07/951224/somalia-some-parents-say-no-polio-vaccinehttp://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/OCHA%20Somalia%20Humanitarian%20Bulletin%20July%202013.pdfhttp://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hPqAvsGCS5m8WwnILlfsQtqsLejQ?docId=CNG.0649a65cec8bb193fc5c3e8b189f957f.131mailto:[email protected]://www.irinnews.org/report/98540/getting-it-right-in-post-conflict-malihttp://www.globaltimes.cn/content/804183.shtml#.UhOCwWQ4XV0http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-mali-election-kidal-20130811,0,6116788.storyhttp://news.yahoo.com/frontrunner-mali-election-runoff-pledges-reinforce-peace-145417539.htmlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23734922http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/ibrahim-boubacar-keita-wins-malis-presidency-after-runoff-opponent-concedes-defeat/2013/08/12/c292c552-03af-11e3-bfc5-406b928603b2_story.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308050030.htmlhttp://www.voanews.com/content/voters-in-mali-choosing-president-sunday/1727544.htmlmailto:[email protected]


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720 August 2013

Sudan & South Sudan Robin [email protected]

Doctors without Borders/Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF) released a retrospective mortality survey on 06 August confirming thatviolence is the major cause of death in Darfur. According to the survey, the majority of people who died while fleeing Central Darfur,Sudan, earlier in 2013 were killed as a result of violence, and mostly by gunfire. Between January and May 2013, tens of thousandsof Darfur refugees and Chadians fled Darfur and sought refuge in the Tissi area of neighbouring Chad. The survey, carried out byMSF's epidemiological research division, Epicentre, reveals that 119 of the 194 deaths (61 percent) reported by family members werecaused by violence. 111 people, or 93 per cent, died from gunshot wounds linked to specific episodes of violence preceding the twomajor waves of displacement, one in early February and one in early April. The people shot to death died in Darfur. Survivorsreported mass shootings and the burning and looting of villages, the report states.

On 07 August, France condemned the unjustifiedexpulsionof twenty UN refugee agency staff from Sudans Darfur region. The UNHigh Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has seen nearly half of its 37 person staff expelled from Darfur by Khartoum during aperilous period when more than two million people are displaced in Darfur, 1.2 million of whom are living in camps.

Farmers within the Kabkabiya locality in North Darfur are suffering beatings and death threats for confronting armed herdsmantrespassing on locally owned farms. While the rains in the region have been good, failure looms for the current planting season asarmed herdsmen allow camels and cattle to graze on farms, reports Radio Dabanga. This rising trend and increased tensions betweenherdsmen and armed men were evident inSirba campin West Darfur on 08 August when armed men threatened to kill a displaced

person, or destroy the market, unless the displaced person paid SDG20, 000 ($4,500) compensation for camel found with a broken leg.

The governor of Sudans North Darfur state, Osman Mohamed Youssef Kibir, announced that the conflicting Maalia and Rezeigatribes have reached an agreement to stop violent attacks following intensive meetings he held with some groups affiliated with the twotribes. He said in press statements following the meetings on 14 August his goal is to save lives and avoid adverse effects of tribaconflicts in East and North Darfur states. South-eastern Darfur, an area relatively free from unrest, saw raging battles as the Rezeigatand the Maalia tribes clashed over land disputes on 11 August. The clashes resulted in 100-300 unconfirmed deaths. According to theShura Council of the Maalia tribe, the Rezeigat are practising ethnic cleansing and forcibly deporting the Maalia from Ed Daeinwith the knowledge and complicity of the state government". According to reports, the people of East Darfur are living in a state oextreme fear and terror as transportation remains compromised and businesses, government institutions and schools remain closedreports The Telegraph.

Sudan

According to recent reports, Sudan is sending weapons to Syrian rebels. The shipments reportedly carry anti-aircraft missiles andnewly manufactured small-arms cartridges. The Khartoum government allegedly circumvents the embargo by sending the Chinese andSudanese-made weapons to Qatar where the containers are then transported to Syrian rebels.. TheNew York Times reportsuggests thaSudan, suffering from major economic crises, could be supplying weapons for profit. According to a US official, Sudan haspositioned itself to be a major global arms supplier whose wares have reached several conflict zones, including the Syrian rebelsHistorically, Sudan is accustomed to publicly denying weapons transfers, although Sudanese arms or ammunition have been found inSouth Sudan, Somalia, Ivory Coast, Chad, Kenya, Guinea, Mali and Uganda," said Jonah Leff, a Sudan analyst for the Small ArmsSurvey. It has provided weapons to Joseph Konys Lords Resistance Army, rebels in Libya, and the janjaweed, the pro-governmenmilitias that are accused of a campaign of atrocities in Darfur. According to Western analysts and officials, Sudans clandestineparticipation in arming rebels in Syria suggests inherent tensions in Mr. Bashirs foreign policy, which broadly supports Sunni Islamismovements while maintaining a valued relationship with the Shiite theocracy in Iran.

However, according to Imad Sid Ahmad, the press secretary for President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, Sudan has notsent weapons to

Syria. Al-Sawarmi Khalid Saad, a spokesman for the Sudanese armed forces, added that the allegations were meant to harm relationswith countries Sudan has good relations with", stating that Sudan has "no interest in supporting groups in Syria, especially if theoutcome of the fighting is not clear, reports Asia News. Further, a spokesman for Bashir suggested that if Sudans weapons wereseen with Syrias rebels then it was likely thatLibya, not Sudan, had provided them.

In anticipation of a visit by Egyptian Foreign Minister, Nabil Fahmy, to Khartoum this week, the National Congress Party (NCP) inSudan issued a statement on 19 August asserting that the country will not be a part of the ongoing struggle in Egypt and will not takesides in what Sudan deems is an internal matter. The NCPspolitical sector spokesperson, Omar Bassan, said that Sudan will nobe made to get involved by those who seek to harm relations between the two countries, adding that Sudan has not offered to mediatebetween the struggling parties in Egypt.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://allafrica.com/stories/201308080011.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308080011.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308080011.htmlhttp://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/International/2013/Aug-07/226643-france-condemns-expulsion-of-20-un-staff-from-darfur.ashx#axzz2cf2HfAqvhttp://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/International/2013/Aug-07/226643-france-condemns-expulsion-of-20-un-staff-from-darfur.ashx#axzz2cf2HfAqvhttp://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/International/2013/Aug-07/226643-france-condemns-expulsion-of-20-un-staff-from-darfur.ashx#axzz2cf2HfAqvhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308080001.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308080001.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308090279.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308090279.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308090279.htmlhttp://www.asianews.it/news-en/Syrian-rebels-receive-heavy-weapons-from-Sudan-28760.htmlhttp://www.asianews.it/news-en/Syrian-rebels-receive-heavy-weapons-from-Sudan-28760.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/13/world/africa/arms-shipments-seen-from-sudan-to-syria-rebels.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/13/world/africa/arms-shipments-seen-from-sudan-to-syria-rebels.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/13/world/africa/arms-shipments-seen-from-sudan-to-syria-rebels.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/13/world/africa/arms-shipments-seen-from-sudan-to-syria-rebels.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Syrian-rebels-receive-heavy-weapons-from-Sudan-28760.htmlhttp://www.asianews.it/news-en/Syrian-rebels-receive-heavy-weapons-from-Sudan-28760.htmlhttp://www.asianews.it/news-en/Syrian-rebels-receive-heavy-weapons-from-Sudan-28760.htmlhttp://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/06/us-saudi-sudan-bashir-idUSBRE9750IC20130806http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/06/us-saudi-sudan-bashir-idUSBRE9750IC20130806http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/06/us-saudi-sudan-bashir-idUSBRE9750IC20130806http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/06/us-saudi-sudan-bashir-idUSBRE9750IC20130806http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Syrian-rebels-receive-heavy-weapons-from-Sudan-28760.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/13/world/africa/arms-shipments-seen-from-sudan-to-syria-rebels.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/13/world/africa/arms-shipments-seen-from-sudan-to-syria-rebels.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Syrian-rebels-receive-heavy-weapons-from-Sudan-28760.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308090279.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308080001.htmlhttp://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/International/2013/Aug-07/226643-france-condemns-expulsion-of-20-un-staff-from-darfur.ashx#axzz2cf2HfAqvhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201308080011.htmlmailto:[email protected]


8/10

820 August 2013

South Sudan

Brigadier General Michael Majur Aleer, the chief of operation and the acting officer in charge of the 4th infantry division, spoke on 18August to dismiss rumours that the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) had crossed the border into South Sudan as misinformationAccording to Aleer, the leaders of the SAF and the South Sudanese army (SPLA) are negotiating the creation of a buffer zone areaThe African Union (AU) joint border verification monitoring mechanism (JBVMM) is facilitating discussion between both sidesreports the Sudan Tribune.

South Sudans Foreign Affairs Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin, announced on 19 August that the country is experiencingimproved bilateral relations with neighbouring Sudan. Relations with Sudan have remarkably increased. There are direct contactsbetween the two presidents. There are also contacts between other institutions. As I speak now they can call each other andcommunicate freely. This is a sign of improved relations. According to Marial, talks were underway to consolidate efforts to buildup and strengthen the emerging spirit of friendship to establish healthy and sustainable relations between the two nations. In othenews, South Sudans Humanitarian Coordinator, Toby Lanzer,praised courageous aid workers and called for them to be allowedaccess to populations in need. According to the UN, South Sudan is one of the largest operations in the world with 17,000 aidworkers engaged in work across the country providing assistance in the ten states . The UN anticipates providing assistance to threemillion South Sudanese mostly within the Jonglei State with lifesaving assistance.

Atem Garang, Twich East Member of Parliament and Chief Whip in the South Sudan parliament urged the South Sudanese diasporawithin the Canadian city of Winnipeg to "to come back home and use their skills to help the young nation make progress". The TwichEast Member of Parliament in Jonglei State was in Canada on the invitation of the South Sudan People's Liberation Movement(SPLA) Canada chapter and the Council of Sudanese Community (COSCOM) in Manitoba. Garang urged South Sudanese in the

diaspora to "unite, embrace the spirit of unity and provide much needed professional skills for South Sudan to develop". According toGarang, the country still faces challenges inherited from its recent independence from Sudan, to include: lack of human capital,infrastructure, health care, capable civil servants, a strong education system and insecurity.

Syria Linda [email protected] Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov he was concerned about violence in Syria andpressed Lavrov to work towards a political solution to the Syrian conflict, reports United Press International (UPI). Russian and USofficials agree that talks should take place as soon as possible; however, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said theywere unlikely to occurbefore October, reportsReuters.

As the Syrian conflict continues, someanti-Assad activistsnow wonder whether the Assad regimes fall is a good development for the

country, considering the increasing numbers of jihadists within Syria, according to The Washington Post. Many youth activists, oncedemanding Assads ouster, say their revolution has been hijacked by foreign al Qaeda fighters and if the regime were to fall, they fearmore chaos and bloodshed. Protesters hold dailydemonstrations against jihadistsin the northern city of Raqaa, demanding the releaseof hundreds of missing people kidnapped by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), reports Agence France-Presse. Accordingto United Press International (UPI),ISIS constitutes a new,more militantjihadist group emerging in Syria. In addition to the manyextremist fighters travelling to Syria to join Jabhat al Nusra, an extremist group that is part of the opposition, many are now joiningISIS. The group comprises fighters from Chechnya, Pakistan, Egypt and the West and also includes fighters from al Qaeda in Iraq(AQI). Syria is increasingly being described as at the center of an arc of instability stretching from Iran through North A frica andcould supplant Pakistan as the primary al Qaeda haven if the Assad regime should fall, according to UPI.

Syrias opposition chief Ahmed Jarba moved to restructure rebel militias into aNational Armyin order to combat elite fighters loyato Assads regime and to form the backbone of a future army, reports AFP. The plan would retain current head of the Free SyrianArmy (FSA) General Selim Idriss and would improve the FSAs structure, performance, discipline an d communication between

[rebel] factions. Combatting extremist thinking and competition for scarce resources have made organizing the rebel fightersdifficult.


06-Aug-13: The Syrian Army attacked a large group ofinsurgentsnear Damascus, killing more than sixty, according to TheNew York Times (NYT).

08-Aug-13:Two armed opposition groups claim they hit President Bashar al Assads presidential vehicleswith artillery asAssad travelled through Damascus on 08 August, reports The Telegraph. Omran Zoabi, the Syrian Information Ministerdismissed the claims calling them dreams and illusions. Residents of theMalki districtin Damascus, where Assad worksand lives, confirmed toAl Jazeera that they heard shells hitting the area. Security fo

cfc complex coverage review, 20 august 2013

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