Day: June 18, 2023

Saudi Arabia and the United States announced yesterday, in a joint statement that, Sudan’s two warring factions have agreed on a new 72-hour cease-fire.

The cease-fire takes effect from 6:00 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) today.

The two rival parties agreed to refrain from seeking military advantage and initiating mutual attacks during the cease-fire, said the statement.

They also agreed to allow the unimpeded movement and delivery of humanitarian assistance throughout the country, it added.

Saudi Arabia and the U.S. noted that, they might adjourn the Jeddah talks, in case the two warring factions fail to observe the cease-fire.

Deadly conflicts erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in the capital Khartum and other areas on Apr 15.

The armed clashes have left 958 Sudanese civilians dead and 4,746 others injured, according to the update by the Sudanese Doctors’ Union on Wednesday

Source: Nam News Network

The latest temporary ceasefire between Sudan’s rival military factions appears to have brought a lull in the fighting, following battles and air strikes overnight.

A resident in the capital, Khartoum, said the situation was calm and expressed hope that the truce might be the beginning of the end of the war.

He said people were tired of conflict, death and looting.

The 72-hour ceasefire was announced on Saturday by US and Saudi mediators.

The Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces agreed to halt attacks and allow the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Previous truces have been poorly observed.

Source: BBC

Twenty-five homes were destroyed in Saturday’s strike in the densely populated Yarmouk district.

It came a day after a top army general threatened to step up attacks against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF broke out mid-April as a result of a vicious power struggle within the country’s military leadership.

In early June, the RSF claimed full control of Yarmouk, an area of the capital which houses an arms manufacturing facility.

Later on Saturday the warring factions agreed a 72-hour ceasefire starting at 06:00 (04:00 GMT) on Sunday. It was announced by Saudi and US mediators. Similar ceasefires in the past have not been observed.

Precise figures on the number of people killed in the fighting are difficult to establish, but it is believed to be well over 1,000, including many civilians caught in the crossfire.

Roughly 2.2 million people have been displaced within the country and more than half a million are sheltering in neighbouring countries, according to the UN.

Several ceasefires have been announced to allow people to escape the fighting but these have not been observed.

The recent attack targeted civilians in Mayo, Yarmouk, and Mandela areas, according to the RSF. The army has not commented.

Since the hostilities began, tens of thousands of civilians have fled across the border into neighbouring Chad.

Doctors and hospitals there have been overstretched and struggling to cope.

The violence has also resurrected a two-decade-old conflict in Sudan’s western Darfur region.

Source: BBC

The Lebanese Civil Defense teams – Tyre Center managed to save ten people from drowning while they were swimming in the sea of Tyre today. The Civil Defense had earlier warned all citizens of high waves that pose a threat to their lives, hoping to “exercise caution when heading to the sea.”

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Lebanese Republic Dar Al-Fatwa announced, in an issued statement this evening, that standing on “Arafah” will occur on the ninth of the month of Dhul-Hijjah for the year 1444 AH, which corresponds to Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Accordingly, Wednesday, June 28, 2023, will be the first day of Eid Al-Adha.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

The Jordanian Masarat Foundation for Development and Progress and Germany’s Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) held a conference on Sunday to launch a project to strengthen institutional cooperation between parliament and civil society. The project, which targets the parliament’s general secretariat, seeks to institutionalize the relationship between the parliament and civil society organizations (CSOs) through syndicates or parties, and to promote discussion and deliberation on public issues of concern to citizens, according to Deputy Chairman of Masarat Omar Ayasra. The conference comprises a multitude of sessions that delve into various topics, with the involvement of deputies, civil society representatives, notable personalities, and political leaders. The event’s schedule includes three sessions that will discuss the perceived relationship between parliament and CSOs, the challenges that CSOs face, and ways to achieve institutionalization between the two parties.

Source: Jordan News Agency