标签： Africa

The United Nations has announced an independent fact-finding mission to investigate reported mass killings in the Sudanese city of el-Fasher, marking a critical step in addressing what aid groups and the G7 have termed the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. UN human rights chief Volker Türk condemned the international community’s inaction, urging immediate action against the atrocities committed in Sudan’s devastating civil war. Over 150,000 people have been killed, and 12 million displaced, as the conflict continues to escalate. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), accused of targeting non-Arab groups, captured el-Fasher last month after an 18-month siege. The city, once held by the Sudanese army, has become a focal point of the crisis. The UN mission will analyze digital evidence, including footage and photos of atrocities, to hold perpetrators accountable. Mona Rishmawi, a UN mission member, described the suffering in Darfur as surpassing the Janjaweed militia’s genocide two decades ago. The RSF, which traces its origins to the Janjaweed, is accused of devastating mass killings, rape, torture, and starvation tactics. The G7 recently condemned the violence, calling it the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanded international action to halt weapons supplies to the RSF, implicating the UAE in the conflict. The UAE denied supporting the RSF but expressed alarm over the attacks in el-Fasher. The RSF and Sudanese army have both rejected accusations of atrocities. Despite calls for a humanitarian truce, fighting continues unabated, with satellite imagery revealing piles of bodies and blood-stained earth in el-Fasher. Amnesty International has identified weapons from Serbia, Russia, China, Turkey, Yemen, and the UAE being used in Sudan, with smuggling routes often passing through the UAE. The UK has faced criticism for British-made weapons allegedly ending up in RSF hands. The UN arms embargo on Darfur, in place since 2004, has not been extended to the rest of Sudan, despite calls from human rights groups.

In a recent development, nineteen West African nationals deported by the United States to Ghana have been relocated to undisclosed locations, raising concerns over their safety and legal protections. Ana Dionne-Lanier, a lawyer representing one of the deportees, revealed to The Associated Press that the group arrived in Ghana on November 5 and were initially housed in a hotel. These individuals are shielded from deportation to their home countries due to the risk of torture, persecution, or inhumane treatment. However, their current whereabouts remain unknown, as neither their families nor legal representatives have been able to contact them. Dionne-Lanier disclosed that part of the group was transported by bus to an unidentified border location between last weekend and Monday, while a second group, including her client, was moved ‘under heavy armed guard’ from the hotel around Wednesday. The Ghanaian government has yet to comment on the situation. This incident is part of a broader U.S. deportation initiative under the Trump administration, which has established secretive agreements with several African nations, including Eswatini, Rwanda, and South Sudan, to send migrants to third countries. The program has faced significant criticism from human rights advocates, who argue that it violates international protections for asylum-seekers and lacks proper screening processes. In September, Ghanaian rights group Democracy Hub filed a lawsuit against the Ghanaian government, alleging that its agreement with the U.S. is unconstitutional and may breach conventions prohibiting the return of individuals to countries where they could face persecution. The U.S. Department of Justice has countered that it cannot control how another country treats deportees, asserting that Ghana has pledged not to return them to their home countries.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced an investigation into the unexpected arrival of a chartered plane carrying 153 Palestinians from Gaza at OR Tambo International Airport. The group, initially denied entry due to missing departure stamps in their passports, was stranded on the plane for over 10 hours. Following intervention by local charity Gift of the Givers and the government’s ’empathy and compassion,’ most were eventually allowed into the country. The circumstances of their departure from Gaza and travel to South Africa remain unclear. Israeli military body Cogat stated that the group left Gaza with approval from a third country, while the Palestinian embassy in South Africa accused an unregistered organization of exploiting the situation and facilitating irregular travel. Of the 153 passengers, 23 continued to other destinations, leaving 130 in South Africa. Ramaphosa emphasized that the government would conduct a ‘proper evaluation’ of the incident and update the public. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber clarified that while Palestinian passport-holders qualify for visa-exempt access, the lack of certain documentation initially led to the refusal. Once it was confirmed that the travelers did not intend to seek asylum and their accommodation was secured, they were granted entry. South African civil societies have called for investigations into the conditions the Palestinians fled and the aircraft’s route. One Palestinian expressed relief at being in South Africa, describing it as a country of ‘peace, laws, and justice.’ Gift of the Givers has criticized the treatment of the group at the airport and called for an investigation into the home affairs ministry and border authority. South Africa has long supported the Palestinian cause, with recent pro-Palestinian marches and a case filed against Israel at the International Court of Justice accusing it of genocide in Gaza.