标签： Asia

The humanitarian crisis in Sudan has taken a grim turn as only a small number of civilians fleeing the recently seized city of el-Fasher have reached eastern Chad, despite its proximity. Charlotte Slente, Secretary-General of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), highlighted this alarming trend during her recent visit to the region. She reported that despite el-Fasher being less than 300 kilometers from Chad, only around 50 people are entering daily through the border town of Adre, with a total of 200 to 500 crossing all Chad-Sudan borders daily. The DRC described these numbers as “deeply worrying,” especially given the dire situation in el-Fasher, where 90,000 of its 260,000 civilians have fled. The low influx is attributed to the city’s prolonged siege and the perilous journey to safety. Slente shared harrowing accounts from refugees, including a young Sudanese couple who lost family members and endured extreme violence during their escape. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), responsible for the city’s capture, have been accused of mass killings, sexual violence, and other atrocities, further complicating the humanitarian response. Chad, already hosting over 882,000 Sudanese refugees, is preparing for an additional 90,000 arrivals. Despite its limited resources, Chad’s government is allocating land for new refugee settlements. Slente criticized the international community for its inaction, warning that without concerted diplomatic pressure, more mass atrocities could occur. The conflict, rooted in tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, has displaced millions and claimed tens of thousands of lives, with no end in sight.

The UN Human Rights Council has mandated an urgent investigation into alleged atrocities in Sudan’s El-Fasher, aiming to identify and hold perpetrators accountable. The resolution, adopted unanimously during a special session, responds to escalating violence and warnings of potential genocide in the region. UN rights chief Volker Turk highlighted the severity of the crisis, stating that ‘bloodstains on the ground in El-Fasher have been photographed from space.’ The conflict, which began in April 2023 between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced nearly 12 million people, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Recent reports from El-Fasher detail executions, sexual violence, looting, and abductions, with nearly 100,000 residents fleeing the area in the past two weeks. British ambassador Kumar Iyer described the violence as a ‘coordinated campaign against civilians,’ citing credible reports of targeted killings and systematic abuses. The resolution broadens the scope of the UN’s independent fact-finding mission, despite objections from Sudan and other nations. The UAE denied allegations of supporting the RSF, while its ambassador criticized both the RSF and the Sudanese army for indiscriminate attacks. The International Criminal Court is reportedly monitoring the situation closely, with concerns that the violence could spread to the Kordofan region. The UN emphasized the need for accountability to break the cycle of impunity and prevent further atrocities.

Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar’s forces have been clandestinely supplying smuggled fuel to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) at the behest of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to a report by the US-based watchdog, The Sentry. This illicit activity, which has escalated into a national crisis for Libya, costing the country approximately $6.7 billion annually, is also exacerbating the deadly conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese army and the RSF. The report highlights how Haftar’s loyalty to the UAE has made him a key enabler of the RSF’s operations, particularly in the Darfur region, where the paramilitary group has been accused of systematic atrocities, including murder and sexual violence against civilians. The RSF’s mobility and tactical operations in Darfur are heavily reliant on the persistent flow of diesel and gasoline provided by Haftar’s forces. Additionally, the Haftar family has strengthened its strategic control in southeastern Libya through this illegal trade. The report also implicates Russia as a beneficiary of Libya’s fuel smuggling, which supports Moscow’s military activities in sub-Saharan Africa. Fuel smuggling, a long-standing issue in Libya, has surged since the current government took office in 2021, with more than half of the imported fuel being siphoned off by criminal networks. This has led to severe economic consequences for Libya, including a $20 billion loss in revenue, exacerbating fiscal imbalance, currency depreciation, and inflation. Despite pledges to reform fuel subsidies, the surge in smuggling persists, undermining Libya’s legitimate economy and further entrenching the power of its incumbent rulers.

British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, recently pardoned and released from prison, was reportedly stopped at Egyptian passport control while attempting to travel to the UK, according to his family. Abd el-Fattah, a prominent figure in the 2011 Arab Spring uprising, had been imprisoned for nearly a decade following President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s military coup in 2013. He was pardoned on September 22 and released from Wadi al-Natrun prison. Abd el-Fattah was scheduled to fly to the UK with his sister, Sanaa Seif, to attend the Magnitsky Human Rights Awards in London, where he and his mother, Laila Soueif, were honored with the Courage Under Fire award for their relentless fight for his freedom. Seif accepted the award on their behalf, expressing her wish for Abd el-Fattah to reunite with his 13-year-old son, Khaled, who lives in Brighton, UK. The Free Alaa campaign noted that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had pledged to secure Abd el-Fattah’s release and reunite him with his family. Despite his release, Abd el-Fattah’s travel plans remain uncertain as he faces obstacles at Egyptian passport control.