SITUATION REPORT – HORN OF AFRICA No. 472, 21 August 2023

Situation in Sudan (per 21 August)

• The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLMN) has carried out attacks in the city of Kadugli in South Kordofan. SPLMN tries to take control of the city from Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) causing thousands of people to flee their homes. 
• Involvement of the SPLMN raises concerns that the conflict in Sudan would escalate into a full-scale civil war. 
• Fierce fighting, bombing and looting was reported from other regions as well, namely al-Fashir in Darfur and al-Foula in West Kordofan. Both cities had previously been free from fighting for months.
• Due to its stability, many people fled to al-Fashir since the start of the conflict, prompting concerns over secondary displacement.
• The Zalingei city hospital was hit with mortar shells on Sunday in Zalingei, Central Darfur. 
• Communications from Nyala, South Darfur, have ceased after fighting between the SAF and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) reached a high intensity on Thursday.  
• The Tamazuj armed group announced an official alliance with RSF. The group leader, Mohamed Ali Qureshi, urged his forces residing in the border region of Darfur and South Kordofan to join RSF military camps. 
• The price of AK-47 rifles on the Sudanese black market has fallen by 50% as the supply of the weapons exceeds demands. The AK-47 rifle is one of the most common weapons used in the battlefronts.  
• 19 humanitarian workers have been killed in Sudan since the outbreak of the conflict. Aid workers continue to struggle to carry out operations due to ongoing attacks and lack of safety. 
• Concern over the increasing sexual violence against women and girls across Sudan was highlighted at the conference of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Forum for Women’s Empowerment for Peace and Security. 
• Only 7% out of $45 million of the funding appealed for has been received, said Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. 

Refugee Situation (per 21 August)

• Saudi Arabian border guards have killed hundreds of Ethiopian migrants and asylum seekers trying to cross the Yemen-Saudi border between March 2022 and June 2023, states Human Rights Watch (HRW).
• The pattern has changed from occasional shootings to widespread and systematic killings, warns HRW. This included explosive weapon attacks and shootings at short range. 
• Sudanese refugees held protests in Ulala border camp in Ethiopia calling for adequate support, namely increased food assistance, medical treatment and protection from local militiamen. 
• Hundreds of refugees have left the Ulala refugee camp due to the deteriorating situation and inadequate security and medical situation. 
• Refugees and returnees fleeing Sudan to South Sudan continue to report assaults as they flee. UNOCHA reports critical humanitarian needs, including lack of resources and lack of access to some sites where refugees are staying due to heavy rains. 

Situation in Ethiopia (per 21 August)

• Mass arrests of as many as 10.0000 Amhara citizens were carried out in Addis Ababa in the past week, said observers. 
• The business group the Endowment Fund for the Rehabilitation of Tigray (EFFORT) called for an independent investigation and audit of all assets and accounts which were frozen during the war in Tigray by the Federal government. 
• Order has largely been restored in cities in Amhara, but banking services have not yet been restored. 

Situation in Eritrea (per 21 August)

• The permit of an Eritrean festival organised in Edmonton, Canada, was withdrawn amidst tensions between the organisers and protesters. 
• After the festival organisers moved to a different location, 11 people were injured after fighting broke out. The police intervened.
• Protesters, referred to as the Blue Wave, were protesting against the festival which they state was organised by representatives of the dictatorial regime to promote hate speech and collect funds.

Regional Situation (per 21 August)

• Rising cases of measles and malnutrition are being recorded by the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in South Sudan. Children below 5 years within communities of South Sudanese returnees who fled the Sudan conflict and the host communities are most affected. 
• Somalia has banned TikTok, Telegram and gambling website 1XBet. The minister of communications states the media were used by “terrorists and immoral groups” to spread misinformation and shocking content. 
• Internet service providers need to comply with the ban by 24 August.

International Situation (per 21 August)

• An ECOWAS delegation travelled to Niger on Saturday to meet with the coup leaders and the ousted President. Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani promised a return to civilian rule within a three-year period, but ECOWAS rejected this time frame. 
• ECOWAS forces are ready to start a military intervention on an undisclosed date, stated Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace & Security. This comes after the AU earlier rejected the use of force in Niger.
• Archbishop Hubertus van Megen, Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, expressed hope that the visit of Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin to South Sudan last week will draw the attention of the world to the disaster happening there, and that it can be a start for a serious dialogue and peace effort.
• United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan brought a state visit to Ethiopia on Friday to discuss bilateral relations.