Foreign
UN appeals for $4.1bn aid for Sudan, refugee-hosting countries
UN appeals for $4.1bn aid for Sudan, refugee-hosting countries
The United Nations has urged countries not to forget millions of people caught up in the war between rival militaries in Sudan.
The UN also called for 4.1 billion dollars to help stave off famine and assist those who had fled into neighbouring countries.
“Half of Sudan’s population, 25 million people, needs humanitarian assistance,” Martin Griffiths, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, told journalists in Geneva.
He emphasised that many of those in need were children, and that 18 million people were food insecure amid one of the world’s largest displacement and protection crises.
The appeal comprises two key components: 2.7 billion dollars Humanitarian Need and Response Plan targeting 14.7 million people within Sudan and 1.4 billion dollars Regional Refugee Response Plan aimed at assisting 2.7 million people in five neighbouring nations.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) will manage the response in Sudan while the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will lead the regional initiative.
The escalating conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has expanded to critical regions, including Gezira state, the nation’s breadbasket, heightening concerns of famine.
“If we start seeing famine in Sudan – and it won’t be the first time we’ve seen famine in Sudan – to add to the violence, displacement and lack of a political horizon, then I think we can all agree we have no humanity in us that would allow this to happen,” Griffiths said.
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Recent assessments reveal that two out of three Sudanese lack access to healthcare, with approximately 19 million children out of school.
Since the conflict erupted last April, over 13,000 people are feared to have been killed and over 10 million driven from their homes.
UNHCR chief, Filippo Grandi, sharing insights from a recent meeting with displaced families in Sudan and Ethiopia, underscored the regional consequences of neglecting the crisis as people who have already fled Sudan now aim for Libya, Tunisia and then Europe.
“I have warned European countries that if the current neglect of this crisis continues, we will see secondary movements, as we call them,” Grandi said.
The UNHCR chief described how Sudan’s middle class has been largely impacted by the urban devastation, people whose lives were upended from one day to the next.
Although they are eager to go back home and resume their activities, people are becoming more and more wary, the High Commissioner for Refugees said.
“When you ask people, ‘Would you go back if there was a ceasefire?’ they think carefully about the answer, ‘We would have to be convinced that there is a real peace and that the militia is not going to come into our house and kick us out again.’
“The message that I passed and will continue to pass to the two (military) leaderships is: You’re losing your own people. What’s the purpose of fighting if you don’t have people to rule?” Grandi added.
UN appeals for $4.1bn aid for Sudan, refugee-hosting countries
Putin Signs Decree to Boost Russian Armed Forces Personnel by 180,000
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to increase the staffing levels of the country’s armed forces, raising the total number of personnel to 2.38 million, including 1.5 million military personnel. The decree, published on the government portal, represents an increase of 180,000 personnel across the Russian armed forces.
The new staffing levels, set to take effect on December 1, 2024, reflect Russia’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its military amid global tensions and geopolitical challenges. This adjustment marks a rise from the previous staffing levels of 2.2 million, which included 1.32 million military personnel.
The decree is part of a broader strategy to enhance the country’s defense capabilities as Russia continues to prioritize military readiness.
Pakistan Police Arrest Key Lawmakers from Imran Khan’s Party Amid Ongoing Crackdown
Authorities in Pakistan have arrested several prominent lawmakers and leaders from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the political party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Party officials confirmed the arrests on Tuesday following a series of late-night raids in Islamabad. While a police spokesperson stated that four individuals were detained, PTI officials claim that 13 members were arrested from various locations, including outside the parliament.
The arrests come in the aftermath of a large PTI rally held on Sunday, calling for the release of the 71-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician, who has been in jail for over a year. Among those arrested was PTI president Gohar Khan. The crackdown reflects ongoing tensions since Khan’s ousting as prime minister in 2022, following a fallout with military leaders, who often hold significant influence in Pakistan’s political landscape.
Footage broadcasted by local media showed police officers forcibly detaining lawmakers outside parliament, prompting condemnation from opposition leaders. Omar Ayub Khan, a senior opposition figure, described the arrests as “despicable,” while PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari denounced the detentions as illegal in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Bukhari further reported that senior PTI members Shoaib Shaheen and Sher Afzal Marwat were also among those taken into custody. Despite a strong showing in February’s general election, where PTI-backed candidates secured the most seats, the party was unable to form a government due to a coalition led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Iraq Denies Allegations of Smuggling Oil to Iran
The Iraqi Oil Ministry has strongly refuted allegations made by several U.S. Congress members, who claimed that Iraq is smuggling oil to Iran to help the country bypass U.S. sanctions. The ministry labeled these accusations as “fabrications with no foundation.”
The rebuttal comes in response to a letter reportedly sent by five U.S. lawmakers to President Joe Biden, accusing Iraqi officials, including Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani, of facilitating illegal oil sales to Iran. The letter further urged Biden to block Ghani’s planned visit to Washington until an investigation into the matter is completed.
In a statement, the Iraqi Oil Ministry expressed “astonishment and condemnation” at the allegations, stressing that its oil operations are under the scrutiny of international inspectors. The ministry also pointed out that Iraqi waters are strictly monitored by naval forces to prevent any illegal activity.
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