KHARTOUM: Sudan’s army said on Friday it had killed Ali Yagoub Gibril, a senior commander for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) who was under US sanctions, during a battle in the besieged north Darfur city of Al-Fashir.
There was no immediate comment from the RSF.
Gibril was a leading commander for the RSF in Al-Fashir, the last major city in the Darfur region of Sudan that the paramilitary force does not control.
The army said in a statement Yacoub was killed as an RSF attack was thwarted early on Friday by its troops and allied “joint forces” fighting alongside it — a reference to non-Arab former rebel groups from Darfur that are aligned with the army.
The RSF has been besieging Al-Fashir, a city of 1.8 million people, for weeks and top UN officials have warned that the worsening conflict there could trigger widespread intercommunal violence.
The UN Security Council called on Thursday for a halt to the siege.
War between the army and the RSF erupted over conditions for a transition to democracy in mid-April last year in the capital Khartoum, soon spreading to other parts of the country.
The conflict has led to the world’s largest displacement crisis, renewed ethnic violence in Darfur blamed on the RSF and its allies, and a sharp increase in extreme hunger.
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Sudan’s army says it has killed US-sanctioned RSF Darfur commander
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Sudan’s army says it has killed US-sanctioned RSF Darfur commander
- Gibril was a leading commander for the RSF in Al-Fashir
Hamas says technocratic committee key to consolidating Gaza truce
- A senior Hamas official on Thursday welcomed the formation of a technocratic committee to govern post-war Gaza, saying it would help consolidate the ceasefire and prevent a return to fighting
GAZA: A senior Hamas official on Thursday welcomed the formation of a technocratic committee to govern post-war Gaza, saying it would help consolidate the ceasefire and prevent a return to fighting.
Egypt, a mediator in indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, announced the formation of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee that would operate under the overall supervision of a so-called “Board of Peace,” to be chaired by US President Donald Trump.
“The formation of the committee is a step in the right direction,” said Bassem Naim, a senior leader in the Palestinian Islamist movement.
“This is crucial for consolidating the ceasefire, preventing a return to war, addressing the catastrophic humanitarian crisis and preparing for comprehensive reconstruction,” he said.
Hamas has exercised total control over public life in Gaza since 2007.
It has repeatedly said it does not seek a role in any future governing authority in Gaza and would limit its involvement to monitoring governance.
Naim said Hamas was ready to hand over administration of the Gaza Strip to the national transitional committee and to facilitate its work.
“The ball is now in the court of the mediators, the American guarantor and the international community to empower the committee,” he said.
He urged them to counter what he described as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempts to “stall or obstruct” the next stages of the ceasefire.
Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, Gaza has been split by a so-called “Yellow Line,” marking the boundary between territory controlled by Hamas and areas under Israeli military authority.
Washington’s top envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on Wednesday the ceasefire had moved into its second stage.
Key elements of the second stage include the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the demilitarization of the territory including the disarmament of Hamas, and steps to address the humanitarian crisis through accelerated aid deliveries and reconstruction.
The US-proposed Board of Peace is expected to be led on the ground by Bulgarian diplomat and politician Nickolay Mladenov, who has recently held talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials.
Mladenov previously served as the United Nations envoy for the Middle East peace process from early 2015 until the end of 2020.
Media reports say Trump is expected to announce the members of the Board of Peace in the coming days, with the body set to include around 15 world leaders.
Egypt, a mediator in indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, announced the formation of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee that would operate under the overall supervision of a so-called “Board of Peace,” to be chaired by US President Donald Trump.
“The formation of the committee is a step in the right direction,” said Bassem Naim, a senior leader in the Palestinian Islamist movement.
“This is crucial for consolidating the ceasefire, preventing a return to war, addressing the catastrophic humanitarian crisis and preparing for comprehensive reconstruction,” he said.
Hamas has exercised total control over public life in Gaza since 2007.
It has repeatedly said it does not seek a role in any future governing authority in Gaza and would limit its involvement to monitoring governance.
Naim said Hamas was ready to hand over administration of the Gaza Strip to the national transitional committee and to facilitate its work.
“The ball is now in the court of the mediators, the American guarantor and the international community to empower the committee,” he said.
He urged them to counter what he described as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempts to “stall or obstruct” the next stages of the ceasefire.
Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, Gaza has been split by a so-called “Yellow Line,” marking the boundary between territory controlled by Hamas and areas under Israeli military authority.
Washington’s top envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on Wednesday the ceasefire had moved into its second stage.
Key elements of the second stage include the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the demilitarization of the territory including the disarmament of Hamas, and steps to address the humanitarian crisis through accelerated aid deliveries and reconstruction.
The US-proposed Board of Peace is expected to be led on the ground by Bulgarian diplomat and politician Nickolay Mladenov, who has recently held talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials.
Mladenov previously served as the United Nations envoy for the Middle East peace process from early 2015 until the end of 2020.
Media reports say Trump is expected to announce the members of the Board of Peace in the coming days, with the body set to include around 15 world leaders.
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