LONDON: Western countries including Britain, the United States, France and Germany on Friday urged both sides in war-torn Sudan to let in “urgently required” aid to millions of people in dire need.
War has raged since April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) under the country’s de facto ruler Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
Both sides have been accused of war crimes, including targeting civilians and blocking humanitarian assistance.
“The two sides’ systematic obstruction of local and international humanitarian efforts is at the root of this famine,” European and North American nations said in a joint statement.
The countries asked for movement restrictions on the Adre border crossing from Chad, where the United Nations says it has trucks waiting, to be lifted.
It also called for “all possible cross-border routes” to be opened “without impediment,” which both warring sides previously committed to.
“We condemn that, despite the overwhelming urgency, both SAF and RSF persist in obstructing the humanitarian response,” they said in the declaration, signed by the European Commissioner for Crisis Management.
“An immediate and coordinated scale-up of assistance, together with full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to populations in need, is urgently required to mitigate the large-scale loss of life,” they added.
The conflict has left tens of thousands dead and forced more than 11 million people to flee their homes, including nearly three million now in other countries, according to the United Nations.
Around 26 million people face severe food insecurity, with famine declared in the Zamzam displacement camp in Sudan’s western Darfur region.
Several rounds of negotiations have so far failed to put an end to the conflict.
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Western nations urge Sudan warring sides to let in aid
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Western nations urge Sudan warring sides to let in aid
- “The two sides’ systematic obstruction of local and international humanitarian efforts is at the root of this famine,” European and North American nations said
- The countries asked for movement restrictions on the Adre border crossing from Chad, where the United Nations says it has trucks waiting, to be lifted
Tunisian opponents go on collective hunger strike to support jailed figure
Ben Mbarek launched a hunger strike last week to protest his detention since February 2023
Hazgui said “the family would also launch a hunger strike beginning tomorrow“
TUNIS: Prominent Tunisian opposition figures including Rached Ghannouchi said Friday they would go on hunger strike in solidarity with a jailed politician whose health they say has severely deteriorated after nine days without food.
Jawhar Ben Mbarek, co-founder of the National Salvation Front, Tunisia’s main opposition alliance, launched a hunger strike last week to protest his detention since February 2023.
In April, he was sentenced to 18 years behind bars on charges of “conspiracy against state security” and “belonging to a terrorist group” in a mass trial criticized by rights groups.
Members of Ben Mbarek’s family and leaders from opposition Ennahdha and Al Joumhouri parties said they would join the strike.
“Jawhar is in a worrisome condition, and his health is deteriorating,” said Ezzeddine Hazgui, his father and a veteran activist, during a press conference in Tunis.
Hazgui said “the family would also launch a hunger strike beginning tomorrow,” without specifying which relatives would take part.
“We will not forgive (President) Kais Saied,” he said.
Rights groups have warned of a sharp decline in civil liberties in the North African country since a sweeping power grab by Saied in July 2021.
Many of his critics are currently behind bars.
Ghannouchi, the 84-year-old leader of the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party who is also serving hefty prison sentences, said he joined the protest on Friday, according to a post on his official Facebook page.
Ghannouchi said his hunger strike sought to support Ben Mbarek, but also to “defend freedoms in the country.”
Centrist Al Joumhouri party leader Issam Chebbi, who is also behind bars, announced he launched a hunger strike on Friday as well.
Wissam Sghaier, another leader in Al Joumhouri, said some members of the party would follow suit.
Sghaier said the party’s headquarters in the capital would serve as a gathering point for anyone willing to join.
Relatives and a delegation from the Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH) visited Ben Mbarek at the Belli Civil Prison where he is held southeast of Tunis and reported a “serious deterioration of his state.”
Many gathered near the prison to demand Ben Mbarek’s release.
The LTDH said there have been “numerous attempts” to persuade Ben Mbarek to suspend the hunger strike, but “he refused and said he was committed to maintain it until the injustice inflicted upon him is lifted.”
On Wednesday, prison authorities denied in a statement that the health of any prisoners had deteriorated because of a hunger strike, without naming Ben Mbarek.
Hazgui said “the family would also launch a hunger strike beginning tomorrow“
TUNIS: Prominent Tunisian opposition figures including Rached Ghannouchi said Friday they would go on hunger strike in solidarity with a jailed politician whose health they say has severely deteriorated after nine days without food.
Jawhar Ben Mbarek, co-founder of the National Salvation Front, Tunisia’s main opposition alliance, launched a hunger strike last week to protest his detention since February 2023.
In April, he was sentenced to 18 years behind bars on charges of “conspiracy against state security” and “belonging to a terrorist group” in a mass trial criticized by rights groups.
Members of Ben Mbarek’s family and leaders from opposition Ennahdha and Al Joumhouri parties said they would join the strike.
“Jawhar is in a worrisome condition, and his health is deteriorating,” said Ezzeddine Hazgui, his father and a veteran activist, during a press conference in Tunis.
Hazgui said “the family would also launch a hunger strike beginning tomorrow,” without specifying which relatives would take part.
“We will not forgive (President) Kais Saied,” he said.
Rights groups have warned of a sharp decline in civil liberties in the North African country since a sweeping power grab by Saied in July 2021.
Many of his critics are currently behind bars.
Ghannouchi, the 84-year-old leader of the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party who is also serving hefty prison sentences, said he joined the protest on Friday, according to a post on his official Facebook page.
Ghannouchi said his hunger strike sought to support Ben Mbarek, but also to “defend freedoms in the country.”
Centrist Al Joumhouri party leader Issam Chebbi, who is also behind bars, announced he launched a hunger strike on Friday as well.
Wissam Sghaier, another leader in Al Joumhouri, said some members of the party would follow suit.
Sghaier said the party’s headquarters in the capital would serve as a gathering point for anyone willing to join.
Relatives and a delegation from the Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH) visited Ben Mbarek at the Belli Civil Prison where he is held southeast of Tunis and reported a “serious deterioration of his state.”
Many gathered near the prison to demand Ben Mbarek’s release.
The LTDH said there have been “numerous attempts” to persuade Ben Mbarek to suspend the hunger strike, but “he refused and said he was committed to maintain it until the injustice inflicted upon him is lifted.”
On Wednesday, prison authorities denied in a statement that the health of any prisoners had deteriorated because of a hunger strike, without naming Ben Mbarek.
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