Latest news with #TSC
Mada
3 days ago
- Health
- Mada
Sudan Nashra: RSF reclaim strategic areas in Kordofan, bomb hospital in Obeid Burhan forms committee to investigate US chemical weapons claim
As ground battles between the military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shift to the Kordofan states in western Sudan, newly appointed Prime Minister Kamel Idriss arrived in Port Sudan to formally assume office for the renewed transitional period. Idriss is working to assemble his administrative team in secrecy, a source in the cabinet told Mada Masr, and has yet to engage with any political or military blocs for the new government. According to a source in the Transitional Sovereignty Council (TSC), Idriss is expected to retain some ministers and has been granted full autonomy in selecting his cabinet without interference from either the military or the council. The source also ruled out the inclusion of any armed group not party to the Juba Peace Agreement in the new government. Meanwhile, in response to accusations from the United States that Sudan has used chemical weapons — and Washington's decision to impose sanctions — TSC Chair and military Commander-in-Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the claims. A senior Foreign Ministry official said the move was made at the ministry's recommendation to adhere to international protocol. On the health front, a major surge in the cholera outbreak has swept through the capital Khartoum, with Omdurman at the epicenter. The disease is spreading rapidly amid a collapsed healthcare system and widespread water contamination, exacerbated by RSF shelling of water and electricity stations. Overcrowded hospitals have left patients receiving treatment in the streets. In North Kordofan, an RSF drone strike hit the Daman Hospital in Obeid, killing six people and injuring several others, including medical staff. The attack caused heavy damage and forced the hospital out of service, further straining an already overwhelmed health infrastructure. On the battlefield, the RSF regained control of strategic areas in South and West Kordofan, including Debeibat, Hammadi and Khawi, following a major build-up in the region to push back the military's advance toward Darfur. *** New prime minister arrives in Port Sudan Newly appointed Prime Minister Kamel Idriss arrived in Port Sudan on Thursday ahead of his anticipated swearing in and formal assumption of duties in Sudan's administrative capital. His appointment was announced when Burhan issued a constitutional decree on May 19, naming Idriss — an independent former presidential hopeful and UN official — as prime minister. The move followed internal disputes within the TSC over the earlier nominee, Sudan's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dafallah al-Hajj Ali, whose ties to the former regime, coupled with the sweeping authorities granted to the premiership's position, sparked concerns among the council's members. Idriss is assembling his administrative team in secrecy and has not yet communicated with any political or military groups to form the new government, a senior cabinet official told Mada Masr. The new prime minister — the first in the position since transitional Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned in January 2022 — is expected to retain several current ministers, an informed source in the TSC told Mada Masr, stressing that the choice of cabinet members will be entirely his, without input from the military or the TSC. As for armed groups fighting alongside the military, the source said there has been no communication or appointments that would include any armed faction other than those signatory to the Juba Peace Agreement. Local reports had suggested military-allied Sudan Shield Forces led by Abu Agla Keikel and Baraa ibn Malik brigades would be part of Idriss's upcoming government. Government spokesperson Khalid al-Eaisar described Idriss's arrival in Port Sudan as marking 'a new chapter of hope and democratic transition.' *** Burhan orders investigation into US allegations of chemical weapons use Sudan will face US sanctions over the use of chemical weapons in 2024, the US State Department stated on May 22, a claim the government denied, calling it 'unsubstantiated.' The sanctions include restrictions on US exports to Sudan and limits on access to US government credit lines. In response, Burhan issued a decree on Thursday establishing a national committee to investigate the allegations. The Sudanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the formation of the committee reflects 'compliance with Sudan's international obligations, including the Chemical Weapons Convention,' and aligns with the government's 'policy of transparency.' The ministry also reiterated Sudan's rejection of the US accusations. Government spokesperson Khalid al-Eaisar condemned the US decision a day after it was made public, describing it as part of a broader pattern of missteps in Washington's policy toward Sudan. 'What distinguishes the present moment,' he said, 'is that such interventions — devoid of moral and legal justification — are further eroding Washington's credibility and shutting the door to any future influence in Sudan through its unilateral and unjust actions.' According to Burhan's decree, the national committee will include representatives from the ministries of foreign affairs and defense, as well as the General Intelligence Service. It has been tasked with investigating the claims and submitting its report promptly. A senior official at the Foreign Ministry told Mada Masr that the committee was formed based on ministry recommendations to adhere to diplomatic protocols rather than resorting to political responses. The US claims lack any supporting evidence, the official added, emphasizing the importance of grounding Sudan's response in international principles. *** RSF regains control of strategic areas in South, West Kordofan Territorial control in Kordofan continues to shift between the military and the RSF as the former presses to assert control in the region and push toward Darfur. Over the past week, the RSF retook strategic areas following heavy clashes. Fighting broke out Thursday in the city of Debeibat, South Kordofan, where the RSF ultimately reclaimed control, a field source told Mada Masr. The paramilitary group stated that it had inflicted heavy losses on the military and its allied forces, reiterating its intent to retake all territory held by the military. The field source said the RSF also seized the town of Hammadi on its northward advance. Videos circulated by RSF fighters appear to confirm their presence in the area. The military had taken control of Hammadi on May 13 and stormed Debeibat on May 23, before the RSF reversed those gains. On Thursday afternoon, the military carried out several airstrikes on RSF gatherings inside Debeibat, resulting in casualties, including injuries to a prominent RSF commander in Kordofan, another field source told Mada Masr. The RSF had been mobilizing large forces from Kordofan and Darfur over the past few days to push back the military's advance and recapture key strategic areas, the source said. Debeibat holds a strategic importance as a junction linking the three Kordofan states. For the military, control of the city would have paved the way to the city of Dalang in South Kordofan and allowed the military to lift the siege on its forces there — forces that have previously engaged in heavy fighting with the RSF and allied militias in the same region. Simultaneously, the RSF launched a large-scale attack on the town of Khawi in West Kordofan on Thursday, capturing it on Friday morning after the military retreated. A local source told Mada Masr that RSF fighters bypassed an advanced military defense line and reached the town's outskirts. In a statement on Thursday, military-allied armed movements' joint force said that it secured a 'sweeping victory' in the Khawi front and that the battle took place just kilometers outside the town. The statement said 344 RSF fighters, including field commanders, were killed, and 67 trucks were destroyed before the remaining RSF forces fled. But the RSF resumed its offensive on Khawi and ultimately established full control the following day, pushing military units, allied armed movements and supporting battalions back toward the outskirts of Obeid, a local source told Mada Masr. RSF troops also advanced northward from South Kordofan to the Kazgil area south of Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan. Khawi has seen repeated rounds of heavy fighting, most notably on May 13, when the military dealt a significant blow to the RSF. The town serves as an advanced defensive line for Obeid and holds economic significance for its large gum arabic and livestock markets. At this stage of the Kordofan campaign, a former military officer told Mada Masr, the military's operational objective is to wear down RSF forces and selectively destroy strategic targets before reclaiming territory. Movements on the ground, they said, should be interpreted within that context. *** RSF strike shuts down Daman Hospital in Obeid The RSF bombed the Daman Hospital in Obeid, capital of the North Kordofan State on Friday, killing and injuring several people and incapacitating the hospital. The hospital administration announced that operations have been suspended until further notice due to the extensive structural damage caused by what it described as a strategic drone strike by the Rapid Support Forces. All staff have been placed on a two-week leave. The Sudanese Doctors' Network said in a statement that six people were killed and 14 others injured in the attack, which they confirmed rendered the hospital non-operational. The Emergency Lawyers group, meanwhile, said 15 were injured, including patients, their companions and medical staff. Having Daman Hospital out of service compounds an already dire healthcare situation in the city, the group said. *** Khartoum grapples with cholera surge amid collapse of health, basic services Cholera cases in Khartoum State have surged dramatically, rising from 90 to 815 reported cases per day between May 15 and 25, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Since January, the state has recorded more than 7,700 cases and 185 deaths. Federal Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim, on the other hand, estimated on May 24 that cholera cases climbed to a weekly average of 600 to 700 new infections per week over the previous four weeks. The outbreak comes as more than 34,000 people have returned to Khartoum State in 2025, UNICEF said, many of whom are coming back to homes damaged by fighting with little or no access to essential services, including clean water and sanitation. Around 26,500 children in the state's Jebel Awliya and Khartoum localities are suffering from severe acute malnutrition, leaving them especially vulnerable to cholera infections. Attacks on power infrastructure have severely disrupted electricity and water supplies, forcing families to rely on unsafe water sources and worsening the spread of waterborne diseases, UNICEF added. Just 10 percent of Khartoum's water pumping stations remain operational, while RSF drone strikes deliberately targeted many power facilities, Ibrahim said in a seminar organized by the Health Ministry on Wednesday, which Mada Masr attended. This forced many to rely on untreated Nile water, he added. Nationwide, the disease has infected 23,736 people and claimed 672 lives since the start of the war, with the majority of cases concentrated in Khartoum, according to Ibrahim. The capital's health sector is nearing total collapse. An estimated 90 percent of hospitals are now closed — either destroyed or lacking essential medical supplies, he said. The few facilities still functioning are severely overburdened by the recent spike of patients and face acute shortages of basic medicines, often having to resort to treating people in the hospital's corridors, waiting areas, or even on the streets outside, he said. Omdurman, one of the cities that make up the capital, has particularly borne the brunt of the crisis since last week. At the Naw Hospital, volunteers told Mada Masr that 118 new infections and 24 deaths were recorded inside the isolation ward alone on Tuesday and Wednesday, while another 15 patients who had arrived in critical condition died shortly after. To cope with the numbers, the federal health ministry has transferred patients to other facilities, including Bashaer, Rajhi, Um Badda, Omdurman, and Mohamed al-Amin Hamed Children's Hospital, a volunteer said. In Um Badda, west of Omdurman, an emergency room member told Mada Masr there is a spread of cholera and acute diarrhea, largely due to contaminated drinking water. The member reported 420 cholera cases and 72 deaths over just two days near Um Badda Hospital — a spike likely linked to the transfer of infected patients. In eastern Khartoum, a member of the East Nile emergency room told Mada Masr that over 80 cholera cases, including five deaths, have been documented at the Ban Gadid Hospital in recent days, noting a wider outbreak spanning the Ban Gadid and Umdawanban hospitals. The situation is further compounded by ongoing power outages, which are disabling vital medical equipment and spoiling life-saving medicines and vaccines that require refrigeration, Ibrahim said in the seminar. Medical staff across Khartoum continue to work in perilous conditions, often without security or adequate supplies.
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Travel + Leisure
4 days ago
- Politics
- Travel + Leisure
What Actually Happens If You're on the No Fly List?
If you've ever watched the movie, 'Due Date,' you're probably familiar with the concept of a no-fly list. In the 2010 film, Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifiniakis' characters end up having to drive across the country after getting kicked off of a flight for inadvertently using trigger words like 'bomb' and 'terrorist.' While the movie is a comedy, and it's not based on a true story, no-fly lists are no joke. American citizens are entitled to certain inalienable human rights, but flying isn't one of them. If you do something that the federal government or the airlines deem bad enough, you can lose the right to a middle seat faster than the flight attendants can give their safety speech. The U.S. federal government's official No Fly List is a private list created and updated by a division of the FBI called the Threat Screening Center (TSC). The No Fly List is actually part of a larger list, the terrorist watchlist. 'While we cannot provide a demographic breakdown, we can confirm that U.S. persons make up approximately half a percent of No Fly records,' an FBI spokesperson tells Travel + Leisure . Anyone on the No Fly List is banned from flying on commercial aircraft to or from the U.S. Additionally, they're not allowed to fly, commercially, over the U.S. According to the FBI, any individual, regardless of where they have citizenship, can end up on the No Fly List. For years, extremely wealthy passengers on the No Fly List have gotten around it by flying in and out on their private jets which aren't subject to screening by TSA, one of the government agencies with access to the No Fly List. View through a plane window. Margot Cavin/Travel + Leisure There are a number of things that can get you on the federal No Fly List. For starters, you could be placed on it if you make a threat that can be deemed an act of international or domestic terrorism pertaining to an aircraft, an airline, a passenger, or civil aviation security. You can also find yourself on the list for a threat to commit an act of terrorism with respect to the U.S. or a threat to commit an act of international terrorism. This includes making threats against U.S. government facilities abroad such as embassies, consulates, and military bases. The federal No Fly List is not public because if it were, terrorist organizations could potentially use it to their advantage. Most of the time, the only way you'll know that you're on the federal No Fly List is because you won't receive a boarding pass from the airline after purchasing your ticket. In extremely limited circumstances, if you're a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident, you may receive a letter from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) informing you that you are on the No Fly List, although it doesn't always explain why you're on it. Often, the letter will include an option for you to appeal if you think you don't belong on the No Fly List. If you are not a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident, you won't receive this letter. In addition to the official federal No Fly List, airlines are allowed to blacklist passengers from future flights. 'Like most major airlines, Delta does maintain an internal no-fly list separate from a no-fly list managed by TSA/Homeland Security,' a spokesperson for Delta told T+L. 'Out of many security and operational considerations, we don't comment or characterize details about our internal list.' Many passengers on these airline no-fly lists—which airlines have different names for—are deemed 'unruly passengers.' In 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) logged 2,102 unruly passenger reports. It may seem like a lot, but keep in mind that 2.9 million passengers fly in and out of U.S. airports every day. Being on one airline's no-fly list doesn't mean you are on another airline's no-fly list. For the most part, they don't share that information. For example, when Executive Platinum American Airlines member Keith White showed up at the airport only to find himself on American Airlines' no-fly list, he was able to get to his final destination by purchasing a last-minute ticket on another airline. By the time he reached his final destination, American Airlines had removed him from their no-fly list; they never told him why he was on it. View through an airport window on a rainy day. Margot Cavin/Travel + Leisure Unruly behavior is the number one reason passengers end up on an airline's no-fly list. This includes making threats or acting in a violent manner that prevents airline crew members from doing their jobs, which subsequently impacts the safety of other passengers. In 2022, Delta reported having nearly 2,000 passengers on its no-fly list, most of whom ended up on it for refusing to wear a mask during the height of the COVID pandemic. Of course, not all unruly behavior is considered detrimental enough to ban you from flying the airline ever again. United, for example, takes away other perks or privileges including loyalty miles and Mileage Plus account status for minor offenses. You can also lose your eligibility for TSA PreCheck. For more severe incidents, the consequences are more serious. In addition to being placed on their internal no-fly list, an airline can report your behavior to the FAA who can hit you with up to $37,000 in fines (per violation). The FAA can also refer your case to the FBI which can result in a felony trial and even jail time. According to Christopher Elliot, a consumer advocate and founder of Elliot Advocacy, airlines should tell you in advance if you're on their version of a no-fly list. Elliot also says consumers need to be informed of why they're banned and how they can get the ban lifted. Still, airlines don't always do this. Some passengers, such as Keith White, don't find out until the agent at the gate tries to scan their boarding pass, and it gets denied. That said, if you do something on a flight that gets you immediately banned, you may be served papers after you're escorted off the plane. Other passengers report receiving emails from the airlines informing them of their status. Just because you are selected for extra screening or find the dreaded 'SSSS' on your boarding pass does not mean you are on an airline's no-fly list. According to the DHS, 'Such delays are often caused by a name similarity to another person who is on the watchlist.' If this happens to you, you can appeal and apply for a redress number. '98 percent of individuals who apply for redress have no nexus to the terrorist watchlist,' reports the DHS. A redress number is basically a 7-digit case number assigned to you that you can input when you're booking a flight. When you do so, the airline and TSA can refer back to your case and see that you're not on a watchlist, despite being flagged.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Certify Achieves Third Consecutive SOC-2 Compliance
Milestone underscores company's enduring commitment to data security and compliance NEW YORK, May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Certify, the provider data intelligence company, today announced it has achieved Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 Type 2 compliance for the second consecutive year, building on their initial SOC-2 Type 1 certification received in 2023. The achievement demonstrates Certify's ongoing dedication to maintaining the highest standards of security, privacy, and compliance in an increasingly digital healthcare environment. "Our three-year track record of SOC-2 compliance reflects our unwavering commitment to security excellence," said Shannon Kern, Senior Director of Quality, Compliance and Security at Certify. "These certifications validate that our comprehensive security framework doesn't just exist on paper but operates effectively every day across our entire organization. For our healthcare clients, this means peace of mind knowing their sensitive data is protected by proven, independently-verified safeguards that meet the industry's highest standards." The SOC-2 Type 2 audit examination, administered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), evaluates an organization's information systems and security controls over a rigorous 12-month period. Certify underwent assessment across 131 controls spanning nine categories of the Trust Services Criteria (TSC) for Security, including control environment, communication and information, risk assessment, monitoring controls, logical and physical access controls, system operations, change management, and risk mitigation. As healthcare organizations continue their digital transformation journey, security certifications have become essential indicators of reliability and trustworthiness. "We see these certifications as stepping stones, not finish lines," added Kern. "We're building the most robust compliance framework and security posture possible, with privacy as our ultimate guide. Our goal has always been to exceed industry standards and make it easy for our healthcare clients to trust us with their sensitive information." Certify's security program aligns with industry-leading frameworks like NIST, and includes continuous monitoring, encryption, secure system architecture, antivirus and malware protection, annual penetration testing, business continuity testing, and other organization-wide compliance protocols (e.g., security awareness training, vendor risk assessment). Certify takes a rigorous and comprehensive approach to security and compliance in support of our healthcare partners. On June 25th, we're hosting a webinar to discuss how we're helping our clients stay ahead of changes to the NCQA credentialing changes; you can reach out to your client relationship manager or email sales@ to request an invite. About Certify Certify is the architect of modern provider data infrastructure — combining best-in-class technology, best-in-class data, and deep domain expertise to transform how healthcare operates. Entering the market in 2021 as a credentialing platform, Certify now powers the full provider data lifecycle through a continuously updated source of truth powered by thousands of primary sources and available through one API. The provider data intelligence company is backed by esteemed investors including General Catalyst and Upfront Ventures. For more information, please visit us at Media Contact Emily View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Certify Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Mada
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Mada
Sudan Nashra: Disputes in sovereignty council end with new prime minister appointment Bashir's party, international community welcome appointment; opposition, RSF reject it
On Tuesday, the military announced that it had completely expelled the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from central Sudan for the first time since the outbreak of the war, following its capture of the RSF's final strongholds in southern and western Omdurman and the northern White Nile State. In its statement, the military declared Khartoum State 'free of rebels.' The military now controls 10 of Sudan's 18 states, with the exception of limited pockets held by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) and the RSF in the southeastern Blue Nile region. Meanwhile, the RSF maintains full control over the South, West, Central and East Darfur states, while North Darfur remains split. Most of the North and South Kordofan states are under military control, though the RSF and SPLM-N continue to hold several strongholds there. The RSF also dominates the majority of West Kordofan State. The military's recent statements included the release of an updated map showing the military's widespread control across the country. The day before the military's announcement also saw significant political developments. On Monday, Transitional Sovereignty Council (TSC) Chair and military Commander-in-Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan issued a series of key decrees. Amid mounting pressure from TSC members, Burhan reversed his earlier decision to appoint Sudan's ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dafallah al-Hajj Ali as prime minister. A diplomat who served for decades under ousted president Omar al-Bashir, Ali's nomination drew criticism over his ties to the former regime, especially in light of the sweeping powers Burhan recently granted to the premiership. In his place, Burhan appointed Kamel Idriss, a former United Nations official, as the new prime minister. Burhan also stripped TSC members of their oversight roles over federal ministries and institutions, a measure a source in the TSC said he had taken earlier in the war to avert institutional collapse. As part of the set of decrees issued on Monday, Burhan also appointed two new members to the TSC. By Tuesday morning, waves of international support began to pour in. African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf was the first to welcome the move, followed by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the Arab League later that evening. On Wednesday morning, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) also issued a statement of support. The international actors expressed hope that the decision would restore constitutional order, launch an inclusive Sudanese dialogue and end the civil war. Domestically, however, only the former ruling National Congress Party welcomed the move. The opposition outright rejected the appointment, joined by the RSF. They dismissed what they called the 'Port Sudan authority' as illegitimate and deemed the move meaningless, warning it could instead lead to further divisions in the country. Meanwhile, in Omdurman's Ombada locality, where the military claimed control last week, violence and security chaos persist. A member in the Ombada Emergency Room told Mada Masr that reports of abuses against civilians continue to surface, including arbitrary arrests and torture by military personnel, as well as attacks by criminal gangs affiliated with the RSF still operating in the area. *** Burhan appoints new prime minister after Transitional Sovereignty Council members rejected Sudan's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia This week saw a flurry of political developments in Sudan, culminating in the appointment of former independent presidential hopeful and UN official Kamel Idriss as the new prime minister. This decision reversed the earlier nomination of Dafallah al-Hajj Ali, Sudan's ambassador to Saudi Arabia. The decision drew regional and international support, though it was met with sharp criticism from opposition parties and the RSF at home. Idriss's selection comes less than a month after Burhan had named Ali acting prime minister, marking the first appointment to the position since transitional Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned in January 2022. However, internal disputes within the military and the TSC — led by TSC member and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the military Shams Eddin Kabbashi and TSC Deputy Chair Malik Agar — led Burhan to seek an alternative candidate. Ali had already packed up and left the Sudanese embassy in Riyadh's diplomatic quarter to Port Sudan before he was forced to go back when tensions flared within the TSC, a source in the council told Mada Masr. At the center of the dispute was the scope of powers assigned to the position — endorsed by the selection committee and ratified by Burhan. These powers, which would have been assumed by Ali, include sweeping executive authority that would even extend to the signatories to the Juba Peace Agreement, who have operated with considerable autonomy within the government to this point. Further, the designated prime minister was expected to resume control over the Cabinet once Burhan rolled back his previous decision to grant ministerial control to the transitional council. Ali, a figure with extensive influence in Sudan's foreign affairs, had built a reputation as a key figure in post-April 2023 diplomacy. He spearheaded international engagement with neighboring and Gulf countries and earned Burhan's confidence as one of the military-led government's top representatives. However, his appointment raised concerns within the TSC. The council's members — particularly Shams Eddin Kabbashi and Malik Agar — objected to the concentration of powers in the hands of someone so closely tied to the old regime. Ali's diplomatic career, which began in 1980, unfolded largely under ousted president Omar al-Bashir, raising doubts about his ability to bring in new political faces. According to three sources in the TSC who spoke to Mada Masr, council members saw that such powers should be granted to a figure outside the former regime's circles. Burhan made his final decision during a closed-door TSC meeting on Sunday that lasted over five hours and focused on roles and powers, a source in the general secretariat of the prime minister's office told Mada Masr. In the end, Burhan selected Idriss, and the decision was met with no objection. Along with Idriss's appointment, Burhan named two new members to the TSC to represent Sudan's eastern and central regions. Nawara Abu Mohamed Mohamed was appointed as the representative for eastern Sudan, and Salma Abdel Gabbar — a former TSC member — was reinstated to represent central Sudan. Burhan had previously reshuffled the TSC in November 2021, replacing members affiliated with the revolutionary forces shortly after the October 25 coup. Among the new appointees at the time was Salma Abdel Gabbar, though she was later dismissed as talks over the December 5, 2022 political framework agreement gained momentum. Just before appointing Idriss as prime minister on Monday, Burhan issued a presidential decree on the same day rescinding the TSC's authority to oversee federal ministries, as has been awaited. A source in the TSC told Mada Masr that the appointment marks a return to the transitional framework outlined in the February amendments to the constitution, which granted the current ruling parties another 39-month transitional term. Burhan's earlier decision in August 2023 — which gave the TSC authority over ministries shortly after his departure from the General Command in Khartoum — was intended as an emergency measure to prevent state institutions from descending into chaos, the source said. A Foreign Ministry official criticized the old decree, arguing that it had obstructed Sudan's engagement with the African Union on lifting the country's suspension. The AU had refused to work with the transitional government, viewing it as an extension of the post-October 25, 2021 coup regime. Idriss, the newly appointed prime minister, was a presidential candidate in the 2010 elections held before South Sudan's secession. He holds a PhD in law and previously served as general director of the World Intellectual Property Organization from November 1997 to September 2008. He also held the post of secretary general at the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants. The appointment garnered support from regional and international bodies. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the AU, IGAD, the Arab League and the UN issued statements expressing support and hope that the appointment would pave the way for an inclusive political process and help bring an end to the war. AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf described Idriss's appointment as a 'step toward inclusive governance.' He expressed hope that the move would contribute meaningfully to the ongoing efforts to restore constitutional order and democratic governance in Sudan. Youssouf also urged all Sudanese stakeholders to 'redouble their efforts toward a peaceful, civilian-led and inclusive transition that reflects the aspirations of the Sudanese people.' He reiterated the commission's readiness to support Sudan in cooperation with regional and international partners. Similarly, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres voiced support for the move. In a statement delivered by his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, Guterres expressed hope that the appointment would serve as one of 'the first steps toward inclusive consultations,' leading to the formation of a 'broad-based technocratic government' and forging peace. Guterres stressed the importance of consensus efforts to achieve tangible outcomes that benefit all Sudanese people 'by silencing the guns, delivering essential services to all the population and laying the groundwork for a common vision for Sudan's future.' IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu voiced similar support and hope that the appointment will be a 'meaningful step toward revising an inclusive political process,' reiterating IGAD's call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. The Arab League also welcomed Idriss's appointment, calling it an important step toward restoring the work of national civil institutions. The Arab League's General Secretariat said the organization would ramp up its efforts to support Sudan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, boost international responsiveness to the country's development and humanitarian needs, and help steer the civilian transition through a Sudanese-led inclusive political process involving all segments of civil society. *** Bashir's party welcomes Idriss's appointment as opposition, RSF reject it While opposition parties and the RSF rejected the appointment of Idriss as prime minister, the former ruling National Congress Party — now dissolved — welcomed the move. In a statement obtained by Mada Masr, the party's acting leader, Ahmed Haroun, praised the move as a restoration of full executive authority to the Cabinet and a step toward advancing the country's transition process. He described Idriss as a 'patriotic figure' qualified for the position. On the opposing front, strong criticism was voiced by the Democratic Civil Alliance of Revolutionary Forces (Sumud), headed by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. In a statement issued Wednesday — intended as a response to the AU Commission chairperson's expression of support for the appointment — Sumud described the move as a direct violation of AU protocols, which reject the constitutionality of any government formed after the October 25, 2021 coup. Sumud warned that the position expressed by Youssouf sends a message to the warring party seeking legitimacy to continue fighting in order to gain through war what it failed to secure through the coup, which millions of Sudanese people had taken to the streets to reject. In its statement, Sumud stressed that in the wake of a devastating war, no authority established by either of the warring factions — both of which executed the October 2021 coup — should be granted legitimacy in any part of Sudan. Offering such recognition, it argued, would only serve to prolong the war and ultimately lead to the country's fragmentation. The alliance also dismissed the claim that the appointment of a new prime minister was a step toward civilian rule, calling it a flawed, baseless argument. The October 25, 2021 coup, it said, had already torn up the constitution, and amendments later introduced by the 'Port Sudan authority' merely transformed it into a document centralizing power in the hands of the military. Any figure appointed under its provisions, the statement said, would be powerless and only serve to legitimize a government that has no legitimacy. The National Umma Party likewise rejected the appointment, describing the move as nothing more than political maneuvering that escalates the war and derails any productive political process. Speaking to Mada Masr, Emam al-Hilu, head of the party's Political Bureau for Policy and Peace Affairs, said that the current Sudanese government is a military regime borne of a coup, and accused it of dragging the country into war. He warned that the move would likely prompt the RSF to follow suit and form their own government, regardless of what it is called. All of this, he said, reflects a lack of seriousness and disregard for the welfare of civilians. The RSF had already announced in February plans to form a parallel government in Sudan, followed by its commander Mohamed Hamdan 'Hemedti' Dagalo's declaration of a presidential council in April. According to Hilu, Idriss's appointment in this manner would have no effect, expressing doubt that he would be able to contribute meaningfully to ending the war or advancing peace. Naming a prime minister at this stage, he said, was untimely, especially considering that TSC member Ibrahim Gaber already presented a political roadmap for resolving the war at the Arab League Summit in Baghdad in mid-May — a plan Sudan's Permanent Representative to the UN Al-Harith Idriss had submitted to the international body in February. If Burhan is serious, Hilu continued, he should instead work toward stopping the war, seek a ceasefire, show a willingness to revise certain terms in the roadmap and demonstrate readiness to stop the destruction unconditionally — even meeting with the RSF under the oversight of all domestic political powers and with international support. The opposition Sudanese Congress Party also rejected the appointment. The party's spokesperson, Nour Eddin Babiker, told Mada Masr that Burhan's appointments to the TSC and Cabinet are nothing more than a 'desperate attempt to distort reality and cover up the ongoing war crimes in Sudan.' Babiker stressed that the crisis in Sudan is not due to the absence of a prime minister, but rather a result of the devastating war ignited by the former regime. Portraying these appointments as a step toward stability, he argued, is merely an 'escape forward' from the country's core problem. This appointment, Babiker said, underscores the determination of Port Sudan's de facto authority to avoid confronting reality, continue the war and pursue false legitimacy through an exposed and discredited civilian facade. He warned that such appointments would only escalate tensions and further complicate the political scene, prompting the RSF to take similar steps — deepening Sudan's social and political divisions and compounding the country's suffering. No party holds legitimacy following the October 25 coup, the spokesperson said, describing any attempt to impose a new political reality 'amid the ashes of devastated cities' as a moral and political crime. Babiker argued that the only viable solution lies in an immediate ceasefire and a transition into serious negotiations that pave the way for an inclusive political process. This process, he said, must produce national consensus to end the existence of multiple armed groups and ensure fair power and wealth sharing, while guaranteeing equal citizenship free from ethnic, regional or religious discrimination and without foreign guardianship. The RSF echoed the stance of political opposition forces regarding the lack of legitimacy in Burhan's appointment of Idriss. Omran Abdallah, an advisor to Hemedti, told Mada Masr that the decision 'means nothing' — calling it a 'gift from someone who doesn't own it to someone who doesn't deserve it.' He stressed that Burhan lacks legitimacy and leads a de facto authority, and that the appointment of Idriss — or anyone else — is legally and constitutionally invalid. Abdallah added that the RSF does not recognize the move in any way and remains committed to uprooting the current regime. *** Military announces capital free of RSF presence Military spokesperson Nabil Abdallah declared on Tuesday that 'Khartoum State is completely free of the rebels,' after the military recaptured the Salha neighborhood, the villages of Gamuia and several other areas in western and southern Omdurman. Heavy clashes broke out on Monday and Tuesday as the military launched a multi-front offensive against RSF-held positions in southern and western Omdurman, a field source told Mada Masr. According to the source, over 13 units took part in the final push to retake the last RSF strongholds in Khartoum. The operation involved military troops, Central Reserve Police, intelligence forces, armed movements, Sudan Shield Forces and local mobilized fighters from the Gamuia villages. A missile strike targeted the RSF's communications center, the source said, causing confusion among its leadership and forcing some to flee. Fighting and pursuit operations continued for nearly ten hours before the military fully secured Gamuia villages, Salha, the neighborhoods of Gadin and Muweilah, the western entrance to Khartoum State via the Saderat road, and the RSF's main military camp in the area. In March, the military announced that Khartoum city was liberated a few days after it had seized the presidential palace and key government headquarters in central Khartoum. RSF fighters retreated en masse across the bridge toward Omdruman but the leadership insisted that their movements were merely 'strategically repositioning' in preparation for further battles. The military found large stocks of weapons and ammunition in Salha, a military source told Mada Masr, along with a large number of drones, operating stations and jamming systems. Several RSF armored vehicles were also captured. In a statement released on Thursday, the military said that its forces discovered mass graves inside a school in Salha during operations in Omdurman, where it said victims held by the RSF had been buried. The victims, according to the statement, were used as human shields in dire humanitarian conditions. The statement said that 648 civilians had been held inside the school, of whom 465 died due to severe neglect, malnutrition and lack of medical care. Some graves contained more than 27 bodies, according to the statement. The military added that its forces freed a large number of civilians and retired members of the regular forces who had been detained by the RSF in their homes on ethnic grounds despite having committed no crimes. Coinciding with the military's full control over Khartoum State, the government of the White Nile State also announced that its territory is now free of RSF presence, following the 18th Infantry Division's recapture of the Um Ramta locality to the north. RSF fighters had spread across several villages in the northern White Nile State, engaging in repeated clashes with the military, intelligence forces, Sudan Shield Forces and local mobilized fighters. The fiercest of these battles took place on Monday, ending with the RSF's defeat and the military's retaking of the villages of Alga and Sheikh al-Siddig, a field source told Mada Masr. A former Sudanese military officer told Mada Masr that securing the capital and clearing the White Nile State of RSF fighters opens the path for the military's advance toward the Kordofan and Darfur regions. He suggested that the city of Bara in North Kordofan could become a key battleground in the coming period. RSF fighters from Omdurman and the White Nile villages had dispersed and retreated to North Kordofan, according to the officer. Some withdrew to Gabra al-Sheikh on the road to Darfur, others arrived in Bara, while a third group camped in the village of Rahid al-Nuba and surrounding areas, attempting to establish a defensive line to protect Bara and halt the military's advance into Kordofan. *** Security conditions worsen in Omdurman's Ombada despite military control The security and humanitarian situations in western Omdurman's Ombada locality continue to deteriorate despite the military's full takeover of the area. Prior to the military's incursion, the locality's residents had already endured repeated acts of violence at the hands of RSF fighters and allied criminal gangs. But since the military launched its campaign in late March — culminating in full control of the locality last week — residents were subjected to a new wave of abuses by military personnel, including arbitrary arrests and torture, a member of the Ombada Emergency Room told Mada Masr. Unidentified gangs have also emerged in the wake of the military's advance, spreading terror among civilians in recent weeks. The military asserted its full control of the locality last week after gradually securing parts of it over the past two months. The operations, the source said, involved heavy troop movements into RSF-held areas, which led to direct abuses by fighters from both sides, in addition to civilian harm caused by the use of explosives, shelling and gunfire during clashes. The emergency room received reports from the Dar Essalam neighborhood of armed gangs attacking markets and breaking into homes using bladed weapons, according to the source. The gangs loot and terrorize residents, verbally abusing them and accusing them of collaborating with either the RSF or military intelligence, depending on the gang's alignment. The source also pointed to the continued presence of gangs previously armed by the RSF. They have been involved in killings, arbitrary detentions, torture and holding residents hostage for ransom — a practice that has become widespread across many parts of Ombada — on top of direct abuses by RSF fighters, the source said. In the weeks leading up to the military's full takeover of Ombada, the emergency room documented several incidents of violence, according to the source. These include the killing of a volunteer in the emergency room in Block 30 by RSF fighters on April 22. Two days later, RSF fighters launched a violent raid on the Fashet al-Hawawir area, killing one person and looting property. The following day, heavily armed fighters on motorcycles stormed the Bock 22 market, looted shops and set fire to buildings. In May, the emergency room recorded an incident in Block 26 in which four members of the same family were killed while defending their home from a large, heavily armed RSF unit on motorcycles. In other incidents, the store of the finance officer of the joint emergency room in Block 29 was looted, and a civilian was shot at point-blank range in Block 27 as he attempted to leave Dar Essalam for the Sabreen area. The source noted the ongoing storming and looting of markets, particularly in Dar Essalam, where thousands of residents now face severe food shortages. The situation has been made worse by the shutdown of charity kitchens due to the absence of funding and donations, raising fears of impending famine. The health sector in Ombada has also completely collapsed, the source added, following the closure of the Rajhy and Iskan hospitals, leaving patients without access to treatment, follow-up care or diagnostics services. Since the beginning of May, the emergency room recorded 329 cases of acute watery diarrhea and 1,038 cases of malnutrition, mostly among children, pregnant women and the elderly. There have also been 1,439 malaria cases and 526 cases of dengue fever, according to the source. The closure of emergency health centers could signal a major public health disaster, the source warned, especially after medical staff were subjected to arrests by military forces following their incursion into Ombada, forcing many healthcare workers to flee the area. Volunteers have also been targeted with arbitrary arrests and harassment, along with their families — first by the RSF, and now by the military. The source said they have been subjected to torture, detention, and looting of their remaining possessions. The emergency room is calling on human rights groups and humanitarian organizations to urgently intervene and evacuate volunteers as soon as possible, the source added.
Mint
18-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Turkey-backed group circulates ‘Greater Bangladesh' map showing parts of India: Report
A Turkish backed NGO in Dhaka allegedly displayed maps of 'Greater Bangladesh' — that comprised several Indian states of Eastern and Northeast regions. Sources told the Economic Times that the so-called "Greater Bangladesh" includes Myanmar's Arakan State, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and the entire Northeast region of India. The map reportedly appeared in university halls across Dhaka, areas frequented by youth and students. It may be recalled that figures sympathetic to the Yunus regime have previously called for the annexation of India's northeastern states into Bangladesh, the report added. Earlier in April, a picture from TSC, Dhaka University had emerged, showing a person taking a picture with the "map of greater Bangladesh named Saltanat-E-Bangla containing different parts of India" on the occassion of of Pohela Boishakh( Bangla New Year). The development came as India-Bangladesh relations nosedived dramatically after Yunus failed to contain attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in that country. This development, coupled with increased Turkish military engagement and NGO activity since the Yunus regime came to power, raises concerns about Islamist influence. According to ET, Turkey is increasing its influence in Bangladesh, mirroring its relationship with Pakistan. Turkey has reportedly stepped up its engagement through proposed military supplies to the Bangladesh armed forces. Turkish NGOs aligned with the ruling AKP have also grown increasingly active in Bangladesh, with Pakistan allegedly playing a role in bringing the two countries closer since August last year. Experts on Turkish affairs told ET that the extent of Muslim Brotherhood influence on Bangladesh's Islamists, as well as the role of Turkish NGOs, must be closely monitored. Bangladesh is a big competitor of India in the textile sector. The India-Bangladesh trade stood at USD 12.9 billion in 2023-24.
