Africa

Fifa has suspended Sierra Leone 'with immediate effect' due to government interference in the running of the country's FA.

"It's one of the great spectacles of Africa," says our reporter Ferdinand Omondi. But what happened next caused lots of giggles as one of the baby elephants made quite a splash.

October 4, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan security apparatus seized entire print runs of two newspaper Thursday and summoned their editors in chief, 24 hours after calling European Union Ambassador in Khartoum to protest the organisation of meeting with Sudanese journalists.

The Sudanese authorities used to confiscate newspapers for covering opposition activities, publishing critical opinion articles or sensitive news, but this is the first time they punish journalists for meeting with foreign diplomats.

The newspapers seized on Thursday morning were Al-Tayyar and Al-Jareeda, journalists from the two newspapers told Sudan Tribune. They added there was no official reason for the move.

Al-Jareeda Editor-in-Chief Ashraf Abdel Aziz told Sudan Tribune "the reason of the confiscation may be their participation himself and Osman Mirghani the editor-in-chief of Al-Tayyar in a meeting with the European ambassadors and the U.S. charge d'affaires.

Also, the two journalists were summoned by the National Intelligence and Security Services for questioning about their participation in a meeting with the western diplomats on the press freedom and the difficulties they are facing.

In a joint statement issued on 2 October, the EU and U.S. diplomats about the meeting said that "the importance of strengthening the freedom of the press and the freedom of opinion and expression in all media outlets, including online media, was stressed by all".

Furthermore, "concern about the constraints placed on these freedoms in Sudan, particularly with regards the ongoing newspaper seizures was also expressed".

The statement said the European and US diplomats pledged to engage with the Sudanese government for a constructive dialogue on the freedom of the press and the freedom of opinion and expression.

(ST)

October 4, 2018 (NEW YORK) - The chair of UN Sanctions Committee on Sudan's Darfur weapon embargo said the presence of Darfur armed groups has diminished in South Sudan but it is growing in Libya, threatening regional security.

Ambassador Joanna Wronecka who is also the chair of South Sudan sanctions committee made her remarks during the quarterly briefing to the Security Council members on her committee's work, on Wednesday 3 October.

"While the presence of Dafuri armed groups in South Sudan had declined due to diminishing support from the South Sudanese authorities, their presence in Libya continued to grow," she said.

Her statements confirm previous UN reports about the "mercenary activities" by armed groups from the Darfur region " with South Sudanese government and the different warring parties in Libya.

Also, in January 2018, UN experts urged Sudan's neighbours Libya and South Sudan to stop supplying Darfur armed groups with weapons and ammunition.

The polish diplomat told the Security Council she sent letters to the Chairs of the South Sudan and Libya Sanctions Committees, suggesting continued cooperation and joint consultations with a view to monitor the presence and activities of Darfur rebel groups in Libya and South Sudan.

The purpose of this cooperation is to "develop a common approach on how to best prevent them from engaging in activities threatening regional peace and security," she stressed.

Further, she said her committee is considering the imposition of sanctions on Darfur rebels involved in South Sudanese and Libyan armed conflicts.

"I also sent a letter to the Coordinator of the Panel of Experts and requested that the Panel prepare and submit to the Committee for its consideration statements of case for the possible listing of individuals and entities that the Panel deems to meet the listing criteria delineated in paragraph 3 (c) of resolution 1591 (2005)," she said.

Wronecka pointed she advised the panel of experts on the Darfur's arms embargo to cooperate and exchange information with the Libya and the South Sudan Panels of Experts with regard to the activities of Darfuri rebel groups in Libya and in South Sudan.

While the armed groups deny the reports about their involvement in the internal wars in the two neighbouring countries, the UN panel of experts on Darfur reiterated its accusations in a second report to the UN Security Council last August.

According to the confidential report disclosed by the AFP on 16 August 2018, the armed groups are "reportedly building up their military capabilities in order to be ready to return to Sudan when the environment becomes more conducive".

Regarding the increasing presence of Darfur's armed groups the panel said that "Libya has emerged as an important source of financing for Darfuri armed groups".

The chair of the 1591 Sanctions Committee said the Sudanese government continue to pour weapons to Darfur, stressing this transfer without obtaining the required approval of the Committee is a violation of the UN arms embargo.

"The Government had cited Security Council resolutions stipulating that the primary responsibility for protecting civilians rested with Sudanese authorities, which required military equipment," she said.

(ST)

October 4, 2018 (JUBA) - The SPLM-IO Governor of Bieh State urged the fighters of the Sudan People's Liberation Army In Opposition (SPLA-IO) to abide by the signed revitalized peace agreement and to fully ceasefire on fronts.

The SPLA-IO forces during their arrival at Masana Biira in Wau on 07, August 2017 (ST)

The SPLA-IO held a three-day meeting for the senior military officers in Bieh state in the Greater Upper Nile region to disseminate the peace agreement ahead of the implementation of the security arrangements on 12 October.

The conference was officially opened by the SPLM-IO State Governor Brig. Gen. Simon H Duol Bol and Rt. moderator Gabriel Gatluak Chol on Monday the first of October, said John Daniel Bol the Secretary of Information Bieh State.

"In his closing remarks Governor Chol told the SPLA-IO commander in the state and military officers to observe the permanent ceasefire in their controlled areas in Bieh state and to open the humanitarian corridors, "Bol said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

Further, he directed to protect civilians and create conducive conditions for the safe and voluntary return and, resettlement of refugees and displaced people to their areas of origins.

The commander of SPLA-IO Sector Three Lt. Gen. Thomas Manor Dhol, on Monday, said the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the key issues pertaining the revitalized Peace agreement which was inked in the Ethiopian capital Addis Abba on 12/09/2018.

In line with the revitalized peace pact, the parties have to brief their troops about the peace agreement and to encourage them to reconcile with the others who are now their peace partners.

(ST)

October 4, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The head of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) proposed to the opposition Sudan Call to amend a Roadmap Agreement they signed with the government two-and-a-half years ago in a way that they participate in the elaboration of a new constitution and take part in the upcoming elections of 2020.

In Mars and August 2016, the Sudanese government and the opposition alliance respectively signed a roadmap for peace in Sudan providing that the warring parties end the war, negotiate peace agreement and together with the opposition political groups hold a preparatory conference before to return to Sudan and participate in the national dialogue process and a constitutional conference.

However, the parties failed to strike a cessation of hostilities deal and a humanitarian access agreement in Darfur and the Two Areas for different reasons. As a result, the government held its national dialogue conference and formed a national consensus government to implement its recommendations.

In a letter sent to the chairperson of the Sudan Call Sadiq al-Mahdi on 25 September and seen by Sudan Tribune, AUHIP Chair Thabo Mbeki says that conditions have changed since the signing of the RoadMap Agreement (RMA) two-and-a-half years ago on 8 August 2016.

"It is therefore inevitable that the Signatories to the RMA will have to consider and agree to an amended RMA, while maintaining the central goal of reconstructing Sudan through a Constitution negotiated and agreed through an inclusive process," Mbeki said.

He further stressed that the opposition groups should be more flexible because there would be no new national dialogue conference, and proposed that RMA signatories agree on a cessation of hostilities and a humanitarian access deal.

After what they will directly "participate in an Inclusive process to negotiate and adopt a new Constitution for Sudan," he said putting aside the preparatory meeting and the confidence building measures such as the press freedom.

After the end of the constitutional process, they will participate in all inclusive processes which would prepare for the general elections of April 2020. These preparations include " the necessary Electoral law and ensuring that the conditions exist to hold peaceful free and credible elections".

The mediator did not set a date for the resumption of the peace talks but urged to send him a response before 25 October, pointing out that his mandate will terminate by the end of year.

The African Union Peace and Security Council used to renew his mandate during its last meeting for the year before the holidays on 18 December or one or two days before.

SUNAD CALL DISAPPOINTED

Sudan Tribune failed to get a reaction from an opposition official on these proposals which espouse the declared position of the Sudanese government since more than a year.

However, several sources close to the opposition alliance which gathers armed and political groups said consultations are taking place among the Sudan Call forces inside and outside the country before to response to the chief mediator.

The sources pointed that "the general mood is not in favour of these proposals". Some went further to question the mediation's independence due to the increasing pressure from Khartoum which sought recently to convince the African Union to change it.

However, others said "The opposition would only express readiness to meet him to explain their position but they would not accept to resume talks on the basis of his proposals".

The talks for a ceasefire with the SPLM-North failed because the government refused to allow humanitarian corridor to bring 20% of the relief from outside the country through Ethiopia. Last December the SPLM-N led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu said they want all the humanitarian aid be brought from outside Sudan.

For the talks with the armed groups in Darfur , the parties failed to make progress on the cessation of hostilities or the humanitarian access alike. However, in a meeting held earlier this year in Berlin, the armed groups accepted to negotiate on the basis of the Doha document for peace in Darfur but still they disagree with Khartoum on the implementation mechanism.

Recently, Khartoum announced the acceptance of a new humanitarian proposal but the details of the proposal are not yet made public.

(ST)

Chemicals found in some Afro hair products around the world could be damaging your health.

Kenyan rapper Lal Daggy is deaf and doesn't speak, relaying his music through sign language.

A selection of the best photos from across Africa and of Africans elsewhere this week.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a peaceful, credible and inclusive elections in Cameroon, as the country prepares to hold presidential elections this coming Sunday.

By Rita Lo-Lodu

It is now nearly two years since these two activists disappeared in Nairobi under mysterious circumstances. They were kidnapped by the Kenyan security on the orders of some in?uential South Sudanese politicians who were, like them, rebels but they switched to the government.

The relatives of these two men up to now do not know their whereabouts. Their abduction followed the one of James Gatdet Dak, the former spokesman of Dr Riek Machar who is now languishing in Juba main prison under poor health conditions. James was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for an incitement and death by handing on the charges of treachery, not based on concrete evidence.

The verdict was passed in what human rights organizations believe was a kangaroo court. It is important to stress here that the two Opposition activists are said to have been abducted on the orders of the big ?shes in the Juba SPLM-IO formed after the 2016 well-planned incident that saw Dr Riek to ?ee Juba.

It is worth mentioning that these two men have not done much damage worse than their abductors now occupying senior government positions in Kiir's administration.

The families had, on more than one occasions, approached the Amnesty International and Human rights Watch in order to secure their unconditional release but efforts remain futile.

We are all aware that President Kiir issued a number of Executive Orders even before the peace pact pardoning many detainees, rebels and political dissidents. The relatives need to know why the two gentlemen are still missing and the person behind their disappearance and who is refusing to have them release like any other rebel.

I thank the President of the Republic of South Sudan for pardoning political culprits including those who mobilized their tribesmen to oust him from power in 2013.

The Kenyan government has a bad history of handing over oppositions to their governments to be liquidated. The case of Dong Samuel and his colleague is not the ?rst of its kind.

Informed sources in Nairobi con?rmed that they were kidnapped by desperate Kenyan Security men who have been bribed by a senior of?cial of SPLM-IO in Juba.

The point here is that the relatives must be told whether these men are alive for them to be charged in a competent court of law or disclose their ?nal fate.

Dong Samuel hails from Lou Nuer where the mighty popular and notorious white army come from whereas
Aggrey is from Moru tribe of Western Equatoria.

They have relatives who deserve to know their whereabouts. They have been held incommunicado for ages and it is now time to tell the relatives and the public about what actually happened. They are South Sudanese who deserve to live or die honourably.

If those who organized, funded and coordinated the activities of the SPLM-IO from 2013 to 2015 and whose agenda was to topple the Kiir's government by bullet, could be forgiven and are now the ones enjoying the oil money and the revenues, why not Dong and Aggrey if the rebellion has become the main source of wealth accumulation?

I believe the same kindness that forgave them should be extended to the two gentlemen, after all, they have no armed groups. They were just media activists. They should bene?t from the goodness of the President of South Sudan who is known and used to forgiving and accommodating the rebels for the sake of peace, unity and territorial integrity.

The relatives are nervous but fearing for their lives and so they do not want to speak out. The agreement provided for the release of the POWs and the political detainees.

They are politicians and so are covered by the agreement. It cannot only be Dong Samuel and Aggrey who should be considered to ultimately pay for Dr Riek and Taban's 2013 deadly rebellions which have destroyed major towns with massive losses of lives and properties.

As a human right expert, I call on the abductor (s) of these active men to inform the public about what happened to them and how? It may later turn tribal if it is not seen well as some credible sources revealed.

It may cause another inferno inside Juba town between their relatives and the abductors. Their people will not keep quiet when those suspected of having kidnapped their sons are enjoying the freedom they were denied to.

They rebelled like their leaders now with the government and who have turned against their subordinates to prove falsely to President Kiir that they are loyal by victimizing those who refused to join them.

The ?ght to get them released will not stop until this call is heeded. Please, tell their relatives where they are and set them at liberty to enjoy the fruits of peace.

The author is a Human rights Lawyer and activist and can be reached by rita2007@gmail.com

With over 826,000 people affected by heavy flooding affecting most of Nigeria, humanitarian agencies continue to step up efforts to provide life-saving assistance, especially basic medical care, which is essential to prevent disastrous epidemics.

The planes collided as they were landing after training flights, a military spokesman said.

An independent UN human rights expert welcomed on Thursday the progress made towards democratic reform in Tunisia, since the 2011 revolution, and emphasized the importance of protecting freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

October 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The South Sudanese army Chief of Staff General Gabriel Jok Riak who is visiting Khartoum nowadays met on Tuesday with the SPLM-IO Chief of Staff Simon Gatwech Dual as a part of the confidence-building process.

Lt. Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual, the chief of staff of the SPLA-IO, talks to the press at a rebel military site in Juba on April 25, 2016 (Photo AFP/Charles Lomodong)

SPLM-IO Deputy Chairperson of the National Committee for Information and Public Relations Manawa Peter Gatkuoth in statements to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday praised the move saying it is a positive step in the right direction.

“This is a positive step in the right direction because such meetings allow the peace partners to address the challenges facings the implementation of the peace agreement, remove misunderstandings and building trust between the two sides,” he said.

He added that the meeting discussed the recent breaches of the ceasefire agreement and reaffirmed their commitment to fully implement the revitalized peace pact. He said they agreed to work together to end the sporadic violations here and there committed by uncontrolled elements.

“We know that there are peace spoilers who reject peace and incite the continuation of the war. We appeal to the government to such people out of the decision-making process because those who encourage war cannot be entrusted to building peace,” he said.

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar directed the army and SPLA-Io fighters to abide by the ceasefire and to stop attacks ahead of the implementation of the security arrangement which will start one month after the signing of the peace agreement.

However, about seven violations have been registered in Yei River State and the Greater Unity region.

(ST)

October 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese government summoned on Wednesday European Union Ambassador in Khartoum, Jean-Michel Dumond to protest a statement his mission issued Tuesday after a meeting with Sudanese journalists on the press freedom co-organised by European and US diplomats.

EU ambassador to Sudan Jean-Michel Dumond (EU Photo)

In a statement released after the meeting on Tuesday, the western diplomat pledged to discuss the freedom of the press with the Sudanese government pointing to the "importance in promoting and protecting human rights and democracy in Sudan especially in the coming period heading up to the 2020 elections."

"The Ministry informed the EU ambassador of "its rejection of the way in which the meeting was organized as it had exceeded the diplomatic norms and guidelines that must be adhered to," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Babikir al-Siddiq in a press statement released on Wednesday.

He added that the invitation to the meeting was selective and therefore the meeting was not with all the Sudanese journalists and their representative bodies.

Al-Siddiq said they expressed their surprise that the meeting discussed issues that have not yet been decided, such as the Press and Publication Law, which is still subject to discussion within the concerned institutions.

Sudanese authorities regularly interrogate journalists and confiscate newspapers. Further in November 2017, the Sudanese government approved a draft of an amended version of the Press and Publications Law of 2009, which would give the security apparatus power to further censor newspapers.

(ST)

Why We Support Escalated Financial Pressure and Consequences: An Open Letter to the South Sudanese People

From John Prendergast and Brian Adeba*

October 2018

To the People of South Sudan,

We at the Enough Project are deeply concerned about the flaws in the signed peace agreement that fall short of addressing the root causes of the conflict in South Sudan in a comprehensive manner that will prevent a return to conflict. We are writing this open letter to explain why – even after a peace deal was signed on September 12 – we continue to advocate for escalating and targeted financial and legal measures against those who are looting South Sudan's resources as well as those responsible for continuing conflict, mass atrocities, and other human rights abuses, whether in the regime, the armed opposition, or commercial collaborators – domestic or international – of either.

It is common knowledge that corruption is more than endemic in South Sudan. As a result, hospitals, schools, and government departments are starved of the basic necessities that would allow them to function efficiently. The beneficiaries of this corruption live lavish lifestyles within and outside the country. As The Sentry has documented in previous reports, these officials and their collaborators own expensive vehicles and mansions throughout the world. Through third parties and shell companies, they invest their money abroad and not in South Sudan.

Just as troubling, outside facilitators and enablers profit from South Sudan's misery. Unscrupulous bankers, lawyers, arms dealers, realtors, mining companies, and oil companies are equally complicit in the looting machine that has been constructed in South Sudan. The violent kleptocracy that has emerged in Juba since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement a dozen years ago would not have been possible without international collaborators.

This debilitating corruption is possible because top-level politicians have disabled the institutions that are supposed to hold officials accountable by providing no operational funds, creating conflicting legislation, and appointing cronies to head them. To date, the South Sudan Anti-Corruption Commission has yet to prosecute anyone for corruption. To hide the theft and misuse of public money, the government has barred the Audit Chamber from making its reports public. There are worrying signs that competitive corruption will continue to push the trajectory of development backward.

Worst of all, the capturing and repurposing of these institutions by South Sudan's post-independence leaders created a free-for-all looting spree of the public purse that in turn incentivized a competition for the spoils of state among rival political factions. This competition turned deadly in December 2013. As noted in the African Union inquiry into the conflict in 2015, corruption is a key driver of conflict in South Sudan. Therefore, we believe it was not too much to ask that stringent measures to counter corruption should have been included in the September 12 agreement. Unfortunately, the measures stipulated in this latest peace deal are weak and entrust the same people responsible for the construction of this looting machine with oversight responsibilities of government revenue. Going forward, this is certainly a recipe for disaster.

Violence in South Sudan does not only arise from disputes regarding national politics. Localized conflicts between communities have equally devastating consequences for long-term peace and stability. Such conflicts are common in many locations in South Sudan. In the Greater Bahr El Ghazal region, inter-clan warfare continues unabated, and certain areas are virtual war zones as a result. Conflicts caused by cattle raiding between communities in the Greater Upper Nile and Greater Equatoria continue to threaten peace and stability. Border disputes are increasingly a source of tension between communities. Subsequently, there's an expectation that the peace agreement will address these sub-national conflicts. However, the stipulations on disputed borders in the agreement are inadequate, if not ambiguous. Rather than create confidence in the peace deal, they have heightened suspicion. This mistrust is setting the ground for more violence and needs to be addressed in a manner that creates ownership among local communities.

Given the government's abysmal record on corruption, we are also concerned about the measures on the cantonment of armies in the agreement. Most worrying is the fact that donor support for cantonment, which is very critical to the success of the peace agreement, is non-existent. Donors have expressed reservations about the prevailing lack of transparency and accountability within the government and have thus declined to commit support. Lack of funds for cantonment will derail this agreement. Equally concerning is the fact that the agreement fails to indicate locations for troop cantonment. The recent upsurge in fighting around the Yei area is spurred by the ambition to gain control of areas for the proposed cantonment.

All the factors outlined above point to the fact that this agreement is an elite pact that offers short-term concessions to the parties with the big guns while overlooking the long-term prospects of a peace that is based on the fundamental issues behind this conflict.

Why are we saying this?

In collaboration with present and past colleagues, we have been involved in research and advocacy on South Sudan for many years, dating back to the period when it was part of Sudan. We gave our full support to the long search for peace in the North-South war, and for the referendum that resulted in the birth of South Sudan. In the ongoing war, we have supported efforts for a just and sustainable peace deal that goes beyond short-term deals that benefit elites but fails to address the fundamental causes of conflict. In so doing, we have not taken sides nor do we wish to impose our own idea of what South Sudan's government should look like or who should run it.

Rather, we at the Enough Project are interested in seeing that the resources of South Sudan are used for the benefit of its people and not ending up in shell companies, bank accounts, and real estate in neighbouring countries. In that regard, we have advocated for targeted financial pressures on key individuals and entities complicit in the looting of South Sudan's resources.

In sum, we are not supporting regime change, but rather we support system change to disincentivize the grand corruption and mass looting of the state.

John Prendergast is a US former director of African Affairs at the National Security Council, and Founding Director of Enough Project. Brian Adeba is Deputy Director of Policy at EnoughProject

October 3, 2018 (JUBA) - The People's Democratic Movement (PDM) leader Hakim Dario urged the IGAD mediator to not support attempts by a splinter group to join the revitalized peace agreement and participate on their behalf in the transitional government.

The PDM is not a signatory of the revitalized peace agreement. Also two days before the final signing of the peace pact on 10 September, the group suspended one of its negotiators Josephine Lagu Yanga.

In return, Josephine formed her own faction, PDM For Peace, and declared its commitment to the SSOA under the leadership of Gabriel Chang Changson, adding they will work together to achieve social justice and democratic change in the country.

In a strongly-worded letter addressed to IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan, the PDM leader asked Ismail Wais to not support attempts by "fictitious and pliant group" saying they have been created to replace those parties that refused to sign the agreement.

Dario further said SSOA chairperson Gabriel Chang Changson issued on 30 September a statement "fraudulently" providing that the PDM movement has resumed SSOA membership.

"PDM, therefore, calls on your office as IGAD Special Envoy to desist from entertaining fraudulent behaviours, efforts and attempts to use PDM's name inappropriately for political office through your support," reads a letter seen by Sudan Tribune Dario dated on 2 October.

The holdout groups on Tuesday issued a statement announcing they broke away from their allied groups in the SSOA led Changson and formed another SSOA under the leadership of Thomas Cirilo Swaka.

However, the non-signatories declared their determination to reach "a genuine, sustainable and lasting peace for the people of South Sudan and to establish the rule of law and justice in our country".

The new SSOA includes the National Salvation Front (NAS) of Gen. Thomas C. Swaka, People's Democratic Movement (PDM) chaired by Hakim Dario, National Democratic Movement (NDM) led by Emanuel Aban and the United Democratic Republic Alliance (UDRA) of Gatwech K. Thich and South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC) of Vakindi L. Unvu.

Dario regretted that the IGAD special envoy met all these political manoeuvres with his "tacit support" which will "shed a dark shadow of dishonesty on your office as the Special Envoy and on the IGAD mediators and negotiators".

The PDM leader further called on the international community, TROIKA, UNSC, and EU "to boycott the agreement and withhold any of their taxpayers' funding for this fraudulent R-ARCSS (revitalized peace agreement)".

(ST)

October 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Khartoum airport Wednesday was shut down for several hours after two military transport planes belonging to the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) have collided on the ground.

Leaked video footage has shown an Antonov An-32 and an Antonov An-26 military transport aircrafts moving across the airport, when they both entered the same runway, with one aircraft suddenly ramming the tail of the other.

Spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority, Abdel-Hafiz Abdel-Rahim told Sudan Tribune that Khartoum airport Airport authorities had suspended air traffic for several hours in order to take the necessary safety precautions.

He pointed out that the suspension of navigation at the airport is a globally recognized measure aiming to ensure that all safety precautions have been taken.

The SAF didn't issue any statement regarding the incident. Also, no casualties were reported.

Last month, two SAF pilots were killed in a military training plane crash north of Khartoum. The incident was the second of its kind in few days after a military plane crashed in Nyala airport, South Darfur State injuring 15 people on board.

Sudan's air force fleet of Russian-made planes and helicopters has suffered a number of losses in recent years, with the military frequently blaming technical problems.

In June 2017, a military plane crashed on in the Northern State, killing all four crew members on board.

In October 2016, a Bo 360 helicopter crashed in Um Hani area, White Nile State, 105 kilometres south of Khartoum killing the pilot and injuring two crew members.

An Antonov 26 fighter jet in April 2016 crashed while landing at the airport in El Obied, the capital of North Kordofan state, killing all five crew members on board.

Also, 32 people were killed in August 2012 when their Antonov AN-26 crashed in Talodi, South Kordofan's third-largest town.

In October 2012, an Antonov plane crashed in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman killing 12 people.

Two air force crew died in June 2013 when their helicopter crashed in war-torn Blue Nile state, just a week after one went down in South Kordofan.

(ST)

October 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Governor of South Darfur State Adam al-Faki on Wednesday visited premises of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) that would be handed over to his government at the end of the year as part of the Mission's exit strategy.

During the visit, al-Faki held a meeting including minister of urban planning Taha Abdallah and the Mission's Head of Office, Sector South, Berhanemeskel Nega and his staff.

He expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the Mission, pointing to the partnership between the government and the UNAMID on issues of security and peacekeeping, voluntary return and resettlement.

Al-Faki added the Mission's premises would be turned into university colleges in order to provide services and contribute to developing human resources in South Darfur.

For his part, Nega briefed the governor on the strategic plan to hand over the Mission's sites to the government, pointing to the need for coordination between the two sides to protect the voluntary return camps and villages during the next period.

Last year, the UN Security Council decided to reduce the UNAMID, admitting that the security situation has improved in the Darfur region.

The hybrid mission has been deployed in Darfur since December 2007 with a mandate to stem violence against civilians in western Sudan's region.

It is the world's second-largest international peacekeeping force with an annual budget of $1.35 billion and almost 20,000 troops.

UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in the Darfur conflict since 2003, and over 2.5 million are displaced.

(ST)