Jumat, 28 April 2023

Ukraine war: Eighteen dead as Russian missiles hit cities - BBC

Rescuers work to clear rubble from a collapsed buildingUkraine State Emergency Service

A wave of Russian air strikes on cities across Ukraine, including Kyiv, has left at least 19 people dead.

Seventeen people including a child were killed in an attack that hit a block of flats in the central city of Uman, officials said.

And a woman and her three-year-old daughter were killed in the city of Dnipro, according to the local mayor.

The Russian defence ministry said its military had targeted Ukrainian army reserve units with the strikes.

State-owned RIA news agency said Russia was aiming for the reserve units and used high-precision weapons on Friday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the apartment block was among 10 residential buildings that were damaged in Uman.

The state rescue service said the child killed in the city was born in 2013 and another 11 people needed hospital treatment.

Mr Zelensky said the attacks showed further international action needed to be taken against Russia.

"Evil can be stopped by weapons - our defenders are doing it. And it can be stopped by sanctions - global sanctions must be enhanced," he said in a tweet.

The head of the Kyiv city military administration said it was the first Russian missile attack on the capital in 51 days.

There are no immediate reports of civilian casualties in the capital.

Twenty-one out of 23 missiles and two attack drones were shot down by Ukraine's air defence system, officials said in a post on the messaging service Telegram.

The Russian-installed mayor of Donetsk said seven people were killed in the separatist-run city when Ukrainian artillery shells hit a minibus. BBC News has been unable to immediately verify the claim.

Damaged residential building said to be in Uman
Social media

A video posted on Telegram by Ukraine's State Border Service showed a badly damaged apartment building in Uman after the strikes.

A resident of one damaged block of flats, Olga, told the Reuters news agency that windows were blown out of her apartment "then came the explosion".

One man cried as he watched the emergency services carry a body away on a stretcher.

Another local resident said he heard an explosion at 04:30 local time (02:30 GMT), and "there were two very strong explosions, everything started to burn, cars started to burn."

In Uman, a town that has been largely spared of attacks, a nine-storey apartment building partially collapsed after it was hit by a missile.

The pre-dawn attack happened as people were sleeping, and residents were trapped under the rubble.

More than 10 hours after the attack, rescuers were still working at the site while residents tried to retrieve some of their belongings.

In nearby buildings, some residents were already fixing broken windows.

Oleksander, a 35-year-old resident of the bloc hit, said he had been woken up after he heard a "powerful explosion."

"I couldn't understand what was happening. I went to the balcony and saw glass everywhere. It was horrible," he told the BBC.

"Russia is a terrorist state. You can see, there's no military object here. And it happened at four o'clock in the morning, as people were sleeping".

Another resident, 60-year-old Vanda, said she heard an explosion and "everything shook".

"We tried to find ways to leave the building. I heard a voice of a child who was screaming in the flat next to ours. We wanted to help other people. There was smoke and fire everywhere," she said.

"Peaceful people were just sleeping."

The attacks come as Ukrainian forces say they are ready to launch a military offensive with new equipment, including tanks, supplied by Western allies.

"As soon as there is God's will, the weather and a decision by commanders, we will do it," Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov told an online news briefing on Friday.

Russia has struggled to make headway in a winter offensive including a 10-month battle for control of the strategically important city of Bakhmut.

The Russian defence ministry said on Friday its military had targeted Ukrainian army reserve units with long-range strikes using high-precision weapons, according to a report by the state-owned RIA news agency.

Moscow has previously said it does not deliberately target civilians, but thousands have been injured and killed across Ukraine since Russia's invasion.

A flag that shows regions where Russian strikes took place in Ukraine

Adblock test (Why?)


https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiLmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy93b3JsZC1ldXJvcGUtNjU0MjEzNDHSATJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iYmMuY29tL25ld3Mvd29ybGQtZXVyb3BlLTY1NDIxMzQxLmFtcA?oc=5

2023-04-28 12:01:44Z
1976283779

Ukraine war: Twelve dead as Russian missiles hit cities - BBC

Rescuers work to clear rubble from a collapsed buildingUkraine State Emergency Service

Russia has launched a wave of air strikes against cities across Ukraine, including Kyiv, leaving at least 12 people dead.

Ten people including a child were killed in an attack that hit a block of flats in the central city of Uman, officials said.

And a woman and her three-year-old daughter were killed in the city of Dnipro, according to the local mayor.

Explosions were also reported in the cities of Kremenchuk and Poltava.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the apartment block was among 10 residential buildings that were damaged in Uman. The state rescue service said the child killed in the city was born in 2013 and another 11 people needed hospital treatment.

Mr Zelensky said the attacks showed further international action needed to be taken against Russia.

"Evil can be stopped by weapons - our defenders are doing it. And it can be stopped by sanctions - global sanctions must be enhanced," he said in a tweet.

The head of the Kyiv city military administration said it was the first Russian missile attack on the capital in 51 days.

There are no immediate reports of civilian casualties in the capital.

Twenty-one out of 23 missiles and two attack drones were shot down by Ukraine's air defence system, officials said in a post on the messaging service Telegram.

Damaged residential building said to be in Uman
Social media

A video posted on Telegram by Ukraine's State Border Service showed a badly damaged apartment building in Uman after the strikes.

A resident of one damaged block of flats, Olga, told news agency Reuters the windows were blown out of her apartment, "then came the explosion".

One man cried as he watched emergency services carry a body away on a stretcher.

The attacks come as Ukrainian forces are believed to be preparing for a military offensive with new equipment, including tanks, supplied by Western allies.

Russia has struggled to make headway in a winter offensive including a 10-month battle for control of the strategically important city of Bakhmut.

It was not immediately clear what Russia was targeting in Friday's attacks, but it has previously attacked civilian infrastructure.

Moscow has previously said it does not deliberately target civilians, but thousands have been injured and killed across Ukraine since Russia's invasion.

Adblock test (Why?)


https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiMGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLWV1cm9wZS02NTQyMTM0MdIBNGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLWV1cm9wZS02NTQyMTM0MS5hbXA?oc=5

2023-04-28 07:12:06Z
1976283779

Kamis, 27 April 2023

Sudan evacuation flights 'potentially impossible' when ceasefire ends, UK warns - The Independent

UK evacuations from Sudan could be 'impossible' once ceasefire ends, Cleverly warns

It may be “impossible” to evacuate British citizens from Sudan once the war-torn country’s fragile ceasefire ends, the foreign secretary has warned.

James Cleverly said that the UK government could not predict what would happen once intense fighting resumed.

He urged British nationals who may be “hesitant” or “weighing up their options” to make their way to Wadi Seidna, where there were “planes and capacity” to get people out.

Fighting flared in Sudan yesterday as its armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) battled on Khartoum’s outskirts, undermining a truce in their 11-day conflict.

The fighting came as the army agreed to extending the ceasefire that is in force till today.

The army said last night its leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, gave initial approval to a plan to extend the truce for another 72 hours and send an army envoy to the South Sudan capital, Juba, for talks, reported Reuters.

There was no immediate response from the RSF to the proposal.

1682578495

‘Potentially impossible’ to evacuate Britons once ceasefire ends - Cleverly

It may be “impossible” to evacuate British citizens from Sudan once the war-torn country’s fragile ceasefire ends, the foreign secretary has warned.

James Cleverly said that the UK government could not predict what would happen once intense fighting resumed.

He urged British nationals who may be “hesitant” or “weighing up their options” to make their way to the extraction point, where there were “planes and capacity” to get people out.

UK evacuations from Sudan could be 'impossible' once ceasefire ends, Cleverly warns
Matt Mathers27 April 2023 07:54
1682584010

End of ceasefire could result in humanitarian catastrophe - minister

Africa minister Andrew Mitchell warned that an end to the ceasefire could result in a humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan.

He told the foreign affairs think tank Chatham House: "It is essential that a ceasefire is maintained and that a political process is secured.

"If not, the humanitarian consequences will be incalculable.

"The UK will continue to work tirelessly to help bring an end to the violence and provide vital humanitarian relief."

<p>File photo: Andrew Mitchell </p>

File photo: Andrew Mitchell

Matt Mathers27 April 2023 09:26
1682583051

Cleverly avoids questions on safe and legal routes for Sudan

James Cleverly has refused to get into details about the possibility of safe and legal routes for those fleeing Sudan to get to the UK.

The foreign secretary said: "There is war and conflict all over the world. There are literally millions upon millions of people who are in countries plagued by war. We recognise that we cannot host everybody who is in a country plagued by war.

"Sudan is not the only country suffering from conflict and so picking out Sudan because it happens to be in the news, I think, diminishes the suffering of other people around the world firstly, and, secondly, we have to remember there are millions upon millions of people who are fleeing conflict or who are fleeing economic privations."

The map below shows Sudan’s location in North Africa. Khartoum, the capital, is where the most intense fighting is taking place.

Matt Mathers27 April 2023 09:10
1682580650

WHO fears more deaths in Sudan due to outbreaks, collapse of services

The World Health Organisation (WHO) expects “many more” deaths in Sudan.

The world health agency said yesterday that there could be many more deaths due to outbreaks of disease and a lack of essential services amid fighting between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary, reported Reuters.

Since mid April, the ongoing fighting has killed at least 459 people and injured more than 4,000, according to the WHO.

Sravasti Dasgupta27 April 2023 08:30
1682579650

Cleverly - we’re pushing for ceasefire extension

The UK is pushing for an extension to the ceasefire in Sudan, the foreign secretary has said - Archie Mitchell reports.

Speaking to Sky News, James Cleverly said: “We pushed for the original ceasefire, we are pushing to have the ceasefire extended, we are pushing with our international partners and leaders in the region, to have a permanent peace settlement.

“But the point I’m making is I can’t guarantee any of those things. If they happen, that’s great, that’s what we’re pushing for.My worry is if people are having to make difficult decisions, and of course they are, if they are basing those decisions on a belief that this ceasefire will continue, and then it doesn’t, they put themselves in a more dangerous situation.

“So my strong advice is to err on the side of caution, take advantage of what we know, which is the ceasefire is currently holding, even though we don’t know whether it’ll hold for the full duration, rather than relying on what might not happen, which is an extension of the ceasefire, which of course we are pushing for.

<p>Foreign secretary James Cleverly (Hannah McKay/PA)</p>

Foreign secretary James Cleverly (Hannah McKay/PA)

Matt Mathers27 April 2023 08:14
1682578850

ICYMI: Dodging bullets and paying thousands: How these British families escaped wartorn Sudan

British families fleeing Sudan have described dodging heavy gunfire and bombing in their bids to escape the wartorn country after the Foreign Office “failed” to secure safe routes out.

Many have spent thousands to escape the country safely.

Bel Trew and Tara Cobham report:

Sravasti Dasgupta27 April 2023 08:00
1682577050

ICYMI: Wounded British doctor’s agonising choice – risk deadly infection or leave mother in Sudan war zone

A British doctor is facing an agonising choice of either risking a deadly infection from his gunshot wound or leaving his vulnerable elderly mother to fend for herself in a war zone in Sudan.

Tara Cobham reports:

Sravasti Dasgupta27 April 2023 07:30
1682575250

Over 500 Britons brought to safety from Sudan with more flights to come

The British evacuation mission from Sudan has lifted 536 people to safety on six flights as the military races against time to rescue citizens while a fragile ceasefire holds.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said “in a fast-moving situation” these were the figures at 9pm on Wednesday “with further flights to come”.

Read more:

Sravasti Dasgupta27 April 2023 07:00
1682573450

Sudan evacuations can continue ‘even if ceasefire breaks’

Air evacuations from Sudan can continue even if a fragile ceasefire breaks, military chiefs said yesterday, as the first flight carrying British nationals arrived back in Britain.

Brigadier Dan Reeve, Britain’s chief of joint force operations, said that up to 500 people a day can be flown out of Wadi Saeedna, an airfield just north of Khartoum, with transport planes available to increase that number if necessary.

“The ceasefire itself was not a condition for us launching this operation, although of course it helped and was a useful window,” he said.

Kim Sengupta, Rebecca Thomas and Kate Devlin report:

Sravasti Dasgupta27 April 2023 06:30
1682571600

How ‘Putin’s chef’ and his Wagner Group are cashing in on Sudan

They’ve drawn most attention in eastern Ukraine, but it seems wherever war breaks out – from Syria to Sudan – this group of mercenaries can be found profiting from bloodshed, writes World Affairs Editor Kim Sengupta.

Martha Mchardy27 April 2023 06:00

Adblock test (Why?)


https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMicWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmluZGVwZW5kZW50LmNvLnVrL25ld3Mvd29ybGQvYWZyaWNhL3N1ZGFuLWNvbmZsaWN0LXdhci1tYXAtZXZhY3VhdGlvbi1mbGlnaHRzLWNlYXNlZmlyZS1iMjMyNzg2MC5odG1s0gEA?oc=5

2023-04-27 08:26:50Z
1965440032

Ukraine war: Bakhmut defenders worry about losing support - BBC

Grad in the field

A year ago Volodymyr and his men were firing all 40 barrels of their BM-21 Grad rocket launcher in one go. Now they can only afford to fire a few at a time at Russian targets.

"We haven't got enough ammunition for our weapon," he explains.

His unit, the 17th Tank Battalion, is still being called on to provide fire support to Ukrainian forces desperately clinging on to the edges of Bakhmut, the eastern Ukrainian city which Russia has spent months trying to capture.

Russian forces are getting ever closer to their goal of taking the city, but at enormous cost.

While we're waiting in a line of trees, hidden from view, Volodymyr receives a call to fire his rocket launcher at a Russian mortar position about 15 kilometres away.

Grad missile launcher hidden in trees

His men remove the branches camouflaging their vehicle. They drive towards an empty field about a kilometre away and quickly work out the range.

They elevate the rocket barrels towards the target while, out of sight, a Ukrainian drone hovering above assesses their accuracy.

They're told their first rocket misses by about 50 metres, so they adjust the elevation and fire another two and quickly return to the trees for cover. This time they're told they've hit the target.

Volodymyr however, is frustrated they can't do more. "We could have provided more support to our guys who are dying there."

He says Ukraine has already burned through its own stocks of Grad ammunition, so is relying on rockets sourced from other countries. Volodymyr says supplies are coming from the Czech Republic, Romania and Pakistan. He complains the rockets originating from Pakistan are "not of a good quality".

Grad soldier with sight

Ukraine's call for more weapons and ammunition has only become louder the longer the war has gone on. The focus now is preparing for a major offensive. But at the same time Ukraine is still having to expend huge resources on just maintaining its position.

Despite the recent arrival of modern weapons - like tanks and armoured vehicles - Ukraine remains heavily reliant on its older, Soviet-era arsenal.

The Russian-made Buk air defence system, which can target aircraft, drones and missiles, is still one of its prized possessions. We get rare access to see one further along the front line - also hidden in a wooded area.

This sophisticated weaponry has helped prevent Russia gaining control of the skies.

Josef, the Buk commander, tells me it's "target number one for Russia". This explains the extreme care taken to protect it. The long vehicle with its radar dome is buried in a deep trench covered with camouflage netting. On top are two grey missiles. Normally it carries four.

Commander 2
EPA

A cache of classified US documents was leaked online earlier this month - maps, charts and photos - revealing detailed intelligence gathered on the war.

I ask Josef if these were correct in highlighting an acute shortage of Buk missiles. "No, that's not true," he insists. But he does admit that the Buk is proving hard to maintain and Ukraine needs more.

"We haven't got enough," he says. "Parts break and we haven't got spares because the factories that produce them are not in Ukraine."

Josef doesn't only dispute some of the contents of those leaked US intelligence reports. He questions whether they have really revealed any secrets.

"Why should we be angry with the Americans?" he asks. "Because they gave information the Russians have had for 20 years? Ridiculous!" Russia, he believes, has always known about the capabilities of Ukraine's armed forces.

But Russia still does not know the timing or place of Ukraine's expected offensive. It will be key to taking back territory and relieving some of the pressure being felt along Ukraine's 800 mile (1,300km) front. Wherever it happens Russia will have to redirect some of its forces.

But Ukraine too is having to arm and equip new units to conduct that offensive. Both sides are struggling to feed the front line.

Grad commander Volodymyr
BBC
We're worried our Western allies are getting tired of helping us
Volodymyr
Grad commander

At another location near Bakhmut, Ukrainian troops from its 80th Brigade are already expending hundreds of artillery rounds a day, to try to repel Russia's advances.

They are already using some of the weapons supplied by the West. Serhiy and his men are operating a British made L119 light artillery gun. But Serhiy says they too are having to ration rounds. He says they're firing on average 30 rounds a day.

"We've got enough people for the moment", he says. "But we need ammunition. Ammunition is the most important."

I ask Serhiy if this is the make or break year for Ukraine. "If we go on the offensive this year and retake our land, then we'll win," he replies. "But, if that doesn't happen, then we don't have the resources for the war to go on for another five to ten years."

Volodymyr, the commander of the Grad, is even more blunt. "The country is exhausted, the economy too," he says.

And he fears that if Ukraine's action on the battlefield are not decisive this year then Western support may falter. "We are also worried our Western allies are getting tired of helping us."

Adblock test (Why?)


https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiLmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy93b3JsZC1ldXJvcGUtNjUzNDc4MzXSATJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iYmMuY29tL25ld3Mvd29ybGQtZXVyb3BlLTY1MzQ3ODM1LmFtcA?oc=5

2023-04-27 04:18:51Z
1966223062

US submarines to dock in South Korea in show of force as countries reach landmark nuclear pact - The Telegraph

The United States has pledged to share with South Korea more details about its nuclear planning as the two countries signed a landmark pact amid anxiety over North Korea's growing arsenal of missiles and bombs.

The "Washington Declaration" would also see American ballistic-armed submarines periodically dock in South Korea in a show of support in the face of Pyongyang's threats. 

US President Joe Biden stressed that US nuclear weapons would not be stationed on South Korean territory.

"I have absolute authority as commander in chief and the sole authority to use a nuclear weapon, but … what the declaration means is that we're going to make every effort to consult with our allies when it's appropriate, if any action is so called for," Mr Biden said.

He added: "A nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies and partners is unacceptable, and will result in the end of whatever regime were to take such an action."

Following talks at the White House, Mr Biden and South Korean leader Yoon Suk Yeol celebrated their agreements at a glittering dinner attended by Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie.

Actress Angelina Jolie and her son Maddox attended the black-tie dinner at the White House Credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

In a surprise performance that was met with cheers and applause from the dining room full of high-profile guests, Mr Yoon sang American Pie. He was gifted a guitar signed by Don McLean, the song's original artist.

Joe Biden gifts a guitar to Yoon Suk Yeol Credit: Reuters

"Our two countries have agreed to immediate bilateral presidential consultations in the event of North Korea's nuclear attack and promised to respond swiftly, overwhelmingly and decisively using the full force of the alliance, including the United States' nuclear weapons," Mr Yoon said at a press conference prior to the dinner.

The US will in future give Seoul more detailed insights into, and a voice in, US contingency planning to deter and respond to any nuclear threat in the region through a newly formed Nuclear Consultative Group, Washington officials said.

North Korea's rapidly advancing weapons programs have raised questions about whether the US would really use its nuclear weapons to defend South Korea under what it calls "extended deterrence". 

Kim Jong-un’s regime has in the past year tested an unprecedented volley of missiles – including weapons which have enough range to impact US cities. 

Opinion polls in South Korea show a majority of citizens want their government to acquire its own nuclear bombs, a step Washington opposes. The Chicago Council on Global Affairs last year found 71 percent of survey participants were in favour of South Korea developing its own arsenal, reflecting similar polling by local newspapers. 

Mr Yoon this week vowed Seoul would not build nuclear weapons.

Adblock test (Why?)


https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiY2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRlbGVncmFwaC5jby51ay93b3JsZC1uZXdzLzIwMjMvMDQvMjcvdXMtc291dGgta29yZWEtYmlkZW4teW9vbi1zdWJtYXJpbmUtbnVjbGVhci1wbGFuL9IBAA?oc=5

2023-04-27 05:56:00Z
1963462028

Sudan – live: Evacuation flights ‘potentially impossible’ when ceasefire ends, UK warns - The Independent

Moment plane carrying British nationals escaping Sudan lands at Stansted Airport

It may be “impossible” to evacuate British citizens from Sudan once the war-torn country’s fragile ceasefire ends, the foreign secretary has warned.

James Cleverly said that the UK government could not predict what would happen once intense fighting resumed.

He urged British nationals who may be “hesitant” or “weighing up their options” to make their way to Wadi Seidna, where there were “planes and capacity” to get people out.

Fighting flared in Sudan yesterday as its armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) battled on Khartoum’s outskirts, undermining a truce in their 11-day conflict.

The fighting came as the army agreed to extending the ceasefire that is in force till today.

The army said last night its leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, gave initial approval to a plan to extend the truce for another 72 hours and send an army envoy to the South Sudan capital, Juba, for talks, reported Reuters.

There was no immediate response from the RSF to the proposal.

1682567298

Fighting flares as military approves ceasefire extension

Fighting flared in Sudan yesterday as Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) battled on Khartoum’s outskirts, undermining a truce in their 11-day conflict.

The fighting came as the army agreed to extending the ceasefire that is in force till today.

The army late last night said its leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, gave initial approval to a plan to extend the truce for another 72 hours and send an army envoy to the South Sudan capital, Juba, for talks, reported Reuters.

There was no immediate response from the RSF to the proposal from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional bloc.

The military said the presidents of South Sudan, Kenya and Djibouti worked on a proposal that includes extending the truce and talks between the two forces.

“Burhan thanked the IGAD and expressed an initial approval to that,” the army statement said.

Sravasti Dasgupta27 April 2023 04:48
1682579650

Cleverly - we’re pushing for ceasefire extension

The UK is pushing for an extension to the ceasefire in Sudan, the foreign secretary has said - Archie Mitchell reports.

Speaking to Sky News, James Cleverly said: “We pushed for the original ceasefire, we are pushing to have the ceasefire extended, we are pushing with our international partners and leaders in the region, to have a permanent peace settlement.

“But the point I’m making is I can’t guarantee any of those things. If they happen, that’s great, that’s what we’re pushing for.My worry is if people are having to make difficult decisions, and of course they are, if they are basing those decisions on a belief that this ceasefire will continue, and then it doesn’t, they put themselves in a more dangerous situation.

“So my strong advice is to err on the side of caution, take advantage of what we know, which is the ceasefire is currently holding, even though we don’t know whether it’ll hold for the full duration, rather than relying on what might not happen, which is an extension of the ceasefire, which of course we are pushing for.

<p>Foreign secretary James Cleverly (Hannah McKay/PA)</p>

Foreign secretary James Cleverly (Hannah McKay/PA)

Matt Mathers27 April 2023 08:14
1682578850

ICYMI: Dodging bullets and paying thousands: How these British families escaped wartorn Sudan

British families fleeing Sudan have described dodging heavy gunfire and bombing in their bids to escape the wartorn country after the Foreign Office “failed” to secure safe routes out.

Many have spent thousands to escape the country safely.

Bel Trew and Tara Cobham report:

Sravasti Dasgupta27 April 2023 08:00
1682578495

‘Potentially impossible’ to evacuate Britons once ceasefire ends - Cleverly

It may be “impossible” to evacuate British citizens from Sudan once the war-torn country’s fragile ceasefire ends, the foreign secretary has warned.

James Cleverly said that the UK government was unable to predict what would happen once intense fighting resumed.

He urged British nationals who may be “hesitant” or “weighing up their options” to make their way to the extraction point, where there were “planes and capacity”.

Matt Mathers27 April 2023 07:54
1682577050

ICYMI: Wounded British doctor’s agonising choice – risk deadly infection or leave mother in Sudan war zone

A British doctor is facing an agonising choice of either risking a deadly infection from his gunshot wound or leaving his vulnerable elderly mother to fend for herself in a war zone in Sudan.

Tara Cobham reports:

Sravasti Dasgupta27 April 2023 07:30
1682575250

Over 500 Britons brought to safety from Sudan with more flights to come

The British evacuation mission from Sudan has lifted 536 people to safety on six flights as the military races against time to rescue citizens while a fragile ceasefire holds.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said “in a fast-moving situation” these were the figures at 9pm on Wednesday “with further flights to come”.

Read more:

Sravasti Dasgupta27 April 2023 07:00
1682573450

Sudan evacuations can continue ‘even if ceasefire breaks’

Air evacuations from Sudan can continue even if a fragile ceasefire breaks, military chiefs said yesterday, as the first flight carrying British nationals arrived back in Britain.

Brigadier Dan Reeve, Britain’s chief of joint force operations, said that up to 500 people a day can be flown out of Wadi Saeedna, an airfield just north of Khartoum, with transport planes available to increase that number if necessary.

“The ceasefire itself was not a condition for us launching this operation, although of course it helped and was a useful window,” he said.

Kim Sengupta, Rebecca Thomas and Kate Devlin report:

Sravasti Dasgupta27 April 2023 06:30
1682571600

How ‘Putin’s chef’ and his Wagner Group are cashing in on Sudan

They’ve drawn most attention in eastern Ukraine, but it seems wherever war breaks out – from Syria to Sudan – this group of mercenaries can be found profiting from bloodshed, writes World Affairs Editor Kim Sengupta.

Martha Mchardy27 April 2023 06:00
1682569850

Blinken and African Union Commission chairperson discuss ending Sudan fighting

US secretary of state Antony Blinken and African Union Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat discussed working together to create a sustainable end to the fighting in Sudan, the State Department said in a statement yesterday.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the two spoke about a “collaboration to create a sustainable cessation of hostilities and end the fighting in Sudan”.

“Secretary Blinken and chairperson Faki agreed that the AU’s continued leadership remains essential in pressing the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to immediately cease military operations and allow unhindered humanitarian access,” the statement said.

Sravasti Dasgupta27 April 2023 05:30
1682568000

What could happen in Sudan?

International parties have called for a ceasefire and a return to dialogue but there has been little sign of compromise from the warring factions.

The army has branded the RSF as a rebel force and demanded its dissolution, while Hemedti has called Burhan a criminal and blamed him for visiting destruction on the country.

Though Sudan’s army has superior resources including air power and the RSF expanded into a force estimated at 100,000 men that had deployed across Khartoum and its neighbouring cities as well as in other regions, raising the spectre of protracted conflict on top of a long-running economic crisis and existing, large-scale humanitarian needs.

The RSF can also draw on support and tribal ties in the western region of Darfur, where it emerged from the militias that fought alongside government forces to crush rebels in a brutal war that escalated after 2003.

Martha Mchardy27 April 2023 05:00

Adblock test (Why?)


https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMicWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmluZGVwZW5kZW50LmNvLnVrL25ld3Mvd29ybGQvYWZyaWNhL3N1ZGFuLWNvbmZsaWN0LXdhci1tYXAtZXZhY3VhdGlvbi1mbGlnaHRzLWNlYXNlZmlyZS1iMjMyNzg2MC5odG1s0gF1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5kZXBlbmRlbnQuY28udWsvbmV3cy93b3JsZC9hZnJpY2Evc3VkYW4tY29uZmxpY3Qtd2FyLW1hcC1ldmFjdWF0aW9uLWZsaWdodHMtY2Vhc2VmaXJlLWIyMzI3ODYwLmh0bWw_YW1w?oc=5

2023-04-27 07:05:13Z
1965440032