#Sudan: Mass displacement, hundreds killed as violence escalates in Kordofan
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said that intensified fighting since the start of 2025 in the three states of Sudan’s Kordofan region has caused the deaths of hundreds of people, mass displacement, and the collapse of essential services.
In a statement, the ICRC said: “Attacks on civilians and essential infrastructure in Sudan’s Kordofan states — including hospitals, markets and residential areas — have caused a high number of casualties, mass displacement and the collapse of essential services.”
Daniel O’Malley, head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan, said in the statement: “Fighting in the Kordofan states has intensified since the beginning of 2025, resulting in hundreds of deaths and exacerbating the country’s humanitarian crisis. In some areas, 90 per cent of civilians have fled,”
He added that alongside the fighting, unexploded remnants of war pose a serious threat to civilians, especially those fleeing conflict zones or trying to return to their homes.
O’Malley warned of grave risks facing the wounded and the sick, pointing to the dire condition of the country’s already fragile health system.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250731-sudan-mass-displacement-hundreds-killed-as-violence-escalates-in-kordofan/
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said that intensified fighting since the start of 2025 in the three states of Sudan’s Kordofan region has caused the deaths of hundreds of people, mass displacement, and the collapse of essential services.
In a statement, the ICRC said: “Attacks on civilians and essential infrastructure in Sudan’s Kordofan states — including hospitals, markets and residential areas — have caused a high number of casualties, mass displacement and the collapse of essential services.”
Daniel O’Malley, head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan, said in the statement: “Fighting in the Kordofan states has intensified since the beginning of 2025, resulting in hundreds of deaths and exacerbating the country’s humanitarian crisis. In some areas, 90 per cent of civilians have fled,”
He added that alongside the fighting, unexploded remnants of war pose a serious threat to civilians, especially those fleeing conflict zones or trying to return to their homes.
O’Malley warned of grave risks facing the wounded and the sick, pointing to the dire condition of the country’s already fragile health system.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250731-sudan-mass-displacement-hundreds-killed-as-violence-escalates-in-kordofan/
Middle East Monitor
Sudan: Mass displacement, hundreds killed as violence escalates in Kordofan
...
❤3
Rubio, #Egyptian foreign minister discuss #Gaza, #Sudan
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty to discuss regional security and efforts to promote stability in the Middle East, the State Department said Thursday.
During the meeting Wednesday at the State Department, Rubio thanked Abdelatty for "Egypt’s steadfast support in securing the release of hostages held by Hamas," according to the State Department readout.
"Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Abdelatty also discussed the necessity of a transition to civilian governance in Sudan," it added.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry wrote on X that the productive meeting covered strengthening the strategic partnership, key regional crises and Egypt’s water security.
The meeting comes amid growing alarm from humanitarian agencies about mass starvation in the Gaza Strip, where Palestinians have been enduring a blockade on food and aid.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/rubio-egyptian-foreign-minister-discuss-gaza-sudan/3647648
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty to discuss regional security and efforts to promote stability in the Middle East, the State Department said Thursday.
During the meeting Wednesday at the State Department, Rubio thanked Abdelatty for "Egypt’s steadfast support in securing the release of hostages held by Hamas," according to the State Department readout.
"Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Abdelatty also discussed the necessity of a transition to civilian governance in Sudan," it added.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry wrote on X that the productive meeting covered strengthening the strategic partnership, key regional crises and Egypt’s water security.
The meeting comes amid growing alarm from humanitarian agencies about mass starvation in the Gaza Strip, where Palestinians have been enduring a blockade on food and aid.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/rubio-egyptian-foreign-minister-discuss-gaza-sudan/3647648
Anadolu Agency
Rubio, Egyptian foreign minister discuss Gaza, Sudan
Marco Rubio thanks Badr Abdelatty for support to reach Gaza ceasefire
#Ethiopia: “Many pregnant women have died due to lack of #medicine and #health services”
The ongoing conflict in the Oromia region is having a devastating effect on many communities, particularly those in remote areas. Oromia doesn’t make the headlines, yet civilians continue to be deeply affected by violence, with many people killed or injured and limited help coming from outside the region.
Asiya Abdela is a farmer in Arma Gunfi, a small village cut off because of the conflict. It lies deep in the West Wellega zone, over 700 kilometres away from the capital Addis Ababa. While waiting for her prenatal care appointment at the Gunfi primary health care centre, she told us how the conflict has impacted access to healthcare and the terrible consequences it has had on the community.
https://www.icrcnewsroom.org/story/en/1063/ethiopia-many-pregnant-women-have-died-due-to-lack-of-medicine-and-health-services/0/3YaOyArdxq?utm_source=facebook
The ongoing conflict in the Oromia region is having a devastating effect on many communities, particularly those in remote areas. Oromia doesn’t make the headlines, yet civilians continue to be deeply affected by violence, with many people killed or injured and limited help coming from outside the region.
Asiya Abdela is a farmer in Arma Gunfi, a small village cut off because of the conflict. It lies deep in the West Wellega zone, over 700 kilometres away from the capital Addis Ababa. While waiting for her prenatal care appointment at the Gunfi primary health care centre, she told us how the conflict has impacted access to healthcare and the terrible consequences it has had on the community.
https://www.icrcnewsroom.org/story/en/1063/ethiopia-many-pregnant-women-have-died-due-to-lack-of-medicine-and-health-services/0/3YaOyArdxq?utm_source=facebook
😭2
#Afar People’s Party accuses #Somali Region of violating boundaries with new administrative restructuring
The Afar People’s Party (APP) has strongly condemned a recent decision by the Somali Regional Council to approve 14 new woredas (districts) and 4 new zones, alleging that the move constitutes a breach of Afar’s territorial integrity and threatens the fragile peace between the two regions.
On Saturday, 27 July, the Council approved the establishment of 14 new woredas, four zonal administrations, and 25 municipal leadership offices. Mohammed Adam, Head of the Somali Region’s Communication Bureau, told Addis Standard that the changes are “strictly internal” and “do not involve any redrawing of administrative boundaries.”
The statement from APP comes in the context of a fragile peace process that began in April 2024, when the Islamic Affairs Supreme Council brokered a ceasefire between the two regions. This was followed by the formation of a National Committee tasked with resolving the Somali–Afar conflict. On September 13, 2024, the committee announced a formal “cessation of hostilities” after evaluating the success of its first operational phase.
APP warned the decision could incite renewed violence. “At a time when our country is recovering from the northern war and striving to strengthen internal peace, this action is an invitation to another war,” the statement cautioned.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=51637
The Afar People’s Party (APP) has strongly condemned a recent decision by the Somali Regional Council to approve 14 new woredas (districts) and 4 new zones, alleging that the move constitutes a breach of Afar’s territorial integrity and threatens the fragile peace between the two regions.
On Saturday, 27 July, the Council approved the establishment of 14 new woredas, four zonal administrations, and 25 municipal leadership offices. Mohammed Adam, Head of the Somali Region’s Communication Bureau, told Addis Standard that the changes are “strictly internal” and “do not involve any redrawing of administrative boundaries.”
The statement from APP comes in the context of a fragile peace process that began in April 2024, when the Islamic Affairs Supreme Council brokered a ceasefire between the two regions. This was followed by the formation of a National Committee tasked with resolving the Somali–Afar conflict. On September 13, 2024, the committee announced a formal “cessation of hostilities” after evaluating the success of its first operational phase.
APP warned the decision could incite renewed violence. “At a time when our country is recovering from the northern war and striving to strengthen internal peace, this action is an invitation to another war,” the statement cautioned.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=51637
Addis Standard
Afar People’s Party accuses Somali Region of violating boundaries with new administrative restructuring - Addis Standard
Afar People’s Party accuses Somali Region of violating boundaries with new administrative restructuring Addis Standard News -
❤1
60,000 #Gazans have been killed. 18,500 were children. These are their names.
Some were killed in their beds. Others while playing. Many were buried before they learned to walk. Gaza is the most dangerous place in the world to be a child, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Palestinian children have been killed at a rate of more than one child per hour during the war. “Consider that for a moment. A whole classroom of children killed, every day for nearly two years,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell told the U.N. Security Council this month.
When asked about the death toll among children, the Israel Defense Forces said it “does not target children or other uninvolved civilians. The IDF takes extensive precautionary measures to prevent harm to civilians. The IDF operates in compliance with international law.”
Israel says its aim is to eliminate Hamas after the militant group attacked the country on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Thirty-eight children were killed and about three dozen were taken hostage. Hamas continues to hold about 22 hostages and the bodies of 27 others.
To assemble its list of fatalities, the Gaza Health Ministry uses hospital and morgue records, as well as vetted reports from victims’ families and reliable media. Tracking and identifying the dead has become increasingly difficult amid the breakdown of the enclave’s medical system.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2025/israel-gaza-war-children-death-toll/
Some were killed in their beds. Others while playing. Many were buried before they learned to walk. Gaza is the most dangerous place in the world to be a child, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Palestinian children have been killed at a rate of more than one child per hour during the war. “Consider that for a moment. A whole classroom of children killed, every day for nearly two years,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell told the U.N. Security Council this month.
When asked about the death toll among children, the Israel Defense Forces said it “does not target children or other uninvolved civilians. The IDF takes extensive precautionary measures to prevent harm to civilians. The IDF operates in compliance with international law.”
Israel says its aim is to eliminate Hamas after the militant group attacked the country on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Thirty-eight children were killed and about three dozen were taken hostage. Hamas continues to hold about 22 hostages and the bodies of 27 others.
To assemble its list of fatalities, the Gaza Health Ministry uses hospital and morgue records, as well as vetted reports from victims’ families and reliable media. Tracking and identifying the dead has become increasingly difficult amid the breakdown of the enclave’s medical system.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2025/israel-gaza-war-children-death-toll/
The Washington Post
60,000 Gazans have been killed. 18,500 were children. These are their names.
Palestinian children have been killed at a rate of more than one per hour since the war began.
😭5😡1
#Opinion: Weapons Without Oversight: How lifting #Somalia’s arms embargo destabilizes Horn of #Africa
When the #UN Security Council lifted Somalia’s decades-old arms embargo in December 2023, the move was widely celebrated as a milestone in the country’s path toward national recovery. However, Abdi Halim M. Musa, the author of this opinion piece, argues that more than 19 months later, the consequences of that decision have been far from encouraging. He writes, “Far from stabilizing the country, the removal of the embargo has accelerated the spread of weapons across Somalia, heightened regional tensions, and placed civilian lives—in Somalia, Somaliland, and the broader Horn of Africa—at growing risk.”
The author notes that Somalia remains “deeply fragmented,” with “no unified security architecture” and “limited control over its borders.” Despite clear warnings—such as its "9 out of 10 for arms trafficking risk" rating in the 2023 Global Organized Crime Index—the influx of weapons has continued. He cites a recent incident in #Puntland, where authorities intercepted a suspected arms shipment reportedly headed to Mogadishu. According to Musa, the incident “heightened long-standing concerns that arms intended for state use may be diverted to militias, political factions, and extremist groups such as #Al_Shabaab and ISIS-HoA.” He warns that #Somaliland's stability is now “increasingly exposed to the spillover effects of international miscalculations.”
The author further argues that Somalia "is not yet ready to manage arms flows at scale," as it “lacks proper verification, storage protocols, and neutral institutions” necessary to ensure that weapons remain under legitimate control. He stresses that without robust safeguards, including third-party monitoring, end-user verification, real-time tracking, and enforceable penalties for violations, “the region risks reliving the same avoidable tragedies witnessed in Libya, South Sudan, and elsewhere—where premature international confidence translated into long-term humanitarian crises.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=51634
When the #UN Security Council lifted Somalia’s decades-old arms embargo in December 2023, the move was widely celebrated as a milestone in the country’s path toward national recovery. However, Abdi Halim M. Musa, the author of this opinion piece, argues that more than 19 months later, the consequences of that decision have been far from encouraging. He writes, “Far from stabilizing the country, the removal of the embargo has accelerated the spread of weapons across Somalia, heightened regional tensions, and placed civilian lives—in Somalia, Somaliland, and the broader Horn of Africa—at growing risk.”
The author notes that Somalia remains “deeply fragmented,” with “no unified security architecture” and “limited control over its borders.” Despite clear warnings—such as its "9 out of 10 for arms trafficking risk" rating in the 2023 Global Organized Crime Index—the influx of weapons has continued. He cites a recent incident in #Puntland, where authorities intercepted a suspected arms shipment reportedly headed to Mogadishu. According to Musa, the incident “heightened long-standing concerns that arms intended for state use may be diverted to militias, political factions, and extremist groups such as #Al_Shabaab and ISIS-HoA.” He warns that #Somaliland's stability is now “increasingly exposed to the spillover effects of international miscalculations.”
The author further argues that Somalia "is not yet ready to manage arms flows at scale," as it “lacks proper verification, storage protocols, and neutral institutions” necessary to ensure that weapons remain under legitimate control. He stresses that without robust safeguards, including third-party monitoring, end-user verification, real-time tracking, and enforceable penalties for violations, “the region risks reliving the same avoidable tragedies witnessed in Libya, South Sudan, and elsewhere—where premature international confidence translated into long-term humanitarian crises.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=51634
Addis Standard
Weapons Without Oversight: How lifting Somalia’s arms embargo destabilizes Horn of Africa - Addis Standard
Weapons Without Oversight: How lifting Somalia’s arms embargo destabilizes Horn of Africa Addis Standard Opinion -
❤2
#Ethiopia, #Djibouti joint defense committee signs agreement on regional peace and security cooperation
Ethiopia and Djibouti have signed a new agreement outlining joint peace and security initiatives for the upcoming year, as part of their ongoing bilateral cooperation under the Joint Defense Committee framework.
The agreement was signed on Thursday at the Skylight Hotel in Addis Abeba, following high-level discussions on defense collaboration, intelligence sharing, and coordinated efforts to combat terrorism and human trafficking.
The signing followed the launch of the 11th regular meeting of the Joint Defense Committee between the two countries, which began on 29 July at the same venue.
The meeting brought together senior military officials from both sides to review ongoing security cooperation and outline future areas of collaboration.
Read more at: https://x.com/addisstandard/status/1951252558065885683?s=46&t=ofAzVW8-64dDK-xsjodCGA
Ethiopia and Djibouti have signed a new agreement outlining joint peace and security initiatives for the upcoming year, as part of their ongoing bilateral cooperation under the Joint Defense Committee framework.
The agreement was signed on Thursday at the Skylight Hotel in Addis Abeba, following high-level discussions on defense collaboration, intelligence sharing, and coordinated efforts to combat terrorism and human trafficking.
The signing followed the launch of the 11th regular meeting of the Joint Defense Committee between the two countries, which began on 29 July at the same venue.
The meeting brought together senior military officials from both sides to review ongoing security cooperation and outline future areas of collaboration.
Read more at: https://x.com/addisstandard/status/1951252558065885683?s=46&t=ofAzVW8-64dDK-xsjodCGA
❤3
#Tigray interim admin, #Simret Party trade accusations over deadly border attack
The Tigray Interim Administration has accused the Simret Party, a new political party led by former President Getachew Reda, of carrying out an armed attack on a Tigray security unit in Mlazat, Southeastern Tigray, bordering the Afar region, which resulted in the death of a member of the Tigray Security Forces.
The Simret Party has denied the allegation as “baseless” and, in turn, accused the interim administration’s peace and security office of “corruption and regional destabilization.”
According to a statement released by the administration’s Peace and Security Bureau, the attack took place on 30 July and claimed the life of Hailu Anday Kindeya, a member of the region’s security forces. The administration claimed the assault was “orchestrated by Simret Party operatives” under the pretense of political activism.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=51639
The Tigray Interim Administration has accused the Simret Party, a new political party led by former President Getachew Reda, of carrying out an armed attack on a Tigray security unit in Mlazat, Southeastern Tigray, bordering the Afar region, which resulted in the death of a member of the Tigray Security Forces.
The Simret Party has denied the allegation as “baseless” and, in turn, accused the interim administration’s peace and security office of “corruption and regional destabilization.”
According to a statement released by the administration’s Peace and Security Bureau, the attack took place on 30 July and claimed the life of Hailu Anday Kindeya, a member of the region’s security forces. The administration claimed the assault was “orchestrated by Simret Party operatives” under the pretense of political activism.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=51639
Addis Standard
Tigray interim admin, Simret Party trade accusations over deadly border attack - Addis Standard
Tigray interim admin, Simret Party trade accusations over deadly border attack Addis Standard News -
👎1
Prime Minister Abiy appoints Addisu Arega as new Minister of Agriculture
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) has appointed Addisu Arega as Minister of Agriculture, effective August 1.
Prior to his appointment, Addisu served as Coordinator of the Rural Cluster with the rank of Deputy President in the Oromia Regional State.
He replaces Girma Amente (PhD), who had served in the role since January 2023.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) has appointed Addisu Arega as Minister of Agriculture, effective August 1.
Prior to his appointment, Addisu served as Coordinator of the Rural Cluster with the rank of Deputy President in the Oromia Regional State.
He replaces Girma Amente (PhD), who had served in the role since January 2023.
👍4😡3
Backlash against #Somali region’s administrative restructuring triggers accusations between #Oromo, #Somali opposition parties
A war of words surfaced between Oromo and Somali opposition parties following the Somali Regional State’s recent administrative restructuring, which critics say includes contentious changes to the status of Moyale, a border town historically claimed by both the Oromia and Somali regions.
In a strongly worded statement issued on 29 July, the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) condemned the restructuring plan as unconstitutional and warned it could trigger renewed conflict if not halted.
The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), led by Abdirahman Mahdi, while reiterating its own opposition to the Somali regional government’s restructuring—calling it top-down and lacking local legitimacy—dismissed the OFC’s criticism as “disproportionate, politically opportunistic,” and reflective of an inconsistent stance on constitutionalism.
Adding to the backlash, five Somali opposition parties—the Western Somali Democratic Party (WSDP), ONLF (led by Abdi Karim Sheikh Muse), the Union for Democracy and Freedom Party (UDFP), the Freedom and Equality Party (FEP), and the Somali Federalist Party (SFP)—released a joint statement on 30 July defending the restructuring and rejecting the OFC’s position.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=51642
A war of words surfaced between Oromo and Somali opposition parties following the Somali Regional State’s recent administrative restructuring, which critics say includes contentious changes to the status of Moyale, a border town historically claimed by both the Oromia and Somali regions.
In a strongly worded statement issued on 29 July, the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) condemned the restructuring plan as unconstitutional and warned it could trigger renewed conflict if not halted.
The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), led by Abdirahman Mahdi, while reiterating its own opposition to the Somali regional government’s restructuring—calling it top-down and lacking local legitimacy—dismissed the OFC’s criticism as “disproportionate, politically opportunistic,” and reflective of an inconsistent stance on constitutionalism.
Adding to the backlash, five Somali opposition parties—the Western Somali Democratic Party (WSDP), ONLF (led by Abdi Karim Sheikh Muse), the Union for Democracy and Freedom Party (UDFP), the Freedom and Equality Party (FEP), and the Somali Federalist Party (SFP)—released a joint statement on 30 July defending the restructuring and rejecting the OFC’s position.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=51642
Addis Standard
Backlash against Somali region’s administrative restructuring triggers accusations between Oromo, Somali opposition parties - Addis…
Backlash against Somali region’s administrative restructuring triggers accusations between Oromo, Somali opposition parties Addis Standard News -
👍4❤2
#Sudan: Is a rival government splitting the country in two?
The new rival "Government of Peace and Unity" in Darfur has not been internationally recognized. But observers fear it could bring more civil war, humanitarian suffering and even split the country in two.
War-torn Sudan appears one step closer to breaking up. Last weekend, a Sudanese coalition led by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced the establishment of a rival government in Darfur.
The announcement had been widely expected after the RSF — which holds nearly all of the Darfur region and parts of the south — and other armed groups had formed the Sudan Founding Alliance (TASIS) in March. At the time, the alliance said it would soon establish a "Government of Peace and Unity" in areas under its control.
But now, the newly formed "Transitional Peace Government" with RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo as president claims to have jurisdiction over all of Sudan.
In a statement, TASIS said it was committed "to build[ing] an inclusive homeland and a new, secular, democratic, decentralized, and voluntarily unified Sudan founded on the principles of freedom, justice, and equality."
https://www.dw.com/en/sudan-is-a-rival-government-splitting-the-country-in-two/a-73483875
The new rival "Government of Peace and Unity" in Darfur has not been internationally recognized. But observers fear it could bring more civil war, humanitarian suffering and even split the country in two.
War-torn Sudan appears one step closer to breaking up. Last weekend, a Sudanese coalition led by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced the establishment of a rival government in Darfur.
The announcement had been widely expected after the RSF — which holds nearly all of the Darfur region and parts of the south — and other armed groups had formed the Sudan Founding Alliance (TASIS) in March. At the time, the alliance said it would soon establish a "Government of Peace and Unity" in areas under its control.
But now, the newly formed "Transitional Peace Government" with RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo as president claims to have jurisdiction over all of Sudan.
In a statement, TASIS said it was committed "to build[ing] an inclusive homeland and a new, secular, democratic, decentralized, and voluntarily unified Sudan founded on the principles of freedom, justice, and equality."
https://www.dw.com/en/sudan-is-a-rival-government-splitting-the-country-in-two/a-73483875
DW
Sudan: Is a rival government splitting the country in two?
The new rival "Government of Peace and Unity" in Darfur has not been internationally recognized. But observers fear it could bring more civil war, humanitarian suffering and even split the country in two.
❤1
Silence over sexual violence in #Ethiopia enables yet more abuse, says report
The silence over grave sexual violence crimes committed during the conflict in Ethiopia’s #Tigray region has enabled the spread of similar atrocities in other conflict zones, says a report co-authored by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) and the Organisation for Justice and Accountability in the Horn of Africa (OJAH).
The report, “You Will Never Be Able to Give Birth”: Conflict-Related Sexual and Reproductive Violence in Ethiopia, released today, documents systematic abuse in Tigray predominantly committed by Ethiopian soldiers and their Eritrean and ethno-militia allies during the 2020-2022 war, and how a lack of accountability led to revenge attacks in the neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions.
Researchers analysed hundreds of medical records and surveys of health workers in Tigray, Amhara, and Afar to understand the intent of the widespread acts of sexual and reproductive violence.
The report concludes that, in Tigray, the aim was to prevent future Tigrayan births. Health providers relayed stories of women who had plastic bags, nails, stones – even abusive letters – forcibly inserted into their wombs to destroy their ability to have children, with the goal of “destroying communities, and the Tigrayan ethnicity”.
Tigrayan women were also held in captivity where they were raped – by multiple attackers – resulting in forced pregnancies. Tigrayan men also suffered rape and sexual assault, the report found.
These acts constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, the report noted.
The lack of accountability for those crimes triggered yet more violence. When Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) soldiers advanced into parts of Amhara and Afar in 2021, they committed similar deliberate acts of sexual abuse, noted Payal Shah, the report’s co-author and director of research at PHR.
https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news/2025/07/31/silence-over-sexual-violence-ethiopia-enables-yet-more-abuse-says-report
The silence over grave sexual violence crimes committed during the conflict in Ethiopia’s #Tigray region has enabled the spread of similar atrocities in other conflict zones, says a report co-authored by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) and the Organisation for Justice and Accountability in the Horn of Africa (OJAH).
The report, “You Will Never Be Able to Give Birth”: Conflict-Related Sexual and Reproductive Violence in Ethiopia, released today, documents systematic abuse in Tigray predominantly committed by Ethiopian soldiers and their Eritrean and ethno-militia allies during the 2020-2022 war, and how a lack of accountability led to revenge attacks in the neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions.
Researchers analysed hundreds of medical records and surveys of health workers in Tigray, Amhara, and Afar to understand the intent of the widespread acts of sexual and reproductive violence.
The report concludes that, in Tigray, the aim was to prevent future Tigrayan births. Health providers relayed stories of women who had plastic bags, nails, stones – even abusive letters – forcibly inserted into their wombs to destroy their ability to have children, with the goal of “destroying communities, and the Tigrayan ethnicity”.
Tigrayan women were also held in captivity where they were raped – by multiple attackers – resulting in forced pregnancies. Tigrayan men also suffered rape and sexual assault, the report found.
These acts constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, the report noted.
The lack of accountability for those crimes triggered yet more violence. When Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) soldiers advanced into parts of Amhara and Afar in 2021, they committed similar deliberate acts of sexual abuse, noted Payal Shah, the report’s co-author and director of research at PHR.
https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news/2025/07/31/silence-over-sexual-violence-ethiopia-enables-yet-more-abuse-says-report
The New Humanitarian
Silence over sexual violence in Ethiopia enables yet more abuse, says report
The failure to hold perpetrators to account has fueled revenge attacks.
😭1
Analysis: As drought #kills thousands of #livestock in Kolla #Tembien, signs of a devastating drought are reemerging in the war-torn region of #Tigray
The devastating impact of drought in Central Tigray’s Kolla Tembien district this week is the latest indicator of a growing crisis that has steadily worsened across the region over the past year.
In the Yaqer locality alone, more than 18,000 livestock have died, and hundreds of hectares of farmland have failed, compounding fears of a return to famine conditions in a region still reeling from the effects of war.
Goitom Gebrehaweria, head of the district’s economic sector, told Addis Standard that 184 cattle, 900 donkeys, more than 4,500 sheep, over 13,000 goats, and 200 beehives have perished due to the combined effects of failed rains and fodder exhaustion. “Rain has not hit the locality until today,” he said. “Bees have also been wiped out entirely.”
Gebrehiwet Gebregzabher, head of the regional Disaster Risk Management Bureau, said that a recent joint report by the Bureau and humanitarian agencies found that 2.45 million people across Tigray were already in need of food aid. But the alarm bells have been ringing for more than a year. In February 2024, Addis Standard reported that the combination of prolonged drought and locust infestation was endangering as much as 91% of Tigray’s population, placing them once again at risk of famine.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=51644
The devastating impact of drought in Central Tigray’s Kolla Tembien district this week is the latest indicator of a growing crisis that has steadily worsened across the region over the past year.
In the Yaqer locality alone, more than 18,000 livestock have died, and hundreds of hectares of farmland have failed, compounding fears of a return to famine conditions in a region still reeling from the effects of war.
Goitom Gebrehaweria, head of the district’s economic sector, told Addis Standard that 184 cattle, 900 donkeys, more than 4,500 sheep, over 13,000 goats, and 200 beehives have perished due to the combined effects of failed rains and fodder exhaustion. “Rain has not hit the locality until today,” he said. “Bees have also been wiped out entirely.”
Gebrehiwet Gebregzabher, head of the regional Disaster Risk Management Bureau, said that a recent joint report by the Bureau and humanitarian agencies found that 2.45 million people across Tigray were already in need of food aid. But the alarm bells have been ringing for more than a year. In February 2024, Addis Standard reported that the combination of prolonged drought and locust infestation was endangering as much as 91% of Tigray’s population, placing them once again at risk of famine.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=51644
Addis Standard
Analysis: As drought kills thousands of livestock in Kolla Tembien, signs of a devastating drought reemerge in war-torn Tigray…
Analysis: As drought kills thousands of livestock in Kolla Tembien, signs of a devastating drought reemerge in war-torn Tigray Addis Standard Analysis -
❤2😭1
#Ethiopia: 27.75 kg of ‘smuggled gold bars’ seized near #Addis_Abeba ‘after month-long surveillance’: Customs Commission
The Ethiopian Customs Commission has claimed to have seized 27.75 kilograms of smuggled gold bars near Addis Abeba “following more than a month of surveillance.”
According to the Commission, the gold was concealed inside vehicle parts and was being transported illegally before being intercepted at the Tuludimtu checkpoint under the Kaliti Customs Branch.
“Three suspects and two vehicles involved in the smuggling attempt were apprehended during the operation”, the Commission disclosed to state media.
The Commission said the gold “had been tracked by customs intelligence professionals for over a month”.
However, it did not disclose how such a large quantity of gold bars came into the unnamed suspects’ possession.
Read more: https://x.com/addisstandard/status/1951551998702280714?s=46&t=ofAzVW8-64dDK-xsjodCGA
The Ethiopian Customs Commission has claimed to have seized 27.75 kilograms of smuggled gold bars near Addis Abeba “following more than a month of surveillance.”
According to the Commission, the gold was concealed inside vehicle parts and was being transported illegally before being intercepted at the Tuludimtu checkpoint under the Kaliti Customs Branch.
“Three suspects and two vehicles involved in the smuggling attempt were apprehended during the operation”, the Commission disclosed to state media.
The Commission said the gold “had been tracked by customs intelligence professionals for over a month”.
However, it did not disclose how such a large quantity of gold bars came into the unnamed suspects’ possession.
Read more: https://x.com/addisstandard/status/1951551998702280714?s=46&t=ofAzVW8-64dDK-xsjodCGA
❤2
Development enterprises under #Oromia Sovereign #Fund claim over 9.6 billion birr in revenue this fiscal year
Development enterprises operating under the Oromia Sovereign Fund (OSF) cloaked to have generated over 9.6 billion birr in revenue during the 2017 Ethiopian fiscal year (2024/25), according to the Oromia Government Enterprises Bureau. The announcement was made during the annual performance review held in the presence of Awelu Abdi, deputy president of Oromia Regional State, according to a report by state-affiliated media.
Awelu claimed “ongoing reform”efforts within the Oromia Government Enterprises Bureau have “yielded promising results,” and noted that, under the region’s “broader reform agenda”, public enterprises are undergoing a transition into competitive and profit-driven business entities, each guided by its own strategic plan.
https://x.com/addisstandard/status/1951566180533071944
Development enterprises operating under the Oromia Sovereign Fund (OSF) cloaked to have generated over 9.6 billion birr in revenue during the 2017 Ethiopian fiscal year (2024/25), according to the Oromia Government Enterprises Bureau. The announcement was made during the annual performance review held in the presence of Awelu Abdi, deputy president of Oromia Regional State, according to a report by state-affiliated media.
Awelu claimed “ongoing reform”efforts within the Oromia Government Enterprises Bureau have “yielded promising results,” and noted that, under the region’s “broader reform agenda”, public enterprises are undergoing a transition into competitive and profit-driven business entities, each guided by its own strategic plan.
https://x.com/addisstandard/status/1951566180533071944
❤4🥴1
#Migrant boat capsizes off #Yemen, killing dozens of #Ethiopians
A vessel carrying African migrants sank off the coast of Yemen, killing dozens, the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Sunday.
The vessel was taking Ethiopians to Yemen, a popular transit country for migrants to reach wealthy Gulf nations such as Saudi Arabia. The UN says Yemen is witnessing an influx of African migrants, despite a civil war.
Sixty-eight of some 154 migrants on board the boat died when it sank early on Sunday, with 74 still missing, the Associated Press news agency reported, citing the IOM.
The passengers on the vessel are reported to all be Ethiopian nationals.
Dozens of bodies have washed ashore in the southern Yemeni governorate of Abyan. Authorities in Abyan are taking part in a search and rescue operation.
Abdusattor Esoev, the head of the IOM in Yemen, told AP that 12 migrants survived the capsizing of the boat.
https://www.dw.com/en/african-migrant-boat-capsizes-off-yemen-killing-dozens/a-73515432
A vessel carrying African migrants sank off the coast of Yemen, killing dozens, the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Sunday.
The vessel was taking Ethiopians to Yemen, a popular transit country for migrants to reach wealthy Gulf nations such as Saudi Arabia. The UN says Yemen is witnessing an influx of African migrants, despite a civil war.
Sixty-eight of some 154 migrants on board the boat died when it sank early on Sunday, with 74 still missing, the Associated Press news agency reported, citing the IOM.
The passengers on the vessel are reported to all be Ethiopian nationals.
Dozens of bodies have washed ashore in the southern Yemeni governorate of Abyan. Authorities in Abyan are taking part in a search and rescue operation.
Abdusattor Esoev, the head of the IOM in Yemen, told AP that 12 migrants survived the capsizing of the boat.
https://www.dw.com/en/african-migrant-boat-capsizes-off-yemen-killing-dozens/a-73515432
DW
African migrant boat capsizes off Yemen, killing dozens
The vessel was taking Ethiopians to Yemen, a popular transit country for migrants to reach wealthy Gulf nations such as Saudi Arabia. The UN says Yemen is witnessing an influx of African migrants, despite a civil war.
❤2😭2
#Somalia: #AU mission confirms killing of over 50 #al-Shabab fighters in southern #Somalia
The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) confirmed on Sunday that its troops, backed by Somali government forces, killed more than 50 al-Shabab militants during a fierce fighting in Bariire town in southern Somalia on Friday.
In a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, AUSSOM also refuted media reports alleging heavy casualties among its soldiers in Bariire.
"AUSSOM wishes to clarify that its forces, in coordination with the Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF), initiated a major offensive to recapture Bariire town on Aug. 1," the AU mission said, responding to claims made by al-Shabab regarding the destruction of AU-owned armored personnel carriers and the retreat of AUSSOM troops following intense fighting in Bariire.
"The joint military operation has resulted in substantial losses for the terrorist group, with over 50 al-Shabab militants killed and many others sustaining serious injuries," AUSSOM said.
The agriculturally rich Bariire town, which lies about 60 km southwest of Mogadishu, is one of the strategic areas located in the Lower Shabelle region along the Shabelle River.
https://english.news.cn/africa/20250803/b88fc81ab43940ae82dab71fc3d3f306/c.html
The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) confirmed on Sunday that its troops, backed by Somali government forces, killed more than 50 al-Shabab militants during a fierce fighting in Bariire town in southern Somalia on Friday.
In a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, AUSSOM also refuted media reports alleging heavy casualties among its soldiers in Bariire.
"AUSSOM wishes to clarify that its forces, in coordination with the Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF), initiated a major offensive to recapture Bariire town on Aug. 1," the AU mission said, responding to claims made by al-Shabab regarding the destruction of AU-owned armored personnel carriers and the retreat of AUSSOM troops following intense fighting in Bariire.
"The joint military operation has resulted in substantial losses for the terrorist group, with over 50 al-Shabab militants killed and many others sustaining serious injuries," AUSSOM said.
The agriculturally rich Bariire town, which lies about 60 km southwest of Mogadishu, is one of the strategic areas located in the Lower Shabelle region along the Shabelle River.
https://english.news.cn/africa/20250803/b88fc81ab43940ae82dab71fc3d3f306/c.html
english.news.cn
AU mission confirms killing of over 50 al-Shabab fighters in southern Somalia
MOGADISHU, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) confirmed on Sunday that its troops, backed by Somali government forces, killed more than 50 al-Shabab militants during a fierce fighting in Bariire town…
❤1