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[SUDANTRIBUNE] The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) political advisor Youssif Ezzat has raised the prospect of targeting states that have declared their allegiance to the Sudanese army and have mobilized their youth to join its ranks.
The protracted conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces has entered its fifth month without a lasting ceasefire agreement between the two factions.
The Sudanese army trains young people in combat skills to participate in battles against paramilitary forces and sets up training camps for thousands of volunteers across the country’s central, northern and eastern regions of the country. The RSF has earned a notorious reputation due to its involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity against civilians in Khartoum and Darfur, including murder, rape, theft, car hijacking, and occupying homes.
The political advisor for the RSF leader told Sudan Tribune that if the war persists, their forces might reconsider its policy of abstaining from attacks on the other regions, where military training camps are established to train volunteers to fight the paramilitary forces.
"Who is currently spearheading the operations on the ground, following the deployment of the Special Operations Forces directed by Islamic leaders," Ezzat inquired.
"Can al-Burhan halt the war in the army’s name or in the name of those mobilized volunteers? And do these fighters belong to the armed forces or are they backers of the former regime?" He further questioned.
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A BBC article that provides more than the usual reporting on the Sudan. The rebels control more of Khartoum and Omdurman than recently reported. Also there is the inference that the war may degenerate into a cultural battle (which is already taking place in Darfur). And regardless of the reported 'flood' of AKs in Sudan, their cost is still well out of reach for the average Sudanese.
BREAKING: SOMALIA bans the social media platforms TikTok, Telegram and the betting site 1XBET. Says the platforms are used to aid terrorism and spread immorality. ISPs instructed to block the sites by August 24. pic.twitter.com/etCk5ckWUb
[Garowe] al-Shabaab ...... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda... forces of Evil are not willing to negotiate with the federal government of Somalia for a ceasefire, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has claimed, in the wake of preparations for the second and perhaps final military assault on the group which has wreaked havoc on innocent civilians.
Previously, Hassan Sheikh said, the government of Somalia has made attempts to initiate negotiations with the group for a ceasefire, but such advances have been resisted by the holy warriors, further frustrating efforts to stabilize the Horn of Africa nation.
The approach, he says, incorporates offering amnesty to al-Shabaab forces of Evil ahead of negotiations. Pardoning those involved in killings of innocent people, he added, gives room for true and honest reconciliation in the country.
"These people are not open to dialogue. As the President of the Somali Government, I have repeatedly offered amnesty, declaring that they are pardoned, and this offer of pardon remains open," President Hassan Sheikh stated.
Negotiating with al-Shabaab, he said, offers a true moment of reflection on what ails the country, over three decades after the ouster of Siad Barre, the military ruler. The group has been waging retaliatory sporadic attacks mainly targeting security forces and innocent civilians.
Those who have defected from al-Shabaab, Hassan Sheikh maintained, should be integrated into the society, adding that nobody should vilify them. In his administration, Hassan Sheikh appointed former al-Shabaab deputy Mukhtar Robow as his minister for Religious Affairs and Endowment.
Further, he said, the military offensive against al-Shabaab aims to eliminate the al-Qaeda-linked group in the next five months, but security experts question the timeline amid persistent holy warrior attacks. The second phase of operations against al-Shabaab will be launched in due course, he added.
"We want to eliminate al-Shabaab from the country in the coming five months," Mohamud said at a town hall meeting in Dhusamareb on Thursday evening. "If we do not clear them out completely, then maybe there will be few pockets with a few harmless al-Shabaab that cannot cause problems."
Al-Shabaab has been losing significant territories to the Somali National Army, the African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] and the US Africa Command, who have been vital on the frontlines. The second phase of operations will target Jubaland and Southwest states, Hassan Sheikh confirmed.
[Garowe] Hundreds of people associated with estranged former military General Sheegow Ahmed Ali have thronged into the streets of Somalia's capital Mogadishu, demanding his immediate release from detention, hours after he was arrested by the police.
Sheegow was arrested on Saturday following festivities between rebels allied to him who engaged police in running battles for the better part of Friday night and Saturday morning, authorities confirmed. He is still in police custody pending investigations.
Chanting "liberation" songs, protestors started marching from Dharkenley District and headed to the famous Sayid Junction which leads to the Presidential Palace, the official residence of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the current leader of the federal government of Somalia.
Security officers stationed near the palace used live ammunition to disperse protesters who were calling for Sheegow's release from prison, eyewitnesses said. However, corruption finds a dozen alibis for its evil deeds... no casualties were reported during the violent mostly peaceful demonstrations, authorities added.
For long periods, traffic jam built along the busy Maka al-Mukarama, eye witnesses added. Participants accused police of using excessive force to quell demonstrations, adding that the government is losing confidence from among the people.
Besides Sheegow, at least 24 armed militia were arrested by the police and are currently waiting to be charged for violent mostly peaceful protests in the capital, Mogadishu. According to the report by the police, Sheegow, and his team are accused of violent mostly peaceful conduct besides destabilization of security in Mogadishu.
Cases of mutiny and dissent in the military are common in Somalia, a country that has struggled with instability for the last three decades. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has diverted his attention to the fight against al-Shabaab ...... the Islamic version of the old Somali warlord... turbans, who are trying to topple the government.
Somali soldiers open fire on scores of protesters near Sayidka junction in Mogadishu. The protestors were demanding the release of former army general, who was arrested on Saturday following a police raid on his house in Mogadishu. pic.twitter.com/HuTkKKsbws
[AFRICANEWS] Almost a month after generals deposed Niger's elected president, the political crisis hasn't been resolved.
The Coup leader and head of the ruling National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) addressed the nation on Saturday (Aug. 19) and warned regional countries of any military intervention.
On Friday (Aug. 18), the ECOWAS commissioner for peace and security, Abdel-Fatau Musah, said 11 of its 15 member states had agreed to commit troops to military intervention, saying they were "ready to go."
"Neither the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland nor the people of Niger want war and remain open to dialogue. But let us be clear: if an attack were to be undertaken against us, it will not be the walk in the park some people seem to think."
Tiani's warning came after his first meeting with an ECOWAS delegation.
Promising the putschists ambition was not to confiscate power, the general announced a period of national dialogue to lay the foundations of "a new constitutional life."
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08/21/2023 00:00 ||
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Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] A delegation from the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) left Niger after talks with the rebels failed, Al Arabiya reported on August 20, citing informed sources.
During the negotiations, the ECOWAS delegation put forward a demand to immediately return power to President Mohamed Bazum , who was ousted by the rebels. Members of the military council of Niger rejected this demand.
As IA Regnum reported , an ECOWAS delegation arrived in Niger on August 19, declaring its intention to act as mediators in resolving the situation in the country. At the same time, a day earlier, representatives of the community announced that they had already set a date for a military intervention in Niger, which would take place if the issue was not resolved peacefully. They are not going to publish this date.
Also on August 19, a UN delegation arrived in Niger. Representatives of the rebel government, during a meeting with this delegation, said that they considered the sanctions imposed on Niger unfair, and assured the UN that everything was in order with the ousted head of state and his family members.
The head of the National Council for the Defense of the Fatherland, ruling in Niger after the coup d'état, General Abdurahman Tchiani , said on August 20 that the country's new authorities do not want war, but if such a need arises, Niger will defend itself.
[HODHODYEMENNEWS.NET] Angry protests took place on Saturday morning in restive Lahj ... a Yemeni governate located in the southwestern corner of the Arabian Peninsula. It is the stomping grounds on the southern secessionist al-Harak movement province, condemning the collapse of the services provided by the government loyal to the Saudi-led coalition.
Local sources report angry protests broke out in several areas in Lahj, condemning a power outage. The protesters set tires on fire and blocked several main roads in front of the provincial leadership office, demanding the return of electricity.
The protesters stated that they took out to demonstrate after power outages in their areas for five consecutive days.
The southern and eastern provinces under the pro-coalition government face service collapse and economic crises due to coalition-aligned forces’ conflicts.
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08/21/2023 00:00 ||
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Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] Security forces in Grozny detained a local resident Roza Tsaraliyeva, after which the head of the Center for Islamic Medicine, Adam Elzhurkaev, reprimanded her for engaging in the occult, follows from the plot of the Grozny ChGTRK.
As the "Caucasian Knot" has reported, since July 2019, persecution of residents for occultism has intensified in Chechnya. The Grozny state television channel regularly releases reports in which local residents repent of practicing witchcraft. On October 29, 2022, the security forces detained Khasukha Suliev, a resident of the Gudermes district of Chechnya, after which the head of the Center for Islamic Medicine, Adam Elzhurkaev, reprimanded him for engaging in the occult.
TV spots with public confessions of sorcerers in Chechnya are only part of the practice of public apologies, which, at the suggestion of the head of the republic, Ramzan Kadyrov , is also practiced in other regions. More details about cases of forced apologies can be found in the "Caucasian Knot" reference "Fashion for apologies: from Chechnya to the outskirts" and in " Chronicle of public apologies in the Caucasus ".
A video that Grozny resident Roza Tsaraliyeva was detained for occultism was published tonight on the Grozny ChGTRK Instagram page*.
“In Grozny, law enforcement agencies detained a swindler who provided occult services. The swindler was identified thanks to neighbors who were tired of constant quarrels in the apartment.
The story says that people most often turned to Tsaraliyeva with a request to improve their financial condition and to gain health. "The head of the Center for Islamic Medicine, Adam Elzhurkaev, spoke with the "sorceress". He explained how big a sin she commits from the point of view of religion. In addition, the woman kept all the data of her clients, so it was not difficult for law enforcement officers to find these people. With several of them, also Adam Elzhurkaev talked," the report says.
This post on the page of ChGTRK "Grozny" in Instagram, at 07.35 Moscow time, scored 1063 views and 202 comments. Most of their authors condemned Tsaraliyev.
Recall that in 2013, persecution of healers and psychics unfolded in Chechnya, when, against the backdrop of the fight against magicians and sorcerers, announced by the head of the republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, dozens of people were detained, and some went missing. Then the campaign went into decline.
Witch hunters are also being hunted in other republics of the North Caucasus, noted journalist Vladimir Sevrinovsky, who published a study on Islamic medicine clinics in December 2020. According to him, in Dagestan and Chechnya, Islamic exorcists work with the support and funding of local authorities, and residents often prefer to turn to healers, ignoring official medicine.
In Russia, criminal prosecution of psychics and magicians is practiced on charges of fraud, but it is difficult to prove fraudulent intent in such cases, so law enforcement agencies "do not really like " such cases, lawyer Abusupyan Gaitaev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent earlier.
“The one who is accused of fraud can say that, for example, he promised to perform a certain ceremony, some procedure, for which he took a fee. The client voluntarily agreed, but the result was not guaranteed by agreements,” the lawyer explained.
[AlAhram] An American-owned oil tanker long suspected of carrying sanctioned Iranian crude oil offloaded its cargo near Texas on Sunday, tracking data showed, even as Tehran has threatened to target shipping in the Persian Gulf over it. Ship-tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press showed the Marshall Islands-flagged Suez Rajan began the hourslong ship-to-ship transfer of its oil to another tanker, the MR Euphrates, near Galveston, some 70 kilometers (45 miles) southeast of Houston.
The fate of the cargo aboard the Suez Rajan has become mired in the wider tensions between the US and the Islamic Republic, even as Tehran and Washington work toward a trade of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets in South Korea for the release of five Iranian-Americans held in Tehran.
Iran has been trying to evade sanctions and continue selling its oil abroad, while the US and its allies have been seizing cargoes since 2019 after the country's nuclear deal allowing the trade collapsed. Already, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has warned that those involved in offloading the Suez Rajan's cargo “should expect to be struck back.”
Continued on Page 49
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08/21/2023 00:00 ||
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[GEO.TV] In a bid to probe the tragic incident in Faisalabad ...formerly known as Lyallpur, the third largest metropolis in Pakistain, the second largest in Punjab after Lahore. It is named after some Arab because the Paks didn't have anybody notable of their own to name it after... 's Jaranwala, foster interfaith and interdenominational unity, and quell bad boy narratives, the Pakistain Ulema Council (PUC) and Church of Pakistain on Sunday jointly established a 24-member committee. Good idea. Interfaith committees always work. Sure, if you want your thoroughbred racehorse to be a camel.
On August 16, a crowd vandalised several churches and set scores of houses on fire in Jaranwala town of the industrial district of Faisalabad after a few miscreants made announcements in mosques inciting the mob to attack under allegations of blasphemy ...the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence to a deity, or sacred objects, or toward something considered sacred or inviolable. Some religions consider it to be a crime. In Pakistain you can commit blasphemy by looking cross-eyed at a Koran... Co-chaired by PUC Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi and Church of Pakistain President Bishop Azad Marshal, the committee comprises diverse leaders including Bishop Aleem Anwar, Bishop Arshad Joseph, Pir Naqibur Rehman, Sahibzada Hassan Haseebur Rehman, Maulana Ziaullah Shah Bukhari, APP reported.
Ashrafi stresses need for tolerance
During an interaction with the media, Ashrafi said that building a peaceful and resilient Pakistain required active participation from all segments of society.
He stressed the inclusion of leaders from various religions in the 24-member committee, bridging the gap between Moslem and Christian leaders.
"We must strive to cultivate tolerance, respect, and patience in our society and reject any attempts to exploit religion for personal or political gains," he added.
He further noted that concerted efforts would be made across all levels to discourage illegal actions under the guise of blasphemy or religious insult.
Ashrafi said the PUC had pledged to provide assistance to the young victims of the Jaranwala incident, announcing their commitment to organize arrangements for the affected girls’ dowries as part of their ongoing support efforts.
[GEO.TV] A sessions court in Islamabad granted the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) a day's remand of Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf ...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations.... (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Wormtongue Qureshi ...a Pak political shape-changer. He is undistinguished except for his habit of periodically needing to have his lips reattached... on Sunday in the cipher case.
Judicial Magistrate Ehtisham Alam Khan issued the orders, asking the body to produce him before the court on Monday.
Qureshi, who served as foreign minister under ex-prime minister Imran Khan ...aka The Great Khan, who is the lightweight's lightweight... and is the vice chairman of the PTI, was arrested in the capital Islamabad on Saturday evening.
Speaking with journalists before being sent on remand, Qureshi said no secret code of Pakistain has been compromised. He spoke about proving his responsibility and has "acted responsibly".
"I have not shared any such document with any unrelated person," he said, further insisting on always protecting Pakistain's interests and never compromising on them.
The politico denied being part of any conspiracy and possessing any such intentions. "This is a politically motivated case."
Qureshi reiterated that his conscience is clear and he has always done the right thing.
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08/21/2023 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...
...the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence to a deity, or sacred objects, or toward something considered sacred or inviolable. Some religions consider it to be a crime. In Pakistain you can commit blasphemy by looking cross-eyed at a Koran...
...a Pak political shape-changer. He is undistinguished except for his habit of periodically needing to have his lips reattached...
