African Peace and Security Council Proposes Sudan Roadmaphttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5067931-african-peace-and-security-council-proposes-sudan-roadmap
African Peace and Security Council Proposes Sudan Roadmap
Plumes of smoke rise during clashes between the Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum, Sudan, September 26, 2024. (Reuters)
The African Union’s Peace and Security Council has proposed a roadmap to resolve the war in Sudan.
A delegation from the council is visiting the interim Sudanese capital, Port Sudan, for the first time since the eruption of the war in the country in April 2023.
The delegation informed Sudanese officials that the African Union is seeking a ceasefire in line with a roadmap proposed by its Peace and Security Council. The details of the roadmap were not disclosed.
Sudanese officials, for their part, briefed the delegation on the conflict.
Meanwhile, US Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello told Asharq Al-Awsat that contacts are ongoing with the African Union over a mechanism to monitor the implementation of current and future agreements.
It is best to remain prepared, he added. The international community must assess the options to support the implementation of the cessation of hostilities.
Moreover, he noted that elements that support the ousted regime of President Omar al-Bashir are within the army and opposed to the democratic civilian rule in the country.
He accused them of seeking to prolong the war and returning to rule against the will of the people.
The envoy also said the conflict cannot be resolved through a military solution.
Over the months, the army has wasted opportunities to end the war through negotiations that could restore peace and civilian rule, he noted.
The latest escalation between the army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) will cost countless lives among civilians, warned Perriello.
Transport Costs: A Daily Burden Weighing on Khartoum Residentshttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5297288-transport-costs-daily-burden-weighing-khartoum-residents
Transport Costs: A Daily Burden Weighing on Khartoum Residents
A general view of a public transport terminal in Khartoum (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Getting to work, hospital or university in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, has become a test of survival in a city battered by war.
As transport fares rise, incomes fall and unemployment spreads, thousands of families are being forced to choose between commuting and paying for food, medicine and education.
The crisis has deepened as displaced people return to Khartoum and its three cities while services remain limited and the number of operating vehicles falls far short of demand. Higher fuel, spare parts and operating costs have pushed fares up further.
Passengers face long waits, frequent fare changes and shortages of vehicles on several routes. Damaged infrastructure and road closures have altered routes, lengthened journeys and forced many commuters to use more than one vehicle, sharply increasing daily costs.
Official figures reflect the wider economic strain. Gold export revenues reached about $370 million in the first quarter of this year, while fuel imports exceeded $697 million over the same period, highlighting the gap between export earnings and the cost of essential imports as large parts of the economy remain shut by the war.
For bus driver Abdullah Ali, 50, the transport crisis mirrors his personal losses. His bus was stolen when fighting began, and he was wounded by shrapnel in his right hand before fleeing to Gezira state, then Atbara and Shendi.
After returning to Khartoum about six months ago, he began working as a hired driver on a bus he does not own.
Ali told Asharq Al-Awsat that his income barely covered his daily needs and was not enough to renew his driver’s license. Many drivers were also unable to pay licensing and maintenance fees as fuel, oil, tire and spare-parts prices continued to rise, he said.
Moussa al-Safi, a laborer supporting four children, said transport consumed much of his daily income.
“The war has not only raised prices, but also reduced job opportunities,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat. “A worker pays to travel there and back without any guarantee of finding work or earning money by the end of the day.”
Private-sector employee Sami Abdel Qayoum said he often used more than one vehicle to reach work, taking up a large part of his monthly salary. To save money, he gets off before his destination and walks long distances.
University student Shehab Othman said some students arrived late or missed lectures because they could not afford transport, while others walked long distances to cut daily expenses.
Ezzedine Jaber, a member of the bus union, said short-route fares were about 2,000 Sudanese pounds, while some longer routes cost up to 6,000 pounds. Lower fuel prices were the main way to reduce operating costs and ease the burden on passengers, he said.
The impact extends beyond passenger transport.
“The price of a gallon of diesel has exceeded 40,000 pounds, raising the cost of transporting goods from Port Sudan and production areas to markets and export ports,” economist Mohamed al-Nayer told Asharq Al-Awsat. “That is ultimately reflected in the prices of goods and services.”
In Khartoum, where displaced people and refugees continue to return, transport fares have become part of the cost of survival.
Each increase can mean one less meal for a family, delayed medicine for a patient, a missed lecture for a student or kilometers of walking for a worker trying to protect what remains of their income.
Libya’s Zawiya Pays Growing Price for Stray Gunfirehttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5297284-libya%E2%80%99s-zawiya-pays-growing-price-stray-gunfire
Libya’s Zawiya Pays Growing Price for Stray Gunfire
A victim of clashes in Libya’s Zawiya in early May (Emergency Medicine and Support Center)
Gunfire tore through a neighborhood near Jazirat al-Muaskar in Libya’s western city of Zawiya after an intoxicated militiaman opened fire on the headquarters of a rival armed group, adding to the blood toll in a city already weighed down by militia violence.
Zawiya, long under the grip of armed factions, has grown used to burying residents killed by stray bullets. The city barely emerges from one round of fighting before another begins, leaving more dead and wounded.
Amjad al-Kilani, known as “al-Zir” and affiliated with the Zawiya-based 103rd Battalion, also known as al-Salla, was seen staggering with a machine gun over his shoulder as he fired indiscriminately toward a base of the al-Far militia, led by Mohammed Bahrun, and at nearby shops.
Witnesses in Zawiya said the clash stemmed from a dispute involving Kilani, who was previously affiliated with the Rabi al-Fanouta militia and runs a business on the coastal road.
After he recently joined al-Far, members of al-Salla, led by Othman al-Lahab, attacked him and forced him out of the market, the witnesses said.
Entrance to the city of Zawiya (from Zawiya-related social media pages)
Libyan businessman Ismail al-Shtaiwi condemned the footage of the intoxicated gunman firing wildly, posting a video of the incident on Facebook.
“No country in the world, no matter how wealthy, can take a single step toward success and stability while drowning in a militia swamp,” Shtaiwi wrote on Friday.
“Stability cannot be achieved, nor can development and economic reform move forward, while the country remains at the mercy of illegal guns and militias that dictate decisions,” he said.
“It is painful and shameful that this criminal and absurd scene continues to be exported to the world, reducing Libya to a state held hostage by chaos, uncontrolled weapons and outlaw gangs, instead of one known for its enormous capabilities, opportunities and resources.”
Shtaiwi said ordinary Libyans were paying the price through restrictions on travel and movement, damage to their image and the erosion of their country’s standing abroad.
“What is also painful and regrettable is that billions are spent every year under the headings of security and defense, while the results are there for everyone to see,” he said.
Violence in Zawiya often flares and then subsides, but only after leaving behind dead and wounded. One question continues to haunt the city: When will the threat from armed groups that endanger lives and drain the country’s resources finally end?
Several young men from Zawiya were killed in armed skirmishes in late May, prompting UN envoy Hanna Tetteh to warn against escalation and call for restraint.
Nasser Ammar, commander of the Support Force within the Tripoli authorities’ Operation Volcano of Rage, said Kilani’s random gunfire and intimidation of civilians while intoxicated was “an insult to the city and its history.”
“Zawiya has never lacked, and will never lack, free men who will not allow a reckless man to violate the sanctity of their homes and property,” Ammar said. “Protecting our people and uprooting this corruption is a duty for every honorable person.”
Security forces near Tripoli following clashes between armed militias (file photo from pages affiliated with security agencies)
Since the overthrow of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has seen a pattern of random or unexplained assassinations, often driven by armed rivalries, militia struggles for influence and revenge for earlier killings.
Local media tracking the violence in Zawiya have counted 62 deaths since the start of this year.
A security source at the Zawiya Security Directorate told Asharq Al-Awsat, however, that the true toll was higher because no official count existed.
Moatasem Ambiya was killed early on Thursday after being shot in the Jodayem area east of Zawiya by people described as “outlaw gunmen,” according to human rights groups.
The National Institution for Human Rights called on the Interior Ministry, the Zawiya Security Directorate, the Criminal Investigation Department and the prosecutor’s office at the Zawiya Court of Appeal to open a full investigation into Ambiya’s killing.
The group expressed “deep concern over the rising rates and indicators of kidnapping, arbitrary detention and extrajudicial killings in numerous cities, regions and municipalities.”
It blamed what it called “security chaos” caused by the absence of the relevant security authorities.
Like embers beneath the ashes, Zawiya remains on edge, bracing for violence that could erupt at any moment.
The widely shared video of the intoxicated gunman has come to reflect the growing reach of militias, fueling anger among Libyans over the security situation.
With armed groups tightening their grip, bloggers and activists in Zawiya have found little recourse beyond social media hashtags such as “Zawiya Is Bleeding,” “Stop the Killing” and “Enough Silence.”
They hope to make their voices heard by the authorities in Tripoli, whom they accuse of appeasing the city’s armed groups, supporting their presence and inviting their leaders to official gatherings.
US-Backed Oil Pipeline to Link Iraq, Syriahttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5297281-us-backed-oil-pipeline-link-iraq-syria
Vantive CEO Chris Toth, second from right, is joined by from left, Excelerate Energy President and CEO Steven Kobos, Commercis CEO Alan Afrasiab, left, and Roger Martella, GE Vernova Chief Corporate Officer and US-Iraq Business Council Chairman, during the US Iraq Business Summit at the US Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Vantive CEO Chris Toth, second from right, is joined by from left, Excelerate Energy President and CEO Steven Kobos, Commercis CEO Alan Afrasiab, left, and Roger Martella, GE Vernova Chief Corporate Officer and US-Iraq Business Council Chairman, during the US Iraq Business Summit at the US Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Iraqi Oil Minister Bassem al-Abadi signed an agreement with Syria on Friday to build a new oil pipeline, part of a package of economic deals reached during Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s visit to the United States.
Asharq Al-Awsat had earlier reported, citing Syrian, Western, and Iraqi sources, that Baghdad and Damascus were preparing to sign a US-backed oil-link agreement during al-Zaidi’s visit to Washington.
The sources said the project could mark the start of a new economic alliance in the Arab Mashreq.
The pipeline would revive Iraqi oil exports through Syria and replace the historic Kirkuk-Banias route, which has been out of service for years.
A Syrian oil-sector official said the two countries were close to signing a preliminary agreement. The new pipeline would carry about 2 million barrels per day and take roughly 30 months to complete after the final deal is signed.
Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Türkiye and special presidential envoy to Syria and Iraq, speaks at the US Iraq Business Summit at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Diversifying export routes
The move comes as Iraq seeks to diversify its oil export routes and reduce its reliance on Gulf shipping lanes amid security threats that affect traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the main outlet for Iraqi crude exports.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said at a ceremony for the signing of the economic agreements that President Donald Trump’s administration wanted to turn the Middle East from a region of conflict into a hub for trade and investment.
Greater investment was the best route to stability, peace, and job creation across the region, Wright said.
He praised al-Zaidi for choosing the United States as his first foreign destination, about 60 days after taking office, saying the decision underscored the importance of the US-Iraqi partnership in the next phase.
Wright said expanding Iraq’s energy sector and increasing oil output would require US companies to provide investment, technology, and expertise.
Their involvement would help improve efficiency and reduce Iraq’s dependence on some neighboring countries, he said.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, center, attends the US Iraq Business Summit at the US Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
US oil deals in Iraq
Alongside the Iraqi-Syrian pipeline agreement, US oil producer ConocoPhillips said it had agreed to acquire a 42% stake in BP’s giant Kirkuk oilfields complex in Iraq.
ConocoPhillips said the deal was among several contracts signed during the Iraqi prime minister’s visit to the US.
The project holds reserves of more than 3 billion barrels and includes future exploration opportunities.
Financial terms were not disclosed, though estimates put the deal’s value at about $400 million.
The agreement was among the major oil deals cited by Trump during al-Zaidi’s White House visit, as Baghdad pushes to attract fresh foreign investment into its energy sector.
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