US Approves Sudan Ambassador, First in 23 Years

US approves a Sudan ambassador, the first in 23 years. (AFP)
US approves a Sudan ambassador, the first in 23 years. (AFP)
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US Approves Sudan Ambassador, First in 23 Years

US approves a Sudan ambassador, the first in 23 years. (AFP)
US approves a Sudan ambassador, the first in 23 years. (AFP)

Sudan announced Monday that the United States had approved Khartoum's pick of a veteran diplomat as ambassador to Washington, the first such envoy in over two decades.

Ties between Khartoum and Washington had been strained during the three-decade rule of Omar al-Bashir, but eased after he was ousted by the army last year following mass protests.

Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok visited Washington in December and the two countries agreed to exchange envoys.

In a statement, Sudan's foreign ministry said Monday "the US government approved the nomination of Nour Eddin Satti as an ambassador and plenipotentiary of the Republic of Sudan."

A veteran diplomat, Satti served as Sudan's ambassador to France in the 1990s and later worked with United Nations peacekeeping missions in Congo and Rwanda.

Monday's step of recognizing Satti as Sudan's first to Washington since 1998 comes as part of "normalizing relations" between Khartoum and Washington, the ministry said.

Sudan is currently ruled by a transitional administration that took power in August last year after Bashir's fall.

During Bashir’s rule, Washington slapped sanctions on Sudan and designated the country as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Hamdok's government has sought to bolster its international standing and mend ties with the US.

In February, Khartoum agreed to compensate the families of American victims of a suicide bombing targeting navy destroyer USS Cole in Yemen's Aden harbor in 2000.

The attack was claimed by Al-Qaeda.

The US had for years accused Sudan, which once hosted the global network's leader Osama bin Laden, of training and supporting the attackers.

Sudan always denied the charges but agreed to the settlement to fulfil a key US condition to remove it from Washington's terrorism blacklist.

The 1993 designation by Washington has decimated Sudan's economy.



Israel Expands Syria Intervention Under ‘Druze Protection’ Pretext

Syrian Druze fighters participate in the funeral of those killed in clashes with Syrian government forces in Sweida on Saturday (AFP)
Syrian Druze fighters participate in the funeral of those killed in clashes with Syrian government forces in Sweida on Saturday (AFP)
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Israel Expands Syria Intervention Under ‘Druze Protection’ Pretext

Syrian Druze fighters participate in the funeral of those killed in clashes with Syrian government forces in Sweida on Saturday (AFP)
Syrian Druze fighters participate in the funeral of those killed in clashes with Syrian government forces in Sweida on Saturday (AFP)

Israel expanded its involvement in Syria, launching one of its most intense airstrikes in years on Friday night and into Saturday morning.
The broad operation included what Israeli media described as “covert operations,” which ranged from air drops of humanitarian aid to evacuating wounded individuals to Israel, along with other undisclosed activities.
The Israeli military carried out an extensive offensive across Syria between Friday and Saturday, targeting military sites, air defense systems, and ground-to-air missile infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the army distributed aid to the Druze community in the southwestern city of Sweida and evacuated five wounded individuals to Israel.
Reports in Israel indicated that a helicopter landed in Sweida, dropped off the aid, evacuated the wounded, and then took off shortly after.
These reports are often used by Israeli media when military censorship prevents the release of details from within the country.
The Israeli military announced that its fighter jets launched a series of airstrikes in Syria, less than 24 hours after targeting a site near the presidential palace in Damascus.
The strikes came amid Israeli warnings to Syria’s new rulers not to harm the country's Druze minority, following sectarian clashes. The military said the raids targeted a military facility, anti-aircraft artillery, and ground-to-air missile infrastructure.
Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that Israel is preparing a list of additional military and government targets for future strikes inside Syria.
The announcement from the Israeli military came about two hours after Syria's state news agency, SANA, reported that Israeli airstrikes had targeted areas near Damascus, as well as locations in Latakia, Hama, and Daraa in the south.
In addition to the airstrikes, the Israeli military confirmed that five Syrian Druze were evacuated to Ziv Hospital in Safed. The army also stated that “Israeli forces are deployed in the southern Syrian region, prepared to prevent hostile forces from entering the area and Druze villages.”
This development marked a significant escalation in Israel's involvement in Syria.
A military analyst writing for Maariv noted that the Israeli military has expanded its intervention in the conflict between Syrian government forces and the Druze, confirming that helicopters transported aid to the Druze forces and evacuated the wounded to Israel.
They mentioned that the Israeli side has refrained from providing further details about the operation.
According to the analyst, there are several reasons for Israel’s intervention in Syria, one of which is the belief that the Syrian Druze could help stabilize the northern Golan Heights.
According to Israeli strategy, the area between the border and 80 kilometers deep inside Syrian territory should remain demilitarized, which is why Israel has a vested interest in supporting the Druze living in this buffer zone.