IMF Says it's 'Monitoring' Developments in Sudan

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, United States, September 4, 2018. Reuters
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, United States, September 4, 2018. Reuters
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IMF Says it's 'Monitoring' Developments in Sudan

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, United States, September 4, 2018. Reuters
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, United States, September 4, 2018. Reuters

The IMF on Tuesday said it was following events in Sudan after a military coup that saw the prime minister deposed and major donors suspend aid.

"It is premature to comment on the implications of recent events in Sudan, but we are monitoring the developments carefully," a spokeswoman for the Washington-based crisis lender told AFP.

The coup comes just over two years into a delicate power-sharing arrangement between the military and civilians after the army's ouster during enormous street protests in April 2019 against Omar al-Bashir.

The military on Monday seized Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and briefly detained him, however on Tuesday his office said he had been brought home along with his wife.

Sudan had been emerging from decades of stringent US sanctions after Washington removed the country from its state sponsor of terrorism blacklist in December 2020, eliminating a major hurdle to much-needed aid and financial investment.

The World Bank and IMF in June granted Sudan debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative, cutting the nation's debt in half to about $28 billion, and the institutions have offered additional help if economic reforms continue.

However, following the coup, the United States, a key backer of the transition, strongly condemned the military's actions and suspended hundreds of millions of dollars in aid.

The European Union late Tuesday threatened "serious consequences" for Sudan's rulers, including to financial support.



Gaza Rescuers Say Israeli Strikes Kill 24 Palestinians

A boy walks past a destroyed building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike at Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, on January 15, 2025, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the militant group Hamas. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)
A boy walks past a destroyed building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike at Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, on January 15, 2025, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the militant group Hamas. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)
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Gaza Rescuers Say Israeli Strikes Kill 24 Palestinians

A boy walks past a destroyed building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike at Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, on January 15, 2025, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the militant group Hamas. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)
A boy walks past a destroyed building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike at Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, on January 15, 2025, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the militant group Hamas. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)

Gaza's civil defense agency said on Wednesday that Israeli strikes killed at least 24 people across the Palestinian territory, with Israel's military saying it had targeted Hamas militants overnight.

The latest violence, following more than 15 months of war between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas, comes as truce mediator Qatar said negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal were in their "final stages”

The civil defense agency said in a statement that 11 bodies were brought to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central Gaza Strip, after Israel struck a family home in Deir el-Balah city during the night.

A seven-year-old boy and three teenagers were among the dead, the agency said.

A separate strike targeted a school building used as shelter for war-displaced Palestinians in Gaza City, killing seven people and injuring several others, the civil defense agency said.

A third strike at dawn hit a house in the Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, killing six people and injuring seven, the agency added.

The Israeli military confirmed that its forces had carried out multiple strikes overnight in Gaza, saying in a statement that they were "precise" and targeted "terrorist operatives.”

Over the past 24 hours, the military said it had struck more than 50 targets across the Gaza Strip.

Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed at least 46,707 Palestinians and wounded 110,265 since Oct. 7, 2023, the Palestinian enclave's health ministry said on Wednesday.