African Union Leads Mediation Efforts in Sudan

Parts of the protests in Sudan's Khartoum against the military coup (File/AFP)
Parts of the protests in Sudan's Khartoum against the military coup (File/AFP)
TT

African Union Leads Mediation Efforts in Sudan

Parts of the protests in Sudan's Khartoum against the military coup (File/AFP)
Parts of the protests in Sudan's Khartoum against the military coup (File/AFP)

The African Union (AU) urged the leaders of the Sudanese army to take immediate steps to restore the constitutional order in the country.

The Chairperson of the AU, Moussa Faki Mahamat, confirmed in a statement that he continues to follow up on political developments in Sudan since the military coup on October 25, especially after the army announced earlier this week the formation of a new Sovereign Council.

The Chairperson renewed his call to the military authorities in Sudan to engage without further delay in a political process that leads to the return of constitutional order following the Constitutional Document and the Juba Peace Agreement.

Mahamat will send an envoy to Sudan soon, in response to the request of the Peace and Security Council, to encourage the parties to reach a political solution urgently.

The Union suspended Sudan's participation in its activities against the background of the recent military coup.

Last week, Sudan's top chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan unilaterally formed a new Sovereign Council of 14 members, which held its first meeting with all its members on Sunday.

Burhan welcomed the new members and promised a new vision that would achieve the goals of the December revolution.

He added that the members pledged to provide an ideal model in managing the country's affairs to satisfy the Sudanese people. He also vowed to form a civilian government in the next few days.

Meanwhile, Malik Agar, leader of Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North, described the measures taken since October 25 as a "military coup." In a video circulated on social media, he indicated that the army has full power, but the coup faces many challenges, namely handling the peaceful protests.

Furthermore, the Central Doctors Committee announced that six people were killed by the army during the demonstrations Saturday.



Israel Orders Palestinians to Flee Khan Younis

Palestinians displaced by the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip queue for water at a makeshift tent camp in the southern town of Khan Younis, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Palestinians displaced by the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip queue for water at a makeshift tent camp in the southern town of Khan Younis, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
TT

Israel Orders Palestinians to Flee Khan Younis

Palestinians displaced by the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip queue for water at a makeshift tent camp in the southern town of Khan Younis, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Palestinians displaced by the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip queue for water at a makeshift tent camp in the southern town of Khan Younis, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

The Israeli army ordered a mass evacuation of Palestinians from much of Khan Younis on Monday, a sign that troops are likely to launch a new ground assault in the Gaza Strip's second largest city.

The order suggested Khan Younis will be the latest of Israel's repeated raids into parts of Gaza it has already invaded over the past eight months, pursuing Hamas militants as they regroup. Much of Khan Younis was already destroyed in a long assault earlier this year, but large numbers of Palestinians have since moved back in to escape another Israeli offensive in Gaza's southern-most city, Rafah.

The evacuation call covered the entire eastern half of Khan Younis and surrounding areas. Last week, the military ordered a similar evacuation from the north Gaza district of Shujaiya, where there has been intensive fighting since.

Most of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million have fled their homes, with many displaced multiple times.

Israeli restrictions, ongoing fighting and the breakdown of public order have hindered the delivery of humanitarian aid, fueling widespread hunger and sparking fears of famine.