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Washington Builds Up Pressure on Sudan’s Army Leaders

Part of the protests in Khartoum calling for civilian rule on Saturday (AP)
Part of the protests in Khartoum calling for civilian rule on Saturday (AP)
    Khartoum, Washington – Ahmed Younes, Asharq Al-Awsat
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Washington Builds Up Pressure on Sudan’s Army Leaders

Part of the protests in Khartoum calling for civilian rule on Saturday (AP)
Part of the protests in Khartoum calling for civilian rule on Saturday (AP)

US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee arrived on Monday in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, to meet military and civilian leaders in the North African state to pressure them into restoring governance to the civilian track, according to the 2019 constitutional document.

Phee is set to hold several meetings with the Commander-In-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the unseated Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, and political leaders in the Forces of Freedom and Change alliance, sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The US official’s visit aims to push for a solution to the current crisis in the country, sources added, noting that Phee will likely pressure army leaders into returning to their partnership with the Forces of Freedom and Change alliance after it has shown great ability in mobilizing the Sudanese public.

Some suggested that Phee would take the initiative to restore the transitional government according to a settlement that has not been announced yet.

She is also expected to raise the issue of excessive violence used by the security forces against peaceful demonstrators, especially after the death of a 13-year-old girl, who was shot in the head last Saturday.

The total number of deaths since al-Burhan overthrew the civilian government headed by Hamdok has reached 23. At least 14 of were killed during demonstrations on October 30.

Meanwhile, the number of injuries reached 215, 112 of them caused by live bullets.

Two more Sudanese protesters died in hospital from wounds after being shot during mass protests last month’s military coup, a doctors’ union said.

Mujahid Farah, 15, died in East Nile Hospital from bullet wounds to the abdomen and thigh on Sunday morning, the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors (CCSD) reported on Sunday. Yesterday, a 13-year-old girl, Remaz Hamed, who was hit in the head by a bullet on Saturday while she was standing in front of her house, died in a hospital as well.

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Israel Deliberately Targets Medical Teams, Aid Workers in Lebanon

Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)
Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)
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Israel Deliberately Targets Medical Teams, Aid Workers in Lebanon

Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)
Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)

Over the past three weeks, Israel has systematically targeted hospitals, medical staff, aid workers, and ambulances across various regions of Lebanon, particularly in the heavily bombarded southern areas.
Tel Aviv appears intent on erasing signs of life and sustainability, especially south of the Litani River, aiming to turn the region into scorched earth and establish a buffer zone by force. The exact size of this zone, who will control it, and whether it will involve a permanent occupation remain unclear.
Lebanese Health Minister Firas Al-Abiad recently stated that Israel is “deliberately and systematically” targeting medical teams, revealing that 13 hospitals are no longer operational, more than 150 healthcare workers have been killed, and over 100 medical centers and 130 ambulances have been targeted.
Last week, Nicolas von Arx, the regional director for the Near and Middle East at the International Committee of the Red Cross, issued an urgent call to protect healthcare personnel, ambulances, hospitals, and primary care centers, expressing deep concern over the attacks on medical facilities.
The Islamic Health Authority, affiliated with Hezbollah, reported that over 80 rescue workers have been killed in the past year, 70 of them in the past three weeks alone. The Scout Association of Amal Movement reported losing 21 members. Meanwhile, the Israeli army recently announced that any vehicle suspected of carrying armed militants would be considered a legitimate military target, regardless of its type.
Sobhiya Najjar, a public policy expert and coordinator of the Social Protection for All campaign at the Center for Social Science Research Applications (CESSRA), highlighted that the destruction of Lebanon’s healthcare system is systematic and mirrors what is happening in Gaza. She noted that Lebanon’s healthcare system, particularly in regions like Baalbek-Hermel, Bint Jbeil, and Tyre, was already fragile.
Najjar told Asharq Al-Awsat that Israel targets medical centers, staff, ambulances, and firefighting services to weaken Hezbollah’s ability to treat the wounded and provide essential healthcare, thus increasing pressure on the health system.
This strategy sows chaos and fear among civilians, weakening morale and hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid, including medical and food supplies. She stressed that such actions violate international laws, which protect medical teams as neutral entities.
Paul Morcos, head of the legal organization Justicia, added that while Israel claims medical facilities and ambulances are used to hide weapons and militants, indiscriminate attacks that endanger doctors, nurses, patients, and civilians are prohibited under international law. He cited the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their protocols, which mandate taking precautions to avoid harm to civilians and ensure proportionality in military operations. These rules, he emphasized, have become customary and are binding on all nations.
For her part, political activist Dr. Mona Fayyad described these actions as part of a “genocide” committed by Israel, deliberately preventing the rescue of the wounded. She criticized the international community’s silence and argued that even if some medical personnel support Hezbollah, there is no justification for risking civilian lives under any pretext.