Int’l Community Welcomes Ending State of Emergency in Sudan Paving for Dialogue

A Sudanese demonstrator holds a banner calling for the release of detainees (Reuters)
A Sudanese demonstrator holds a banner calling for the release of detainees (Reuters)
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Int’l Community Welcomes Ending State of Emergency in Sudan Paving for Dialogue

A Sudanese demonstrator holds a banner calling for the release of detainees (Reuters)
A Sudanese demonstrator holds a banner calling for the release of detainees (Reuters)

The Troika and the Trilateral Mechanism welcomed the decisions of the Sudanese army to lift the state of emergency and release several political prisoners.

The international organizations said it was an important step to create the appropriate environment for dialogue, noting that the decision requires a sincere policy to be fully implemented.

The Troika, represented by Norway, the US, and the UK stressed the need to end the use of excessive force against the demonstrators and respect the rights of the protesters, calling on all Sudanese parties to engage in the political process facilitated by the UN, the AU, and IGAD.

The Trilateral Mechanism of the United Nations, the African Union, and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) welcomed the decision "as positive steps to create the conditions needed for a peaceful resolution for the current political impasse."

The Mechanism said in a statement that it encouraged all stakeholders to be prepared for a constructive dialogue in good faith on a political solution and a peaceful way out of the current crisis.

It urged the authorities to release the remaining political detainees and ensure the right to peaceful assembly and expression, ending the excessive use of force against protesters.

IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu welcomed the decision of the Sudanese Sovereign Council to lift the state of emergency and release political detainees, calling on the army, political parties, civil society organizations, and the youth to engage in comprehensive talks.

He urged all stakeholders to provide full support and actively participate in the initiative of the Trilateral Mechanism, which aims to facilitate a Sudanese-led political process to restore constitutional order and democracy.

Gebeyehu described the decision of the Sudanese Sovereign Council to lift the state of emergency and release prisoners as "a positive step towards creating an environment conducive to resolving the crisis in Sudan."

The People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, described the decision as "a positive step, but not enough."

The movement called for the release of members of the resistance committees and all political detainees and the abolition of all laws restricting freedoms.

The movement's Secretary General, Ammar Amoun, said that Burhan's decision confirms the "decline and failure of the October 25 plans."

On Sunday, the head of Sudan's ruling sovereign council, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, lifted the state of emergency imposed in the country following the October coup he led.

Burhan's decision came hours after the Security and Defense Council, Sudan's highest body that decides on security matters, recommended an end to the state of emergency and the release of all detainees.

The recommendations facilitate dialogue between the military and the pro-democracy movement.

Opposition political forces and resistance committees participating in the political process, sponsored by the Mechanism, said situations would only stabilize if the military measures that restrict freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration are ended.

About 98 demonstrators have been killed and hundreds of others injured and arrested since the protests against the army's seizure of power began last October.



Yemeni Forces Raid Migrant Smuggling Sites

Authorities raid smuggling hubs after the death of 92 illegal migrants. (Government media)
Authorities raid smuggling hubs after the death of 92 illegal migrants. (Government media)
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Yemeni Forces Raid Migrant Smuggling Sites

Authorities raid smuggling hubs after the death of 92 illegal migrants. (Government media)
Authorities raid smuggling hubs after the death of 92 illegal migrants. (Government media)

Dozens of African migrants escaped death off Yemen’s southern coast when their boat broke down at sea, as government forces raided smuggling sites in Abyan province a day after another shipwreck killed 92 people.

Government sources said Yemeni fishermen rescued 250 migrants from the Horn of Africa, nearly half of them women and most of them Ethiopian, after their vessel was stranded for several days in the Gulf of Aden without food or water. Seven people died before the survivors reached Shabwa province, east of Aden.

Authorities provided first aid to the migrants on arrival in Rudum district, which has become a key landing point after tighter patrols along the western Lahj coast, said the sources.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the group endured a week-long voyage from Somalia after their boat’s engine failed 100 nautical miles from shore. The trip, meant to last 24 hours, stretched to seven days, relying on wind and paddling.

“These people went through a week of hell at sea, facing exploitation, fear and trauma,” said Abdusattor Esoev, IOM’s head of mission in Yemen. He urged greater humanitarian action to save lives, step up search and rescue, tackle the drivers of irregular migration and protect vulnerable travelers.

The rescue came as Abyan’s security forces said they raided several coastal sites used by smugglers to shelter incoming migrants, following last week’s disaster off the province’s coast in which 92 people drowned and 23 were saved from a boat carrying about 200 passengers. The rest remain missing.

The operation targeted areas in Shaqra port, including Tamhan, al-Kasara and al-Hajla, as well as a site on Ahwar’s coast, under the supervision of provincial police chief Ali Nasser Bouzeid. He called for regional and international coordination to curb what he described as a security and humanitarian threat.

Bouzeid warned against aiding smugglers, saying several armed men had already been arrested for protecting migrant compounds.

In the Lawdar district, security forces said they detained a “dangerous gang” involved in smuggling African migrants after a firefight in which the suspects threw grenades at police before being captured. Three vehicles were seized, and the detainees will face legal action, the statement added.

The IOM said the latest shipwreck highlights the urgent need to address the dangers along the eastern migration route linking the Horn of Africa to Yemen. It called for prioritizing life-saving aid, expanding safe migration channels and improving coordinated search and rescue.

The agency praised Abyan authorities’ quick response and pledged to support joint efforts to identify survivors, recover bodies and assist affected families.

More than 350 migrants have died or gone missing along the eastern route since the start of the year, the IOM said, warning the real toll is likely far higher.

Every life lost is a stark reminder of the human cost of irregular migration, the agency said, renewing calls for stronger protection systems, effective rescue operations and accountability for smugglers and traffickers.