US Ambassador Urges Sudanese Parties to Implement Peace Agreement

Floods in the Nile River State, northern Sudan (AFP)
Floods in the Nile River State, northern Sudan (AFP)
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US Ambassador Urges Sudanese Parties to Implement Peace Agreement

Floods in the Nile River State, northern Sudan (AFP)
Floods in the Nile River State, northern Sudan (AFP)

The US ambassador to Khartoum, John Godfrey, has stressed the importance of taking measures to implement the Juba Peace Agreement, signed between the dismissed Sudanese government and the rebel factions in August 2020.

Godfrey called for putting an end to a decade-long war that claimed the lives of more than 300 people and displaced millions of people.

He said that Washington is looking forward to contributing to building a civil state in Sudan, stressing his country's desire to support the Sudanese people for the success of the democratic transition in the country.

The US embassy said on its official Facebook page that the Ambassador, a delegation from Congress, and a senior USAID official, discussed with the Governor of North Darfur, Nimir Abdelrahman, the security and humanitarian situation in the state.

Local authorities also briefed the Ambassador on the state's challenges and protecting citizens.

The official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) quoted the US ambassador as saying that his talks with the governor dealt with all issues of common concern, including the programs and projects of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Godfrey added that the meeting addressed the Juba Peace Agreement to maintain the understanding between the Sudanese and the US people.

Abdelrahman said in press statements that the visit of the US ambassador to the state was an encouraging step, reiterating that Godfrey's appointment at this stage confirms Washington's determination to develop bilateral relations.

The meeting addressed the requirements for the success of the transitional period, the progress of implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement, and the execution of its protocols related to national issues.

The governor called for concerted efforts to address the challenges facing the deployment of security forces in Darfur to protect civilians.

He also appealed to the international community to provide aid to the people of Darfur without any pre-conditions.

The US delegation is scheduled to conclude its three-day visit to Darfur on Monday.

The peace agreement faces obstacles in financing the implementation of the Security Arrangements Protocol, which provides for the integration and demobilization of armed factions in the Sudanese army.

Parties to the peace agreement also have different viewpoints on the restructuring and reform of the traditional and security agencies.



Israel Launches 1st Airstrike on Lebanon Since Ceasefire

This aerial view taken a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took hold shows traffic driving past destroyed buildings in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh on November 28, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
This aerial view taken a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took hold shows traffic driving past destroyed buildings in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh on November 28, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
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Israel Launches 1st Airstrike on Lebanon Since Ceasefire

This aerial view taken a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took hold shows traffic driving past destroyed buildings in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh on November 28, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
This aerial view taken a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took hold shows traffic driving past destroyed buildings in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh on November 28, 2024. (Photo by AFP)

The Israeli military on Thursday said its warplanes fired on southern Lebanon after detecting Hezbollah activity at a rocket storage facility, the first Israeli airstrike a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took hold.

There was no immediate word on casualties from Israel's aerial attack, The Associated Press reported.

The Israeli army said a warplane carried out an airstrike after "terrorist activity was detected at a Hezbollah facility containing medium-range rockets in south Lebanon."

"The IDF (Israeli army) is deployed in southern Lebanon, acting to thwart any violation of the ceasefire agreement," the Israeli military added.

The mayor of the town of Baysariyeh in southern Lebanon, Nazih Eid, told AFP that a warplane launched a raid "on the eastern edge of the town of Baysariyeh. They targeted a forested area not accessible to civilians."

The aerial attack came hours after the Israeli military said it fired on people trying to return to certain areas in southern Lebanon. Israel said they were violating the ceasefire agreement, without providing details. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said two people were wounded.

The back-to-back incidents stirred unease about the agreement, brokered by the United States and France, which includes an initial two-month ceasefire in which Hezbollah militants are to withdraw north of the Litani River and Israeli forces are to return to their side of the border. The buffer zone would be patrolled by Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers.

On Thursday, the second day of a ceasefire after more than a year of bloody conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanon's state news agency reported that Israeli fire targeted civilians in Markaba, close to the border, without providing further details. Israel said it fired artillery in three other locations near the border. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The Israeli military said in a statement that “several suspects were identified arriving with vehicles to a number of areas in southern Lebanon, breaching the conditions of the ceasefire.” It said troops “opened fire toward them” and would “actively enforce violations of the ceasefire agreement.”

Israeli officials have said forces will be withdrawn gradually as it ensures that the agreement is being enforced. Israel has warned people not to return to areas where troops are deployed, and says it reserves the right to strike Hezbollah if it violates the terms of the truce.

A Lebanese military official said Lebanese troops would gradually deploy in the south as Israeli troops withdraw.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said on Thursday it was ending some protective restrictions that had limited the size of gatherings in parts of central and northern Israel.

The change was made following a situational assessment, the military said.