Following the independence of South Sudan, Insight on Conflict will be producing a weekly round-up of the news. To subscribe to receive the updates via email, please contact joel@insightonconflict.org or complete the form below.
News roundup
- The Sudanese army has captured Kurmuk, a key rebel stronghold in Blue Nile State. Despite the loss of the town, the rebels have vowed to continue fighting. Fighting between the Sudanese army and rebels continues in neighbouring South Kordofan. Both sides claimed hundreds were killed during fighting around the town of Taludi on Tuesday, though these claims have yet to be independently verified.
- The human rights group the Enough Project, has accused the Sudanese army and militias of killing and raping civilians who are fleeing the fighting in Blue Nile.
- Sudan has lodged a complaint against South Sudan with the UN Security Council. Sudan alleges the South has been supporting rebels in Blue Nile and South Kordofan. South Sudan rejected the claims.
- The USA has extended sanctions against Sudan for another year.
- A UN peacekeeper has been killed in Darfur.
News in detail
Blue Nile and South Kordofan
AFP: Hundreds of rebels killed in Kordofan clashes: governor 01 Nov: Hundreds of SPLM-North rebels were killed in clashes with the Sudanese army in South Kordofan on Monday, said a local governor in Sudan's only oil producing state where the army is battling insurgents. Read more
Reuters: Rebels say still fighting in Sudan oil state 02 Nov: Sudanese insurgents in the country's main oil-producing state South Kordofan battled government forces in a volatile border region for a second day Wednesday, a rebel spokesman said. Read more
AFP: Sudan forces accused of killings, rape 02 Nov: Sudanese government forces and militias are "killing and raping civilians in Blue Nile state" as they flee violence and bombing, a human rights watchdog said on Tuesday. Read more
BBC: Sudan army seizes rebel stronghold in Blue Nile state 03 Nov: Sudanese forces have captured the key rebel stronghold of Kurmuk in the border state of Blue Nile, government and rebel sources said. Read more
Reuters: Sudan SPLM-N rebels: "war will continue" after stronghold falls 03 Nov: Rebels in Sudan's Blue Nile border state vowed to continue fighting after the Sudanese army captured their main stronghold of Kurmuk on Thursday. Read more
International
Reuters: US extends long-standing sanctions on Sudan 01 Nov: US President Barack Obama Tuesday extended sanctions on Sudan for another year, saying Khartoum's policies had not yet improved enough to warrant their removal. Read more
Reuters: UK ambassador in Sudan keeps blogging despite protest 02 Nov: Britain's ambassador to Sudan said on Tuesday he would continue his controversial blog despite protests by Khartoum over his latest entry which criticised a severe economic crisis in the African country. Read more
Guardian: Britain urges Sudan and South Sudan to co-operate over resettlement 04 Nov: UK's international development minister calls on governments to help hundreds of thousands left in limbo following partition Read more
South Sudan
Sudan Tribune: South Sudan army accuses Khartoum based airline company of aiding rebels 01 Nov: A senior official from South Sudan’s military intelligence has openly accused a Khartoum-based airline company of backing rebel groups intending to overthrow the southern government. Read more
Reuters: South Sudan wants investors for refinery 02 Nov: Africa's newest country South Sudan is looking for foreign investors to help build a refinery, a government official said on Wednesday. Read more
Abyei
AFP: South Sudan seeks more UN muscle in contested Abyei 02 Nov: South Sudan has called on the UN to deploy more troops in areas, including contested Abyei region, threatened by attack from rebel groups. Read more
North-South Relations
AFP: Sudan lodges Juba 'border war' protest at UN 06 Nov: Sudan has lodged a fresh complaint with the UN Security Council detailing South Sudan's alleged support for rebels in its war-torn border states, just four months after partition, state media said on Saturday. Read more
Reuters: South Sudan rejects Sudan's complaint to UN over rebels 06 Nov: South Sudan on Sunday rejected allegations it was arming insurgents in two conflict-stricken border regions in Sudan after its old civil war foe brought the charges to the United Nations Security Council. Read more
Darfur
Al Jazeera: UN peacekeeper killed in Sudan's Darfur 06 Nov: UN chief condemns attack that left two other peacekeepers wounded while on patrol and urges Khartoum to ensure justice. Read more
