♦ Sudan: This week’s news in brief ♦

A compact weekly digest of Dabanga Sudan's news highlights from Darfur and Sudan

♦  Coronavirus: Sudan faces three-week lockdown

April 12 – 2020 KHARTOUM The Sudanese government is planning to declare three weeks of lockdown in Sudan. The number of coronavirus cases in the country reached 19.

On Saturday, the Sudanese Ministry of Health reported four new confirmed Covid-19 cases since Thursday. Nearly 240 suspected coronavirus cases are in quarantine in Sudan’s isolation centres.

In a press statement on Thursday, Minister of Health Akram El Tom said that the ministry recommends a total lockdown in the country for three weeks to limit the spread of the contagious virus. The most vulnerable people will be supported.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan said in its latest Situation Report on Thursday that UN partners in the country updated the Covid-19 Country Preparedness and Response Plan created to support the Sudanese government.

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Sudan installed laptops, devices and two teleconference facilities to ensure that Sudan’s key government offices can continue functioning while observing physical distancing.

Telecommunications companies in Sudan, the Bankers Union and the Businessmen’s Union have pledged SDG 200 million (nearly $2 million) as a first payment to support the government’s health plan to address the coronavirus pandemic.

♦  Sudan officials nearly killed in West Kordofan

April 10 – 2020 MUGLAD / ED DAMAZIN On Wednesday evening, armed men attempted to shoot two members of the Anti-Corruption Committee dead in West Kordofan. The vehicle’s windows were shattered, but no one was injured.

Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that a group of gunmen fired “a barrage of bullets” on the vehicle that was carrying the secretary of the Arab Socialist Baath Party in West Kordofan and a lawyer to Muglad on Wednesday evening.

The Empowerment Elimination, Anti-Corruption, and Funds Recovery Committee was established by the new government in the end of last year, with the aim to purge Sudan from the remnants of the Al Bashir regime.

The Arab Socialist Baath Party called the attack “a political assassination, aiming to eliminate West Kordofan state leaders as part of a plan to launch a counter-revolution against change” in the country. It holds the General Intelligence Service “fully responsible for this crime’s security, social, and political repercussions”.

The National Umma Party described the attack as “treason”, and called for the acceleration of the prosecution of affiliates of the former regime of Omar Al Bashir in West Kordofan.

In February, the prosecutor of Abyei was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Muglad.

More news from Radio Dabanga:

Obituary tributes for former Sudan Foreign Minister Faroug Abu Eisa

April 13 – 2020 KHARTOUM Sudanese from across the social and political spectrum have paid tribute to Faroug Abu Eisa, died at this home in Khartoum on Sunday. He served as Sudanese Foreign Minister from 1969 to 1971, …

Al Bashir supporters arrested in Khartoum

April 13 – 2020 KHARTOUM Police arrested 30 supporters of deposed president Al Bashir yesterday for violating Sudan government measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19), after they staged a demonstration in …

Sudan govt: ‘Sustain Juba peace talks despite Covid-19 restrictions’    

April 13 – 2020 KHARTOUM / JUBA The Sudanese government negotiating delegation at the Juba peace talks, headed by Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemeti’, seeks to continue the peace talks with the armed movements despite …

Strike in East Darfur hospital extended after police reject complaint    

April 10 – 2020 ED DAEIN Following the refusal of a police officer in Ed Daein, capital of East Darfur, to file a report against an officer of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) government militia, more medical staff of the Ed Daein …

Sudan prosecution to investigate detention of activist

April 9 – 2020 KHARTOUM The Public Prosecution in Khartoum has started an investigation into the detention of human rights activist Abdelmalik Mousa by militiamen of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum more than a …

Sudanese Pound hits new low, food ‘unaffordable’ in Central Darfur

April 9 – 2020 KHARTOUM / UM DUKHUN On Wednesday, foreign currency prices on the parallel market in Khartoum rose again. The Dollar recorded SDG 141. Prices of consumer goods in Central Darfur are skyrocketing. The …

May 9 new deadline for Sudan final peace accord

2020 JUBA The Sudanese government and the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebel alliance have agreed to extend the negotiations period to May 9. They will continue to discuss the peace items through teleconferencing, …

Sudan settles $70 million USS Cole suit

April 7 – 2020 KHARTOUM The transitional government of Sudan has paid-out a settlement of $70 million to the families of the victims of the 2000 USS Cole* bombing in Yemen in an effort to persuade the USA to remove Sudan …

Khartoum to assess poor families in case of coronavirus lockdown              

April 7 – 2020 KHARTOUM The Commissioner of Khartoum locality issued a decision on Monday to carry out an urgent assessment into the situation of poor families, based on geographical divisions of the administrative units in …

Fuel crisis: 80,000 tons of diesel arrive in Port Sudan

April 7 – 2020 PORT SUDAN Sudan’s Ministry of Energy has announced that two ships loaded with 80,000 tons of diesel have arrived at Port Sudan. In a statement on Monday, the Ministry of Energy announced the arrival of two …

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