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Le Secrétaire général de l'ONU, António Guterres, a condamné des attaques contre des camps de la MINUSMA à Douentza et à Tombouctou, au Mali, au cours desquelles un Casque bleu des Nations Unies, un soldat malien et un gendarme malien ont été tués, ainsi que six contractuels maliens.

Calling on the Kenyan authorities to avoid violence, the United Nations human rights chief today urged the Government to make an immediate announcement that it will cooperate and ensure accountability for reported abuse by security forces which has led to deaths and injures, including among children.

More than 1,500 Congolese refugees who have fled violence and ethnic tensions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been relocated from reception centres in northern Angola to a newly established settlement, the United Nations refugee agency today said.

After learning Monday that devastating floods and mudslides left hundreds dead in Sierra Leone, the United Nations migration agency released $150,000 in emergency, first-response aid relief for the West African country.

The Central African Republic (CAR) has spiralled into violence and remains one of the worst countries in the world to be a child and &#8220right now there are few eyes looking at them and few hands trying to help,&#8221 the United Nations children&#39s agency said today.

Over the past three days, the UN migration agency has found more survivors and victims&#39 remains from last week&#39s tragedy &#8211 when hundreds of migrants were forced from two boats into the sea off the coast of Yemen.

The joint task force by the so-called Group of Five (G5) &#8211 Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger &#8211 to tackle the threat of terrorism in Africa&#39s Sahel region is now operational, but a number of challenges remain, including funding, the United Nations Security Council was today told.

Calling on the Kenyan authorities to avoid violence, the United Nations human rights chief today urged the Government to make an immediate announcement that it will cooperate and ensure accountability for reported abuse by security forces which has led to deaths and injures, including among children.

More than 1,500 Congolese refugees who have fled violence and ethnic tensions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been relocated from reception centres in northern Angola to a newly established settlement, the United Nations refugee agency today said.

After learning Monday that devastating floods and mudslides left hundreds dead in Sierra Leone, the United Nations migration agency released $150,000 in emergency, first-response aid relief for the West African country.

The Central African Republic (CAR) has spiralled into violence and remains one of the worst countries in the world to be a child and &#8220right now there are few eyes looking at them and few hands trying to help,&#8221 the United Nations children&#39s agency said today.

The Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) has been activated in Nepal to support response efforts in the aftermath of severe floods that have hit the nation, the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the country has said.

Over the past three days, the UN migration agency has found more survivors and victims&#39 remains from last week&#39s tragedy &#8211 when hundreds of migrants were forced from two boats into the sea off the coast of Yemen.

August 14, 2017 (WAU) – The re-integration of former armed opposition forces, initially loyal to South Sudan's former First Vice President, Riek Machar into the national army (SPLA) starts soon, spokesperson Brig. General, Lul Ruai Koang said.

The SPLA-IO forces during their arrival at Masana Biira in Wau on 07, August 2017 (ST)

The army official disclosed this on Sunday following the visit of senior military officials to the state. The delegation was in the state to access conditions of the 500 ex-rebels who surrendered in response to the amnesty pardon President Salva Kiir declared in May this year.

President Kiir made the announcement during the official launch of the national dialogue initiative in the South Sudanese capital, Juba.

Koang welcomed the former rebel fighters into the national army.

“We have come to receive them and congratulate them for having taken a positive decision to come and join peace. They [ex-rebels] are mostly from the Luo speakers of Wau state,” stated Koang.

He said the former rebels strongly denounced rebellion and vowed to work with the government for the return of peace and stability.

“For those people still after Dr Riek Machar, he is already not in the game as he is confined in South Africa. All regions have rejected his war attitude as he always causes war in South Sudan,” said Koang.

The military spokesperson said Wau state authorities and the general army headquarters will work with the national government to identify their cantonment sites for them to be reintegrated into the SPLA.

He, however, stressed that their visit to Wau had nothing to do with demoting the former rebels from ranks they held during the war.

Last week, at least 150 former members of the armed opposition forces loyal to Machar returned to Wau town to participate in a peace process organized by the office of South Sudan's First Vice President, Taban Deng Gai.

The returnees, who included 48 senior high ranking officials from the rank of Lt. Colonel were received by the state security committee at Masana Biira.

Following their arrival, the former fighters assured Wau state authorities that they officially returned home with their weapons in response to a presidential amnesty calling for peace and reconciliation across the country.

The South Sudanese civil war is a conflict in South Sudan between forces of the government and opposition forces. In December 2013, President Kiir accused his former deputy Machar of attempting a coup d'état. Since then, tens of thousands of people have been killed and nearly two million displaced in the country's worst-ever violence after it seceded from Sudan.

(ST)

August 14, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The government of West Kordofan state has set a two-week deadline to armed groups and tribesmen to hand over illegal weapons and unregulated vehicles.

During a visit to Darfur's five states in April 2016, the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir said there is a need to collect illegal weapons from the hands of civilians, admitting that tribal clashes have become the first source of violence that displaced thousands of civilians in Darfur.

He said there will be a first phase where people will be called to voluntarily hand over their arms, adding the second step will be heavy disarmament operations and legal action will be taken against those who didn't deliver their weapons.

The government then formed the Darfur Disarmament Higher Committee (DDHC) under the chairmanship of the Vice-President Hassabo Mohamed Abdel-Rahman.

However, since last month the government has stepped up its rhetoric regarding the collection of illegal weapons as the Defence Minister Awad Ibn Ouf threatening to collect illegal weapons from the residents even if it requires the use of force.

On Monday, the governor of West Kordofan Abu al-Gasim Al-Amin Baraka chaired a meeting of the committee tasked with the collection of illegal arms in the state in the presence of the security committee and traditional leaders.

Following the meeting, Baraka said the committee has set a two-week deadline to receive the illegal weapons and unregulated vehicles voluntarily, saying the arms and vehicles would be collected forcibly after the deadline.

He urged individuals and tribes to respond to cooperate with the concerned bodies to implement the decision.

For his part, the commander of the army 22nd infantry division and head of the technical committee to collect illegal arms and unregulated vehicles Mekki Hamid Azrag has expressed resolve to implement the presidential decision, saying they developed a tight plan to carry out the decision through certain phases.

He stressed the security forces are ready to provide security in all villages and towns of West Kordofan, calling on the local communities to cooperate to implement the decision.

Also, the West Kordofan's Police Director and rapporteur of the committee Al-Sadiq Ali Ibrahim has explained the detailed plan for the collection of arms and unregulated vehicles.

He added the meeting took objective decisions regarding the collection of the arms and legalizing weapons of the regular and paramilitary forces, demanding tribesmen and armed groups to hand over their weapons voluntarily.

Ibrahim underscored the decision aims to achieve public interest and security and stability in the state, saying all criminal acts reported to the police were carried out with the firearm.

For his part, the director of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) in West Kordofan Al-Mukashfi al-Awad said the regular forces are capable of collecting illegal arms according to the specified dates.

“We would collect the arms even if it is buried in the ground and we have modern devices that reveal weapons at a distance of seven kilometres”.

He pointed out the weapons would be collected without compensation.

The meeting has reassured residents of the localities on the borders with South Sudan that the army and the security forces would protect their lives and property.
The disarmament of armed groups and tribesmen is seen as an important step that will create a suitable atmosphere for security and stability in Darfur and Kordofan.

But the failure to achieve a comprehensive peace delayed its implementation. Also, the tribal conflicts over land ownership and pastures are a second obstacle for the weapon collection.

(ST)

August 14, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan president Monday urged the hold out armed and political opposition groups to stop the fighting and to prepare themselves to take part in the general elections after the end of the transitional period.

President Kiir made the comments during a meeting with Koma and Gajaak communities at the presidential palace on Monday during which he called on the traditional leaders of the two communities to unite and move forward together in order to overcome the challenging security situation in the country.

“There is nothing you will gain in splitting Maiwut or moving away from Maiwut and go to another area. You have to understand that your union has a lot of strength than division,” said President Kiir.

He further asked the communities to reconcile and embark on peaceful sensitization campaign to bring people together in the area.

Kiir took the opportunity to call the whole South Sudanese to embrace peace, reconciliation, forgiveness and unity, stressing that because of these needs he launched the national dialogue process which should allow them to chart together their future.

"We are now calling on the people who are still advocating for war to denounce violence, stop fighting and come back to participate in the dialogue process so that people go for elections after the end of the transitional period. Elections will people give an opportunity to make their own choices,” further said Kiir.

Following a series of attacks and counterattacks, the government forces last week captured the SPLM-IO stronghold town of Pagak which is part of Maiut state.

The government plans to use t this victory to generate a new dynamic to discourage those who joined the rebellion or the opposition hold out groups to join the government-led dialogue process.

Meanwhile, the Maiwut state parliamentary speaker told Sudan Tribune on Monday that the meeting was fruitful, saying the Koma and Gajaak communities were brought together by the president.

“The community of Koma and Gajaak held a meeting with President of the Republic of South Sudan, H.E General Salva Kiir Mayardit this morning in J1about the creation of Maiwut State.

He further announced that the Koma who were opposed to the new state have finally accepted to remain in Maiwut State and abandoned their demand to join the Northern Upper Nile State.

"The Koma community members who attended the meeting are directed to unite themselves and to nominate a candidate for Deputy Governor position,” said speaker Choul Dep Kiir.

The President Kiir, according to speaker, advised Gajaak not to mistreat Koma Community.

"The President directed Gajaak to share the State Government with Koma fairly. He told Koma that he will try his level best to take the development to Koma County," the speaker said.

The population of Maiwut State, which consists of Maiwut, Longochuk and Koma counties, is composed of the Koma ethnic group and Gajaak who are a sub-clan of Jikany Nuer.

Following the establishment of Maiwut, the Koma split into two groups some of them said hostile to be part of a new administrative entity dominated by the Nuer who killed their tribesmen in other states when the conflict erupted in December 2013.

The Koma group headed by Hon. Ali Adlan, an MP in the National Transitional Legislative Assembly was opposed to the new state but it is accepted by a group headed by Hon. Col. Baryach Uluch who is the leader of Koma community.

(ST)

(B2) Dans un rapport publié ce lundi (14 août), le think-tank basé à Londres International Institute for Security Studies (IISS) révèle que l’arsenal nord-coréen de tirs balistiques ne se serait pas développé grâce au génie des ingénieurs coréens. Il n’a pu que bénéficié de l’apport de sources extérieures pour se développer aussi vite, notamment en matière de moteur de fusées longue portée.

« Les preuves disponibles indiquent clairement que le carburant propergol liquide est basé sur la famille des moteurs soviétiques RD250 et a été modifié pour opérer comme une force de propulsion pour [les missiles] Hwasong-12 et Hwasong-14 » indique le chercheur Michel Elleman dans son rapport.

Et il nomme cet apport extérieur : deux entreprises d’ex-URSS expertes dans leur domaine : l’une basée en Russie  à Moscou et St Petersbourg (Energomash / W.P. Glouchko) — spécialisée dans la conception et la construction de moteurs-fusée à ergols liquides –, l’autre en Ukraine à Dnipropetrovsk (KB Yuzhnoye ou Bureau d’études Ioujnoïe)…

(NGV)

Die Bundesregierung diskutiert derzeit die Frage, inwiefern von staatlicher Seite auf Cyber-Angriffe mit digitalen Gegenschlägen reagiert werden kann und soll. Befürworter solcher Maßnahmen argumentieren, der Staat müsse in der Lage sein, eine Cyber-Attacke durch Zerstörung des Ursprungsrechners zu beenden – vor allem in Krisensituationen, etwa wenn wichtige Infrastrukturen bedroht sind. Bei genauerer Betrachtung zeigt sich indes, dass Gegenangriffe problematisch sind. Erstens lässt sich in der Praxis nicht schnell genug ermitteln, wer der Verursacher einer Attacke ist. In zeitkritischen Situationen sind Gegenschläge mit großer Wahrscheinlichkeit wirkungslos. Zweitens ist unklar, zu welchen Ergebnissen schnelle Gegenangriffe führen. Und drittens stellen sich Fragen nach den globalen politischen Implikationen eines solchen Vorgehens.

(B2) A l'issue d'une réunion extraordinaire du Comité politique et de sécurité (COPS), convoquée en plein mois d'août autour d'un sujet principal, la prolifération nucléaire de la Corée du Nord et l'escalade des tensions dans la région, l'Union européenne s'est dite inquiète. Dans un communiqué, la Haute représentante de l'Union, Federica Mogherini, a affirmé le […]

En Russie, les autorités annoncent l’arrestation de quatre membres présumés du groupe Etat islamique. Ils auraient eu l’intention d’organiser des attentats dans la capitale. Il s’agit d’un russe et de trois ressortissants d’Asie centrale.