Talks Over Ethiopia’s GERD Reached A Deadlock

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Talks Over Ethiopia’s Nile Dam Hit Another Deadlock, Egypt Says Bloomberg

Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia failed to agree on the way forward for talks on Ethiopia’s giant dam on a Nile River tributary, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The matter is being referred back to the chairman of the African Union, which is mediating the discussions, the ministry and Sudan’s state news agency SUNA both said.

 

Renaissance Dam talks resume after Sudanese blockage Arab News

The Sudanese delegation said it demanded a comprehensive agreement that addresses all issues related to the dam. It also said that the AU should play a more effective leadership role in the negotiation.

Egyptian Minister of Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Aty met with the US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin last week to review negotiations on the GERD and Egypt’s desire to complete the negotiations.

 

GERD negotiations reach a dead-end. Ahram-Online

“Sudan insisted on the necessity of delegating the African Union appointed experts to present solutions to the disputed issues in the talks and to elaborate on the GERD agreement; something which both Egypt and Ethiopia rejected because the negotiation process, as well as the right to draft the texts and provisions of the filling and operating agreement of the GERD, are fundamental rights for the three countries,” said the Egyptian statement.

“We cannot continue this vicious cycle of round talks indefinitely, considering that the GERD represents a direct threat to the Roseires Dam, which has a reservoir capacity less than 10% of the GERD’s capacity if the filing and the operations of the GERD starts without an agreement and daily exchange of information,” said Sudanese Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Yasser Abbas.

 

Sudan refuses to split GERD negotiations into two agreements. LomaZoma

Sudan refused Sunday to split agreements on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), for the first filling and permanent operation as two separate agreements.

“Sudan does not tolerate nor can it bear to proceed with endless negotiations, without results or solutions,” Abbas said.

 

Nile dam row: Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan fail to reach consensus on negotiation mechanism MENAFN

Sudan insisted on the need for mandated experts designated by the African Union (AU) to propose solutions to the contentious issues under negotiation, and to draft an agreement.

Both Egypt and Ethiopia rejected the Sudanese proposal, as they stressed the right of the three parties to formulate the agreement. This is especially as the AU experts have no experience in the technical issues related to the project.

The meeting concluded that the South Africa’s representative would submit a report to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, on the outcomes of the talks to consider the coming step.

09/01/2021 News and Commentaries – Tigray War

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Ethiopian women raped in Mekelle, says soldier. Here is an unabridged translation of the soldier’s speech. 

Why are women being raped at this time in the city of Mekelle? This is not a war time. If it were war-time it may be expected as it is not manageable. But we are here reclaiming peace and order. With local and federal police on duty and several staffs available, how come another incident happened today after the one that was reported last night?

Satellite Images Show Ethiopia Carnage as Conflict Continues. Bloomber, Politics.

Satellite images show the destruction of United Nations’ facilities, a health-care unit, a high school and houses at two camps [Hitsats and the Shimelba] sheltering Eritrean refugees in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, belying government claims that the conflict in the dissident region is largely over.

“Recent satellite imagery indicates that structures in both camps are being intentionally targeted. The systematic and widespread fires are consistent with an intentional campaign to deny the use of the camp.” said a UK based analyst, Isaac Baker.

Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General 08.01.2021

We, along with our partners, have been able to access areas that have been previously inaccessible. Localized fighting and insecurity continues, with fighting reported in rural areas and around Mekelle, Shiraro and Shire, in the Tigray province.

Access to most parts of north-western, eastern and central Tigray remains constrained due to the ongoing insecurity and bureaucratic hurdles, and two of the four refugee camps in the region (Hitsats and Shimelba) are still not accessible.

… We estimate that 2.3 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance in Tigray, including 1.3 million additional people due to the conflict and over 950,000 people already there, including refugees.

A glimpse into the health impact of Tigray war, OCHA, 08.01.2021

Only 5 out of 40 hospitals in Tigray are physically accessible, while four additional hospitals are reachable through mobile network. Apart from those in Mekelle, the remaining hospitals are looted and many reportedly destroyed, which, in addition to the insecure environment and non-payment of salaries, has halted basic health services and displaced staff.

The interruption of COVID-19 surveillance and control activities for over a month in the region, coupled with mass displacements and overcrowded conditions in displacement setting is feared to have facilitated massive community transmission of the pandemic.

Full and unrestricted humanitarian access must be granted. EU

The top 10 crises the world should be watching in 2021. The International Rescue Committee’s annual Emergency Watchlist.

War Crimes of Eritrean Troops in Tigray, reported by Jan Nyssen, full professor of geography at Ghent University (Belgium). Here is an excerpt from the report on some of the incidents observed by eyewitnesses in and around Adigrat:

  • On 18 November, Eritrean soldiers killed 59 civilians inside their houses in the border town of Zalambessa;
  • On 24 November, Eritrean soldiers drove a pick-up truck with machine guns through the central street of Adigrat and shot indiscriminately at shops, private residences, and passers-by. Several civilians were reportedly killed and wounded, including women and children;
  • On 25 November, a group of 8 – 15 citizens (according to different witnesses) stood guard at the Addis Pharmaceutical Factory in Adigrat when they were handcuffed and executed by Eritrean soldiers;
  • On 25 November, Eritrean soldiers shot 8 civilians inside their houses in the town of Hawzen.
  • On 30 November, Eritrean troops killed more than 80 people in the Church compound of Maryam Dengelat, situated 5 kilometres to SW of Idaga Hamus;
  • Staff of Dashen Brewery in Gondar informed us that their Branch Manager in Adigrat, ayte11 Isayas Asgedom, was also murdered that day at Maryam Dengelat, together with his family;
  • Around 2 – 12 December, 24 men in the village of Abraha Atsbaha were ordered by Eritrean troops to dig graves for fallen soldiers. When the men had finished, they were executed by Eritrean soldiers;
  • Around 1 – 14 December, 13 boys aged 12 – 15 years old from the village of Tokot near Idaga Hamus were ordered by Eritrean troops to load looted materials onto a truck. When they had finished, the 13 boys were shot dead by the Eritrean soldiers.
  • Around 12 – 14 December, Eritrean troops looted the Negash mosque, the most ancient centre of Islam outside Arabia, which has also been shelled. 81 (mostly Orthodox Christian) villagers were killed while trying to protect the holy site from looting;
  • Wukro has been heavily damaged mainly by organised looting, including St Mary College and the Catholic mission; the Sheba Leather Factory has been destroyed and local youth protecting the place killed in big numbers; and
  • Around 17 – 20 December, 750 inhabitants of the town of Aksum were killed by Eritrean troops when they tried to prevent them from looting the Maryam Tsion Church in the town.

Podcast

International Crisis Group. 10 Conflicts to Watch in 2021.

Tigray War – Useful Links

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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Daily Briefing Highlights and Tigray Region Humanitarian Update

UN,  Daily Press Briefings by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Europe External Programme with Africa (EEPA), Daily Situation Reports and others.

TGHAT, A list of victims of Genocide in Tigray compiled from different sources.

BBC. Tigray Crisis.

Jan Nysen, Professor of Geography at Ghent University (Belgium) The Situation in Tigray by the end of 2020

Solomon Negash, News and commentaries.

 

The list will regularly be updated.

በትግራይ ጦርነቱ አሁንም እንደ ቀጠለ ነው ሲል ተመድ ገለጸ

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የተመድ ልኡካን አዲስ በለቀቁት ሪፖርት እንደገለጹት ከሆነ በትግራይ አሁንም አለመረጋጋቱ ቀጥሏል።

ሪፖርቱ እስከተጠናቀረበት ድረስ በመቀለ፣ ሽረና ሸራሮ ዙሪያ በበርካታ ቦታዎች ጦርነቱ እንደቀጠለ ነው።  ልዑካኑ ወደ ሽረና ሽራሮ መጓዝ እንዳልቻለ ገልጿል።

የተባበሩት መንግስታት የሰብዓዊ ጉዳዮች ማስተባበሪያ ጽህፈት ቤት  (UN OCHA) በታህሳስ ወር በሁለት ቡድን ወደ ትግራይ ተጉዞ ጥናት ካደረገ ብኋላ በለቀቀው ሪፖርት መሰረት፣ በጦርነት በተጎዳው ክልል ውስጥ ከ4.5 ሚሊዮን በላይ ሰዎች አስቸኳይ የምግብ ዕርዳታ እንደሚያስፈልጋቸው የገለጸ ሲሆን፣ ከጦርነቱ ወዲህ የምግብ እርዳታ ያገኙ ሰዎች 100 ሺ እንደማይሞሉ ለማወቅ ተችሏል።

በተጨማሪም ጦርነቱ ከተቀሰቀሰ በኋላ 2.2 ሚሊዮን የክልሉ ኗሪዎች ከቀያቸው መፈናቀላቸውን ጠቁሟል።

በፀጥታና በቢሮክራሲያዊ መሰናክሎች ምክንያት የከተማ አካባቢዎችን ብቻ ለመገምገም እንደተገደደ የገለጸው የልኡካን ቡድኑ፣ በክልሉ ውሱን የምግብ አቅርቦት እንዳለና ከፍተኛ የዋጋ ጭማሪ እየታየ መሆኑን በሪፖርቱ አመላክቷል። የባንክ አገልግሎት ስለመጀመሩ የተገለጸ ነገር የለም።

የልዑካን ቡድኑ በጉብኝቱ “ደካማ የመንግስት አገልግሎቶች፣ አስከፊ የኑሮ ሁኔታ እና የሰብአዊ ጉዳዮች እንዳሉ” መታዘቡን በሪፖርቱ አመላክቷል ፡፡

በርካታ ንብረቶች እንደወደሙና እንደተዘረፉ ያመላከተው ሪፖርቱ፣ በክልሉ ከሚገኙ 40 ሆስፒታሎች ውስጥ በሽተኞችን በአካል ተቀብለው በማስተናገድ አገልግሎት መስጠት የሚችሉት 5 ብቻ መሆናቸውን ገልጿል። ከነዚህ በተጨማሪ አራት ሆስፒታሎች የስልክ አገልግሎት ብቻ ይሰጣሉ ብሏል።

የኤርትራ ወታደሮችም በውጊያው መሳተፋቸውን የኢትዮጵያ መንግስት ሲክድ የቆየ ቢሆንም፣ የንግድ ተቋማትን በመዝረፍ እና ስደተኞችን አፍኖ በመውሰድ የኤርትራ ወታደሮች ተሰማርተው ማየታቸውን ማብራሪያ እንዲሰጡ የተጠየቁ የእርዳታ ሰራተኞች እና ዲፕሎማቶች ገልጸዋል፡፡

የሰሜን እዝ አዛዥ ሜጀር ጄነራል በላይ ስዩም እና በፌደራል መንግስት የተሾመው ጊዜያዊው የመቀለ ከንቲባ አቶ አታክልቲ ወልደስላሴ በተናጠል ከመቀለ ኗሪዎች ጋር ባደረጉት ውይይት የኤርትራ ወታደሮች በትግራይ እንደሚገኙ ማመናቸው ይታወሳል።

ሰ.ነ. 

 

Eritreiske styrker deltok i Tigray-kamper, ifølge etiopisk militæroffiser

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Abc Nyheter | Eritreiske sikkerhetsstyrker var aktive i konflikten i Tigray i nabolandet Etiopia, opplyser en offiser i det etiopiske forsvaret.

Tigray-flyktninger har opplyst at eritreiske sikkerhetsstyrker angrep og bortførte eritreiske flyktninger, i tillegg til lokale Tigray-innbyggere.

Både Tigray-opprørere og USA har også meldt om eritreisk deltakelse.

Eritreiske myndigheter nekter for at landets sikkerhetsstyrker var aktive i konflikten.

Den etiopiske hæren startet i november en omfattende militæroffensiv mot opprørere i den nordlige Tigray-regionen. Titusenvis flyktet, og FN har varslet om grove menneskerettighetsbrudd.

Etiopias fredsprisvinnende statsminister Abiy Ahmed Ali erklærte seier i desember.

(©NTB)

U.S. Military Base Penetrated By Somali Militants

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Military Watch | Dash-8 Spy Plane and C-146 Transport Destroyed

The Somali militant group Al Shabab launched a successful attack on a U.S. military base in Kenya, the Manda Bay Airfield, on January 5th. The attack follows longstanding tensions between the group and American forces in the region, and amid at time when the U.S. is expanding its military presence in East Africa. A spokesman for U.S. Africa Command stayed regarding the attack: “U.S. Africa Command acknowledges there was an attack at Manda Bay Airfield, Kenya and is monitoring the situation.” The attack was eventually repelled with four militants killed, but they succeeded in neutralising multiple American aircraft on the ground including a C-146A Wolfhound tactical transport and a Dash-8 spy plane. The Dash-8 is equipped with synthetic aperture radar capable detecting ground targets across an area nearly two miles wide, depending on its fight altitude, and also deploys a sensor turret with electro-optical and infrared cameras. Al Shabab claimed it had inflicted heavy casualties on U.S. and Kenyan forces, but this has yet to be confirmed. Al Shabab has been designated a terrorist organisation by a number of Western states, including, Australia, Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Britain, as well was by the United Arab Emirates and Singapore.

07/01/2021 News and Commentaries – Tigray War

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Tigray war

● Ethiopian army Major-General Belay Seyoum confirms the presence of Eritrean troops in Tigray. Here is an unabridged translation from a YouTube Video.

“Our door, our sovereignty must be guarded by the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF). It is true. The main mission of the ENDF is to safeguard our sovereignty. But we should also think about who stood against safeguarding our sovereignty. Our army was first attacked at the border, then an unwanted foreign force entered our territory. Are we the ones who let it in? No, we don’t want it. Personally, as a defense force, we feel bad. It’s our country. We know the problem that arise. It hurts. But who let them in? Wasn’t it intentional? It was the army defending the border that got killed. Then who would stop them from entering. They came in on their own. I think this should be clear. My conscience does not allow me to ask for help from the Eritrean army. Our problem is ours. We can solve it on our own. We have the capacity to solve our own problem.” 

● Ethiopia blocking Tigrians from fleeing to Sudan. The Ethiopian Federal Army deployed more troops on the border area to prevent people fleeing the war in the Tigray region to cross into Sudan. Sudan Tribune

● Refugees entering Sudan on the rise recently. The head of the emergency room for the housing of Ethiopian refugees in eastern Sudan confirmed on Wednesday the recent increase in the number of Ethiopians seeking refuge and protection in Sudan. Over 60,000 refugees have fled over the border to Eastern Sudan; with thousands having arrived over the weekend. Sudan Tribune

● About 2.2 million people have been internally displaced in Tigray since fighting erupted in November with about half fleeing after their homes were burned down, a local appointed government official said. Reuters

● Ethiopia’s ‘Regional Special Forces’. The northern part of Ethiopia has seen a lot of conflict over the past year. One aspect of the fight is the emergence of ‘special forces’ units on a regional basis. Read more in “Regional Special Forces: threats or safeties?”, The Reporter, January 2, 2021.

● The Special Briefing. Back from the brink: global precedents, OZY.COM

In the early 1990s, more than a million people died in the country’s first civil war, which led to the formation of present-day Eritrea. And this past November, the critical East African nation seemed on the verge of another civil war amid backlash against democratic reforms launched by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed — just a year after he won a Nobel Prize for reopening the Ethiopia-Eritrea border following two decades of tensions. For now, Ahmed has mostly quashed the rebellious Tigray forces, but this could be short-lived.

● Opinion, Courier Journal

Using the pandemic as an excuse, Abiy Ahmed, the Ethiopian prime minister, canceled elections. When the head of the government of Tigray, an internal region of Ethiopia, questioned the legitimacy of Ahmed’s rule that has continued after his term expired, Ahmed sent troops to “seize” Tigray. This caused a civil war, created thousands of refugees and destabilized Ethiopia’s neighborhood.

Metekel, Benishangul Gumuz

● While the Tigray war rumbles on, violence elsewhere is spreading to an extent the central government cannot ignore. How Addis Ababa deals with ethnic violence in the region of Benishangul-Gumuz will determine the country’s future. Foreign Policy

● More than 101,000 people have been displaced due to violence in Ethiopia’s Benishangul-Gumuz regional state since July 2020. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA)

Al-Fashqa, Ethiopia – Sudan border conflict

● Amhara militias are “asserting a renewed aggressiveness on the border [to Sudan] that could result in further provocations … If left unchecked, it represents the kind of ‘low probability, high impact’ scenario that could have devastating and far-reaching consequences.” Bloomberg

● Ethiopia accused Sudanese troops of killing “many civilians” in recent fighting over contested land at the nations’ border. Bloomberg

● Sudan army thwarted two major attacks by Ethiopian militia on Al Fashiqa. Media News Sudan

●  “A force of the Airborne Corps and Military Intelligence responded to an attack launched by Ethiopian forces equipped with heavy weapons.”  Sudan Tribune.

The Horn and GERD

Tigray conflict threatens the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Power Technology

The outbreak of fighting in Tigray in November 2020 threatens to distract governments from the continuing negotiations. The conflict is between the Ethiopian government and the region’s ruling party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Both sides have accused each other of committing atrocities during the fighting. As of December 2020, it is estimated that several thousand people have been killed and up to one million people have been displaced.

War of words over stalled Nile dam talks, Al-Monitor

“Egypt has turned Ethiopia into a [danger zone] to escape its own internal problems, as there are tens of thousands of Islamists inside prisons in Egypt. … It is using such matters to avoid internal Egyptian issues and focus its attention on the GERD.” Dina Mufti, Spokesperson of the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

“Such an offense on the Egyptian state and allegations about its internal affairs is nothing but a continuation of the approach of using a hostile tone and fueling emotions as a cover for Ethiopia’s multiple failures, both domestically and externally.” Ahmed Hafez, spokesperson of Foreign Ministry of Egypt

Ethiopia’s Hydro-Hegemony Has Arrived. National Interest

The dam dispute between Ethiopia and Egypt most often garners international press, but the cases impacting Kenya and Somalia show that the pattern of Ethiopian defiance of international norms cuts deeper. While Ethiopia’s hydro-hegemony predates Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the Nobel Laureate’s increasing domestic failures have led him to double down on Ethiopian defiance and intransigence. This is his way of presenting himself as a nationalist. Also, this has led Abiy to increasingly lash out at the United States by claiming that U.S. mediation has led to unfair restrictions, power limitations, and back-door colonialism.

Podcast

As Conflicts Mount, Where Does Ethiopia Go from Here? Ethiopia has declared that its main military operation in northern Tigray is over, but fighting persists and existential questions hang over the country’s transition. Adem Kassie Abebe and Alan discussed how Prime Minister Abiy should navigate the troubled waters ahead. The Horn

 

05/01/2021 News and Commentary

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Ethiopia in Crisis

Ethiopia’s total debt reached 51% of its GDP

Ethiopia’s total domestic and foreign debt has reached 54.7 billion US Dollar (2.01 trillion birr)  (50.8 percent of the country’s GDP), according to a recent government debt statement.

Source: Reporter 

Desert outbreak in Ethiopia caused 356, 286 metric tonnes of cereal loss

In a joint assessment report by the Ethiopian government and FAO, the desert outbreak in Ethiopia alone caused 356, 286 metric tonnes of cereal loss, along with the destruction of 197,000 ha of cropland, and 1.35 Million ha of pasturelands.

Source: Space in Africa. Satellite Imagery for the Locust Invasion Crisis in Eastern Africa.

Update: The outbreak of desert locusts could reduce production by 3.8 million quintals (ተከስቶ የነበረው የበረሃ አንበጣ ወረርሽኝ የ3.8 ሚሊዮን ኩንታል ምርት ቅናሽ ሊያመጣ እንደሚችል ተጠቆመ።)

ምንጭ: Reporter

4.5 million people seeking urgent humanitarian assistance in Tigray

According to the Interim government of Tigray, more than 4.5 million Tigrayans (of which roughly half are children) are seeking urgent humanitarian assistance. There are also 2.2 million IDPs within the region.

Source: ETV Tigrigna on Facebook

2.3 Million Children Without Access To Humanitarian Aid

“Following the recent crisis in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, an estimated 2.3 million children have been left without access to necessary humanitarian aid. Critical medical supplies provided by international organizations, including vaccines, emergency medications, and sanitation items, are likely running low, as communication and transportation into the region is limited. … About 45% of those crossing the border into Sudan are children. Those remaining in Tigray are currently living without electricity, and running water.”

Source: The Organization for World Peace

Tigray is an ideal staging post for an insurgency

In 2020 Ethiopia plunged into chaos. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, fresh off a 2019 Nobel Peace Prize win, has declared war on the restive province of Tigray. The government claims that the military operation ended after the capture of the Tigray capital, but there are fears that a gorilla conflict will drag on. The region is an ideal staging post for an insurgency, featuring rugged mountain terrain as well as the “gateway to hell”, the Danakil Depression. This sparsely populated desert is one of the lowest and hottest places on earth.

Sources: Explorers Web “The World’s Most Dangerous Places”

TPLF will likely continue to exist as a low-intensity insurgency and many local actors will reject the Ethiopian-appointed state leadership.

Source: Stratfor, 2021 Annual Forecast

ENDF graduated newly trained members

The new recruits were drawn from various parts of the country trained in various military techniques in Tolay, Hurso, & BirSheleko training camps.

Source: EBC News on Facebook

GERD and the HoA

Russia to Establish Navy Base in Sudan for at Least 25 Years

Russia has signed an agreement with Sudan to establish a navy base in the African nation for at least a quarter century, part of Moscow’s efforts to expand its global reach.

Source: Military.com

Pompeo signs order removing Sudan from terror sponsors list

Egypt’s leader meets US treasury chief ahead of Sudan visit

The office of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said in a statement the president and US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin discussed mutual and regional issues, including the latest developments in talks with Sudan and Ethiopia over a disputed dam that Ethiopia is building over the Blue Nile River.

Source: Arab News

Egypt has agreed to reopen airspace with Qatar

 … to end a three-year rift between Qatar, GCC states and Egypt

Source: Doha News

President Trump’s late pullout appears to put politics over antiterror strategy

Since Islamic State lost its physical caliphate in Syria and Iraq, unstable parts of Africa have become more appealing for jihadists looking to claim territory and plot attacks on the West. ISIS has a small presence in Somalia but the greatest threat is al-Shabaab.

Source: WSJ

The U.S. Withdraws from Somalia (Podcast).

Discussing President Trump’s decision to withdraw American force from Somalia.

Source: Long War Journal

The Evolution of the Islamic State Threat in Africa 

Abstract: The annus horribilis Islamic State Central suffered in 2019, during which the group lost the last stretch of its “territorial caliphate” in Iraq and Syria and its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed, does not appear to have had a discernible impact on the overall operational trajectory of the Islamic State threat in Africa. Post-2019, the Islamic State’s West Africa Province sustained around the same high level of violence while Islamic State provinces in Libya, Sinai, and Somalia remained pernicious, though generally contained, threats. In some parts of Africa, the group grew as a threat. Both wings of the Islamic State’s new Central Africa Province as well as the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara wing of the Islamic State’s West Africa Province escalated their violent campaigns post-2019. The Islamic State’s province in Algeria remains effectively defunct, and though the Islamic State affiliate in Tunisia failed to conduct major attacks, it remained active. As the authors stress in this article and an upcoming book, the overall resilience of the Islamic State in Africa should not be a surprise; it underscores that while connections were built up between Islamic State Central and its African affiliates—with the former providing, at times, some degree of strategic direction, coordination, and material assistance—the latter have historically evolved under their own steam and acted with a significant degree of autonomy.

Source: Combating Terrorism Center

04/01/2021 – News and Commentary – Tigray War

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Tigray conflict renewed. Sudan refugee crises spiked. 

“The flow of Ethiopian refugees fleeing an armed conflict in Tigray into Sudan has increased over the past few days as the violence has flared up, Sudanese authorities said on Monday. … The number of those fleeing due to the armed conflict, which was renewed between the two parties in recent days, has increased … A total of 61,458 Ethiopians have entered Sudan since the conflict broke out in early November.”

Source: La Prensa Latina

Access to Tigray remains restricted. UK deeply concerned.

“We are deeply worried about the risks the conflict poses to civilian lives and Ethiopia’s overall stability. … Access to Tigray remains restricted.”

Source: African Minister, James Duddridge MP

Interim Mayor of Mekelle admits presence of Eritrean troops in Tigray

“Interim Mayor of Mekelle city, Ataklti Haileselassie, admits presence and participation of Eritrean forces in Tigray war” amid consistent denial by officials both in Addis Ababa and Asmara.

Source: Addis Standard

Amhara police chief admitted preparations already completed before the war brokeout on November 4

Amhara region police chief, Commissioner Abere Adamu, reveals how region’s police force guided federal steel-clad mechanized forces to join “war” in tigray.

Commissioner Abere also revealed that Amhara regional state had “already done [its] homework,” and “deployment of forces had taken place in our borders from east to west. The war started that night after we have already completed our preparations,” he told an audience to several rounds of applause.

Source: Addis Standard

A tripartite talk on GERD resumed, negotations to be held on January 10, 2021.

A tripartite talk on Renaissance Dam resume amid political tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia and border conflict between Sudan and Ethiopia. This week’s talks will pave the way “for the resumption of tripartite negotiations on Sunday January 10 in the hope of concluding by the end of January”, Sudan’s Water Ministry noted.

Source: DW

Sudan boycotted the tripartite ministerial meeting today

“Sudan boycotted the tripartite ministerial meeting held on Monday to discuss the disputed issues regarding the Ethiopian Dam. The meeting was held in the presence of water resources ministers from both Egypt and Ethiopia. … Sudan boycotted the meeting after it had received no response to its call for a bilateral meeting with the experts and observers of the AU on Sunday.”

Source: Daily News Egypt

“Never miss a good chance to shut up.” ― Will Rogers

 “An advisor to occupants of the prime minister’s office for over two decades, Arkebe Oqubay, is vying for the top job at a UN agency.”

Source: Africa Intelligence

5 killed, 14 injured in suicide bombing in Somalia: officials

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Global News – AP |  A suicide bombing near the   Somalia capital, Mogadishu, on Saturday killed five people including two Turks, Turkish and Somali officials said.

The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group claimed responsibility for the attack in a post by its Shahada News Agency. The Somalia-based group often targets Mogadishu with suicide bombings and other attacks, and it has exploded bombs against the Turkish military and other targets there in the past.

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted that 14 people, including three Turks, were wounded and are being treated in a Mogadishu hospital named after Turkey’s president.

“We strongly condemn this heinous attack targeting the employees of a Turkish company that undertook the Mogadishu-Afgoye road construction and contributes to the development and prosperity of Somalia,” a foreign ministry statement said.

The three others killed were Somali policemen, police Capt. Ahmed Mohamed said.

Turkish security sources said the suicide attacker used a motorcycle. They said the attack took place 15 kilometres (8 miles) from a Turkish military base, which was not affected. The base is Turkey’s largest military installation abroad.

This is the second time the road project has been attacked by al-Shabab. In January last year, a vehicle filled with explosives exploded at the entrance, killing and wounding dozens of people, including several Turkish citizens.

The attack led to a pause in the project, which recommenced a few months ago after security was improved.

Separately on Saturday, the U.S. military said it had carried out two airstrikes against al-Shabab compounds near Qunya Barrow on Friday, the first such strikes of the year after more than 50 last year. A U.S. statement said both compounds were destroyed.