Lakshmi V Menon, Harini Madhusudan, Abigail Fernandez and Sourina Bej
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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi hosted on Sunday Libya’s eastern military commander, Khalifa Hifter, whose forces are leading an offensive in the capital, Tripoli, where the internationally recognized government is based. Hifter's self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) deployed in western areas of the country last week as part of what he called an operation to “purge” Tripoli of terrorist groups. So far, more than 121 people have been killed according to the World Health Organization.
During the meeting in Cairo, Sisi “confirmed Egypt's support for efforts to combat terrorism and extremist groups and militias in order to achieve security and stability for the Libyan citizen.” Meanwhile on Sunday, forces loyal to the Government of National Accord downed a fighter jet belonging to the LNA south of Tripoli. A GNA spokesman said the plane was planning to launch air raids in the Wadi al-Rabie area. Read More
Sudan’s military announced on Thursday it had ousted President Omar al-Bashir, an ally of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court for overseeing forces that killed thousands in the country’s Darfur province. Bashir has been replaced by Lt. Gen. Awad Mohamed Ahmed Ibn Auf, a military leader also wanted for crimes in the Darfur region whose ascendance brought jeers from Sudanese protesters. Assad in December 2018 became the first Arab leader to visit Damascus since the Arab League expelled Syria following the outbreak of civill war in 2011. Erstwhile Sudanese ally Iran is also keeping close watch on events in Khartoum. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi on Thursday called on Sudanese parties to “show restraint, keep calm, use the policy of interaction and dialogue, and adopt peaceful means when pursuing their demands.” Read More
Salma Wardany writes: As fighting in Libya encroaches on the capital, the risk of new oil-supply outages from the OPEC member has risen. The country has been in disarray since Muammar Qaddafi, its head of state, was removed from office and killed in 2011. Oil output surged in recent months as a fragile peace took hold, but the latest battles are a reminder that reliable crude flows require a political solution to end eight years of strife. – Bloomberg
The United States has long struggled with how to handle Khalifa Hifter, as the former CIA asset has repeatedly threatened to march on the war-torn country’s capital.
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Sudan’s military removed the country’s dictator from power on Thursday following months of protests against his 30-year rule, as a wave of popular unrest shakes North Africa that is reminiscent of the 2011 Arab Spring revolts. – Wall Street Journal
For 30 years, the Sudanese president ruled with an iron fist, first overthrowing an elected government in a 1989 military coup and then cementing his grip on power. Remarkably, he held on for years even as he faced international condemnation, a warrant for his arrest on genocide charges, war, uprisings and sanctions. […]Here are just a few of the many storms Bashir weathered in the past three decades. – Washington Post
Sudan’s defense minister, who led the overthrow Thursday of autocratic ruler Omar al-Bashir, has had his assets blocked by the U.S. Treasury since 2007 for supporting and managing militias accused of carrying out genocide in the country’s Darfur conflict. – Associated Press
It was the man named by President Omar al-Bashir as his deputy just six weeks ago who broke the news to the Sudanese people of the longtime ruler’s removal. Dressed in army fatigues, General Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf declared on Thursday that the 75-year-old had been overthrown and arrested following months of nationwide protests against his three-decade rule. – Al Jazeera
Editorial: Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir’s three decade reign of misery ended Thursday following a military coup. Good riddance, though his arrest alone won’t satisfy the protestors who have filled the country’s streets for months. […]Washington will need to continue counterterrorism cooperation with whoever comes to power while still pressing for democratic elections. The Trump Administration followed Barack Obama’s lead and rewarded antiterror help by removing some sanctions. The White House can use more sanctions relief as leverage with the new government. – Wall Street Journal
Eli Lake writes: The ouster of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir should be a moment for celebration: one of the world’s worst villains, driven from power after waves of popular protest. […]There are other steps the West can take to aid and protect Sudan’s opposition, such as building up legal cases against other regime leaders and offering encrypted communication technology to protest organizers. The most important step, though, is to resist the temptation to reach out to the military regime that replaced al-Bashir. Sudan should remain isolated until it is free. – Bloomberg
Tom Rogan writes: The Sudanese military’s deposing of President Omar al-Bashir is a step in the right direction towards Sudan’s better future. But it’s only a small step, because those replacing Bashir are too much like him. […]As the protests continue, we’re about to find out. But if a crackdown follows, human suffering may escalate dramatically. For that reason, President Trump should implore the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to warn the military against any use of force. Those American allies are top Sudanese export destinations. The military cannot afford to isolate them. – Washington Examiner
Alberto M. Fernandez wrties: Sudan’s most successful regime—measured solely in terms of sheer survival and misery inflicted on its people—will not reach its thirtieth anniversary. It was on June 30, 1989, that an obscure Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) general named Omar al-Bashir overthrew the democratically elected government of Sadiq al-Mahdi. At least that is what it looked like from the outside. In reality, it was a hardcore Islamist coup led by the urbane extremist Dr. Hassan al-Turabi working in cooperation with likeminded military elements. In an exquisite bit of theater, Turabi and some of his fellow plotters were detained at the beginning of the coup, creating confusion as to who was actually in charge and disguising the true nature of the resultant regime. – Washington Institute