09 July CC Review by Civil Military

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Review 09 July 2013

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Middle East North Africa Northeast Africa Horn of Africa IED & Demining

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This document provides complex coverage of developments in regions of interest from 02 - 08 July 2013, with hyper-links to source material highlighted in blue and underlined in the text. For more information on the topics below or other issues pertaining to the region, please contact the members of the CFC, or visit our website at www.cimicweb.org.

DISCLAIMER The Civil-Military Fusion Centre (CFC) is an information and knowledge management organisation focused on improving civil-military interaction, facilitating information sharing and enhancing situational awareness through the CimicWeb portal and our Weekly and monthly publications. CFC products are based upon and link to open-source information from a wide variety of organisations, research centres and media outlets. However, the CFC does not endorse and cannot necessarily guarantee the accuracy or objectivity of these sources. CFC publications are independently produced by Desk Officers and do not reflect NATO policies or positions of any other organsiation. The CFC is part of NATO Allied Command Operations.

CONTACT THE CFC For further information contact: Middle East Team Leader Linda Lavender linda.lavender@cimicweb.org Mediterranean Basin Team Leader Trista Guertin trista.guertin@cimicweb.org

Middle East

Linda Lavender ► linda.lavender@cimicweb.org

Iraq The UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) reports that 761 people were killed in terrorist attacks in June, informs United Press International (UPI). More than 1,700 injuries were associated with violence last month; however, the number of casualties decreased from May 2013 when more than 1,000 Iraqis were killed. June 2013 shows, “[t]he number of civilians killed was 685, including 131 civilian police, and the number of civilians injured was 1,610, including 221 civilian police”. The UN mission added, “a further 76 members of the Iraqi security forces were killed and 161 were injured”. Baghdad was the worst-affected region in Iraq, followed by the mostly Sunni provinces of Salahuddin, Diyala, Nineveh and Anbar. A spokesman for Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), Safaa al Moussawi, reports that candidates backed by influential Sunni politicians won the biggest single bloc of seats in the 20 June Anbar provincial elections, according to Associated Press (AP). Sunni–United List led by Iraqi Parliament Speaker Osama al Nujaifi won 8 of 30 seats in Anbar’s provincial council. The State of Law block, led by Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki came in second with five seats. According to Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR), the provincial elections held in April and again in June show that Prime Minister Maliki’s base of support is eroding. Two other Shi’ite blocs, the Muwatin Coalition and the Sadrist Movement, made strong showings in recent elections, resulting in Maliki’s party losing five of the nine provincial councils it once controlled. Maliki’s most strategic loss

occurred in Baghdad where his State of Law1 coalition received only 20 of 58 seats. Nabil Salim, a professor of political science at Baghdad University notes, “The results indicate an obvious decline in popularity for the prime minister’s bloc because of the failure of its governors over the last four years, especially in providing basic services and reducing unemployment rates”. The Kurdish parliament voted to extend the terms of its leaders by two years, ending a months-long political deadlock between the two ruling parties over the issue, according to Rudaw. Regional parliament spokesman Tareq Juhar announced that the majority of lawmakers voted to keep President Massoud Barzani as the KRG head through August 2015. For the first time in over two years, President Barzani visited Baghdad on 07 July, in a gesture meant to mend current rifts between Kurdistan and the Iraqi central government, reports Voice of America (VOA). Iraqi Member of Parliament (MP) Waleed al Mohamadi of the Sunni Mutahidoun Alliance described the current security situation in Iraq as “collapsed”, according to Iraqi News. Hassan Jihad, a Kurdish MP on the Security and Defence Committee, conceded that the current security situation will likely remain unchanged as the country heads into the Holy Month of Ramadan, reports Gulf Today. Numerous violent incidents were reported throughout the country this past week.  

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02-July-13: Reuters reports that at least 45 people were killed in bomb attacks across the country, mostly concentrated in Baghdad where attackers targeted busy markets and commercial areas. 03-July-13: A roadside bomb in Nahrawan, south-eastern Baghdad, killed seven and wounded fifteen others, while in the southeastern neighbourhood of Zafaraniyah, the bodies of three workers were discovered at a home construction site, reports Time. In Mosul, two suicide attackers drove their vehicles into military barricades, killing four soldiers and wounding one civilian. Also, two Sahwa2 fighters were killed and six wounded when a roadside bomb hit their vehicle in Abu Ghraib Baghdad. 04-July-13: In Tuz Kharmato, four police officers were killed and fifteen civilians wounded when a suicide bomber drove his vehicle into police patrolling the city, reports Time. 05-July-13: A suicide bomber killed fifteen people in an attack on a Shi’ite mosque in Baghdad, reports The New York Times (NYT). Also, in Samarra a female suicide bomber blew herself up amid Sunni protesters, killing seven. 08-July-13: A series of attacks killed at least fifteen people in Iraq; the deadliest attack occurred in Madain southeast of Baghdad where a bomb exploded near a youth centre killing six civilians, reports AP. In Mosul, a car bomb exploded in a commercial area killing one and wounding several others. Also, two militant groups attacked a Mosul checkpoint killing a police officer. Finally, early Monday morning gunmen stopped a police officer’s family as they returned from a wedding early Monday morning in Musayyib, killing the officer.

The UN Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (UNHCHR) found that Iraq’s human rights record is on the decline as a result of mounting violence within the country, reports UPI. UN Special Envoy to Iraq Martin Kobler stated, “[The UN] has consistently urged Iraqi leaders to engage in dialogue and develop policies that address the root causes of the problem”, and welcomed Iraqi efforts to implement a national action plan on human rights. Also, the UN Security Council (UNSC) eased sanctions against Iraq which date back to Saddam Hussein’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). Iraq’s Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari called the UNSC decision a “landmark” in Iraq’s effort to restore its international standing. More than 160,000 Syrian refugees are seeking shelter in Iraq, most of them in the Domiz camp located in the Kurdish region of the country, reports The Guardian. Domiz is the only refugee camp in Iraq and is severely overcrowded. Refugees are struggling to access food and water while adequate sanitation is an ever-increasing problem in the camp

Lebanon The Institute of International Finance (IIF) reports that the Lebanese economy contracted between 0.5 and 1 per cent in the first six months of 2013, reports Albawaba. However, if the security situation stabilises, Lebanon could see a rebound to marginal positive growth in 2013. Tourism has dropped by 12.5 per cent this year, coupled with plummeting investments. While the downturn remains manageable, the bleak forecast is a sign that instability and weakening institutions are negatively impacting the economy. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)3 officials met on 04 July to oversee the adoption of sanctions against Hezbollah interests in the region, according to The National. Two monitoring groups were proposed; one to coordinate with central banks, and the other to review legal administrative and financial matters of the Lebanese group. The developments represent a shift in relations with Hezbollah which previously enjoyed wide regional sympathy in its confrontations with Israel. According to Middle East Online, a Lebanese government source indicated that recently Qatar expelled eighteen Lebanese citizens from the country. An estimated 360,000 Lebanese work in the Gulf region. UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon appealed to Lebanon’s armed forces to remain loyal to Lebanese President Michel Sleiman as sectarian tensions fuelled by the Syrian conflict mounted, reports AFP. The UN leader expressed “deep concern” after sixteen 1

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki is part of the Dawa party, which is part of the larger State of Law Coalition. Sahwa fighters were a key component of the US surge strategy. These Sunni fighters turned against al Qaeda in order to establish security in the Iraq provinces. Sahwa fighters are often targeted by re-emerging al Qaeda members in revenge attacks. 3 GCC states include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 2

09 July 2013

Lebanese troops were killed in battles between Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and Sunni followers of radical Sunni cleric Sheikh Assir in Sidon. According to IHS Jane’s 360, the LAF received “low-level support from the Shi’ite militant group Hezbollah during the 23-24 June assault on the Assir compound”. The revelation has fuelled tensions between Sunni and Shi’ite sects within Lebanon. The recent clashes between hard-line Sunni groups and the Lebanese army are seen as a direct challenge to the authority of the fragile state, reports The Guardian. The growing view among Sunni groups across the region is that the Lebanese state is “giving cover” to Hezbollah as the Lebanese group continues to fight in Syria. McClatchy reports that Lebanese Sunni cleric Sheikh Salem al Rafehi informed a gathering of Sunni clerics the LAF is working in conjunction with Hezbollah and [Hezbollah] militia allies in Tripoli against the Sunni population. Rafehi also implied that President Michel Suleiman and Lebanon’s acting defence minister, Fayez Ghosn – both Christians – were aware of Hezbollah’s involvement in the recent clashes in Sidon with the followers of radical cleric Sheikh Ahmad al Assir. In a veiled warning, Rafehi cautioned, “[i]f our Christian partners are turning a blind eye to what’s happening to Sunnis, then their turn will come”. On 02 July, Lebanese security forces launched a manhunt for radical Sunni cleric Ahmad al Assir after the recent violence in Sidon, according to France 24. A day earlier, the Lebanese judiciary issued arrest warrants for Assir along with warrants for 123 of his supporters. On 05 July, after Friday prayers in Sidon, supporters of Assir took to the streets, some with black Islamist flags, showing their support for the fugitive cleric, reports The Daily Star. Similar demonstrations took place in Tripoli A number of violent incidents were reported throughout the country this past week. 

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02-July-13: In the northern city of Tripoli, Lebanese soldiers clashed with gunmen after unidentified assailants hurled a hand grenade at a Lebanese army post, reports The Daily Star. Fighting escalated with heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades and finally ceased after the Army managed to secure control of al Nour Square. Also, Israel dispatched reconnaissance and fighter jets into Lebanese airspace, considered a breach of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 by Lebanese leadership, reports The Daily Star. 03-July-13: A 122-mm mortar bomb without a warhead was found in a Barja field, close to the residence of Barja Mayor Ali Barrak, according to The Daily Star. 07-July-13: Two bombings in the Beka’a Valley city of Hermel resulted in the injury of two Lebanese soldiers, reports Albawaba.

Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Ali Awad Asiri, voiced serious concern over clashes, “from Tripoli to Akkar and Arsal and Sidon, which are directly linked to the Hezbollah’s involvement in the events in Syria”, according to The Daily Star. Asiri called on Hezbollah to reconsider its policy toward the Sunni sect in order to avoid additional unrest in the country. Meanwhile, UPI reports that Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Roknabadi reiterated the importance of Hezbollah members to continue its support of the Syrian government in a recent trip to Beirut. Inside Lebanon, there are indications that support for Hezbollah’s policy in Syria is increasingly questioned by Shi’ite Hezbollah families, reports VOA. For many Hezbollah members, Israel is seen as their “real enemy” as opposed to Syrian rebels. One Shi’ite Sheikh who declined to be identified said some Hezbollah militiamen sought his counsel on “whether they should heed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s call to arms [to fight in Syria against Syrian rebels]”. The militiamen questioned Hezbollah’s involvement in Syria and the risk of igniting a sectarian civil war in Lebanon. On 07 July, UPI reports that some Lebanese parents have petitioned Nasrallah to “stop sending their sons to fight for the regime in Syria”. Anger is mounting in Lebanon towards Syrian refugees as locals compete with Syrians for scarce jobs and housing in the region, according to VOA. Seeking to stem growing tensions between the communities, the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is assisting towns and villages with housing and public infrastructure development. UNHCR “quick impact” projects include the construction of new waste management plants, libraries, as well as local housing development. The work attempts to relieve pressure on host communities. Meanwhile, with hard-line Islamist groups on the ascendancy in Lebanon, Palestinian leaders in refugee camps struggle to keep the camps from becoming flash points for violence, according to The Washington Post. Paul Salem, director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, suggests that the sectarian politics on the rise in Syria and Lebanon “reinforce the militant radicals [in the camps]”, adding, “the mainstream leadership can try and keep the lid on it, but puffs of steam will erupt now and then”. After his three day visit to Beirut, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas affirmed his neutrality in the Syrian conflict, according to UPI.

Syria The Syrian National Coalition (SNC) elected Ahmad Jarba as its new president on 06 July, reports Reuters. Jarba is a tribal leader from the eastern Syrian province of Hasaka and has strong Saudi connections. A senior official of the SNC stated, “[a] change was needed”, adding, “[t]he old leadership of the coalition had failed to offer the Syrian people anything substantial and was preoccupied with internal politics. Amhad Jarba is willing to work with everyone”. Earlier in the week, the SNC urged the international community to take action to protect civilians in the embattled city of Homs, according to Al Jazeera. Khalid Saleh, spokesperson for the SNC warned that the fall of Homs would jeopardise any political solution for the country. AFP reports that Saleh pronounced, “if Homs falls, it will be very difficult for us to explain to the families of tens of thousands of dead Syrians why [the SNC] negotiated with a regime that shows us day after day that it doesn’t want a political solution and that it only wants to kill more Syrians”. Shortly after the 09 July 2013

election of Jarba, the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood asked the US and Europe to deliver on the promise to provide military support to the rebels, reports Reuters. McClatchy reports that when the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) begins arming Syrian rebels later this month, the organisation will likely be acting without help from its European allies who continue to express deep reservations about arming unknown rebel groups. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced that Germany will not be involved in arming anyone in the conflict. The Austrians, Belgians, Greeks and Irish have taken similar positions while France and Britain have not publically voiced support toward arming the rebels. Deadly clashes between rival rebel factions are hampering rebel efforts as they attempt to halt recent Syrian army gains on the battlefield, reports NYT. Fighting flared between a “mainstream” rebel group and an al Qaeda-affiliated faction, according to activists. As foreign fighters cross into Syria to join the fight against Assad, the prospects for unity among Syrian rebels grows more remote. Tensions within the insurgency have intensified lately, and violent confrontations have erupted in Raqqa, Idlib and Aleppo over access and control of economic resources. According to some Middle East analysts, the Assad regime is said to have been fortifying what is becoming known as “Alawistan” for months, with help from Russia and Iran, reports VOA. Murhaf Jouejati, professor of Middle East studies at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., asserts that the creation of an enclave for Alawites along Syria’s Mediterranean coast has been under serious consideration for some time especially by Iran. After recent military gains within Syria, on 04 July President Bashar al Assad said that only a foreign intervention into Syria would prevent him and the government from surviving the civil war, reports Reuters. On 08 July, Syrian national television announced that new leadership had been appointed within the ruling Ba’ath Party, reports Reuters. The reshuffle of posts was seen as an attempt by the Assad government to put a new face on the party that has dominated Syrian politics for over forty years. Following his meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, US Secretary of State John Kerry announced that the proposed peace conference between the Syrian government and rebels is unlikely to take place until September or later, reports The Washington Post. Kerry stated, “[w]e both agreed that our countries have an ability to make a difference if we can pull together [in ending the bloody civil conflict in Syria]”. The proposed meeting has been repeatedly postponed over the question of Assad or rebel attendance as well as disagreements between the US and Russia over Assad’s future role in the country. Meanwhile, on 05 July UPI reports, Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu dismissed claims that the conflict in Syria was a civil war, but rather Syria was “engaged in a battle against ‘roving’ international forces”. Charles Farr, Director General of Britain’s Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism, states, “Syria is a very profound gamechanger”, adding, “the blunt truth is there are more people associated with AQ (al Qaeda) and AQ-associated organisations now operating in Syrian than there ever have been - that close to Europe”, reports Reuters. Farr also indicated that AQ is operating at an intensity which is unparalleled since the insurgency in Iraq between 2005 and 2006. Spanish security forces arrested eight suspected militants in Morocco’s Ceuta, accusing them of recruiting fighters for an arm of al Qaeda in Syria, reports Al Jazeera. Spanish security forces confirmed that several “jihadists” were waiting to travel from Spain to Syrian and dozens of people had already been sent to Syria by the smuggling ring. According to IWPR, a small number of young men from the Central Asian countries of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have travelled to Syria to fight on the side of rebel forces 4. Iraqi Shi’ites continue to flock to Syria to join Hezbollah in defending the Assad regime, reports UPI. A number of violent incidents were reported throughout the country this past week.  02-July-13: Syrian forces shelled a rebel-held suburb of Damascus killing at least eleven people, according to Time.  03-July-13: The Syrian military dropped leaflets on opposition held regions of Idlib province urging rebel fighters to surrender, according to ABC News. The battle for Idlib province in the north is one of a series of key campaigns being waged in Syria. Syrian forces bombed rebel strongholds in Homs where the military offensive there continued into its fourth day.  04-July-13: Syrian warplanes continued their bombing of Homs while rebels and Syrian troops battled in fierce fighting within the city, according to AFP.  07-July-13: A Syrian government official claimed that Assad forces had seized control of a contested district in Homs; however two Syrian activists contradicted government reports saying that rebels were under heavy fire but holding their positions, reports AP.  08-July-13: Syrian troops in Homs continued to fight rebels as government forces seek to “drive a wedge between opposition-held areas and establish links between Damascus and coastal strongholds, reports Reuters. On 05 July, the UN stated that four million Syrians, a fifth of the population, are unable to produce or buy enough food. Farmers, short of seed and fertilizers, have yet to plant their next crop, according to Reuters. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said Syria’s domestic wheat production over the next twelve months will likely be severely compromised, and the country will need to import 1.5 million metric tonnes of wheat in 2013-2014. Additionally, Syria’s livestock has been seriously depleted by the conflict, with poultry production down by more than fifty per cent from 2011. 4

Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty reported on 19 June that there are Chechen fighters in Syria as well. There is a growing list of foreign fighters involved in the Syrian conflict. A recent study, “Convoy of Martyrs in the Levant” provides a more in-depth accounting of the presence of foreign fighters in Syria.

09 July 2013

North Africa

Eray Basar ► eray.basar@cimicweb.org

Algeria An Algerian air strike on a terrorist hideout in Bouira killed seven Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) militants on 05 July, reports Magharebia. In addition, seven other AQIM terrorists of Malian origin were killed and one other was wounded during clashes between the group and Algerian security forces on the night of 06-07 July, reports Tout sur l’Algérie. The group, which was attempting to enter Algeria, was stopped near the town of Tinzaouatine, and several weapons were recovered during the operation. Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, hospitalised in France since 27 April after suffering a stroke, will reportedly return to his country “soon”, according to a source close to the president, reports Reuters. However, no specific date for his return was provided. Given the long absence of the president from office and the lack of information concerning his condition, Algerians are preparing for a new president to succeed Bouteflika, reports Magharebia. General opinion in the country suggests that Bouteflika will not be able to stand for re-election, even if he finishes his current term in the office, which expires in April 2014. Opposition parties are calling for politicians to invoke Article 88 of the constitution, which allows for early elections “if the president is ill or otherwise prevented from performing his duties”. There is also talk of potential candidates for the upcoming elections which include the current non-party affiliated Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal. Algeria and the European Union (EU) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 07 July covering cooperation on conventional and renewable energy sectors as well as technology transfers, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said “[t]his is a strategic document, a tool to develop energy cooperation between Algeria and the EU”. The MOU aims to increase investment in Algeria, which is the third largest gas provider for the EU, supplying between thirteen and fifteen per cent of Europe’s gas needs.

Egypt

On 03 July, the Egyptian military removed the country’s first democratically elected president, Mohammed Morsi, placing him under house arrest and detaining some of his top supporters, reports CNN. The head of the Egyptian armed forces, General Abdel-Fatah ElSisi, justified the military action stating that Morsi “did not achieve the goals of the people” and failed to comply with the generals’ 01 July 48-hour deadline to reach a power sharing deal with the national opposition. Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians celebrated in the streets across the country. Sisi also announced the suspension of the Egyptian Constitution, adding that Adly Mansour, head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, will serve as interim president, and new parliamentary elections will be held in the near future. The army laid out plans for a political transition which included the appointment of an interim prime minister. The army’s first choice, liberal politician Mohamed ElBaradei, was met by heavy resistance from the Nour Party, a conservative Salafi political party, reports Reuters. The Nour Party initially supported the coup against President Morsi and the transition plan. The Nour Party objection to ElBaradei delayed naming the interim prime minister. Following Morsi’s removal, Al Jazeera reported on 08 July that a massacre of at least 51 people occurred during a sit-in by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood in Cairo. The Independent reports that over 400 people were also injured. According to Gehad Haddad, spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood, army and police forces fired upon the protesters in front of the Republican Guard headquarters. After the incident, the military issued conflicting statements, claiming that a “terrorist group” was responsible for the shootings, while military spokesman Ahmed Ali blamed the violence on protesters for attacking the military headquarters, saying forces acted in self-defence. The interim administration issued a statement expressing “deep regret” for those killed in the violence and informed that a judicial committee would be created to investigate the incident.

Source: New York Times

In reaction to the events, US President Barack Obama, condemned the violence and stated that the US was not directly supporting any sides within Egypt. Obama neither condemned the military takeover nor called the actions a coup. Obama did instruct his administration to review whether the assistance of USD 1.5 billion should be suspended, as required by US law if a country’s military removes a democratically elected president. On 08 July, White House spokesman Jay Carney indicated that the Obama administration had no immediate plans to cut US aid to Egypt, according to CNN. Following the massacre, The Guardian writes that more violence is expected on the streets of Egypt. In response to the killings, the Muslim Brotherhood called for an “uprising” and requested the assistance of the international community “to stop the massacres” following Morsi’s removal. The incident also compromised the planned political transition as the Nour Party withdrew from talks with the interim government. Late on 08 July, interim President Mansour issued his first decree outlining plans to amend the constitution within fifteen days followed by a referendum to be held in the next four months. The plan also pledged to hold parliamentary elections by early 2014, with a presidential election to follow once the new parliament convenes, informs BBC. On 09 July, Essam el-Erian, a 09 July 2013

senior Brotherhood leader and deputy head of the Freedom and Justice Party, rejected the proposed timetable, saying it takes the country “back to zero”, informs The Canadian Press. Human Rights Watch (HRW) voiced concern over a dramatic increase in sexual assaults in Egypt since anti-Morsi protesters took to the streets during the week of 01 July, according to National Public Radio (NPR). Over the past week, more than 100 sexual assaults have been reported, most of which took place in or near Tahrir Square in Cairo. A majority of the victims are Egyptian; however, some are Western journalists covering events in the country. The Guardian informs that most of these crimes occur with impunity.

Libya Hundreds of protesters gathered in Algiers Square in Tripoli on 07 July demanding the General National Congress (GNC) order militias to withdraw from the city and create an army and police force, reports AFP. Prime Minister Ali Zeidan also said that it is necessary to “dissolve the brigades and other formations (of ex-rebels who battled the late Moamer Kadhafi) and integrate them individually into the army and police”. However, Libyan officials reportedly still rely on former rebels to secure the borders and intervene in tribal conflicts. International and national organisations clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance in Libya are facing a funding shortfall of USD 18.5 million, informs Libya Herald. A total of 14.1 million square metres have successfully been cleared while the organisations have destroyed over 750,000 explosive remnants of war since the 2011 revolution. According to the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), technical assessments and surveys are needed to determine the amount of remaining ordinance, mines and ammunition. Deputy Head of Arms and Ammunition Advisory Section of UNSMIL Julia Goehsing said: “We are very pleased to support the Libyan government in its efforts to counter illicit proliferation of arms and material based on Libyan priorities”. The Es Sider and Ras Lanuf oil ports in eastern Libya were shut down on 04 July by security guards demanding better working conditions. Regular operations resumed after an agreement was reached on 07 July between the Ministry of Oil officials and the representatives of the security guards, reports Reuters. Oil facilities in Libya are guarded by a special force under the Ministry of Defence. However, the ministry has only trained 2,000 members of the 15,000-strong force. Former rebels from the Libyan civil war comprise the remaining security force. Most of those remaining lack proper training and equipment, and have been the source of oil production disruptions in previous weeks.

Mali The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) took over the African-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA) on 01 July, according to Al Jazeera. The 12,600-strong mission will represent the third-largest current UN peacekeeping operation when troop levels reach capacity. With 6,000 initial troops, it will grow to 11,200 military personnel and 1,400 police by the end of the year, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). Its broad mandate includes maintenance of security, protection of civilians, and the coordination of political and humanitarian affairs within Mali. The mission is led by Special Representative Bert Koenders, a Dutch statesman who previously served as Special Representative to the UN mission in Côte d’Ivoire and President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Rwandan Major General Jean Bosco Kazura was appointed Force Commander; he previously served as the deputy force commander for the African Union Mission in Sudan. MINUSMA deployed to the country as campaigning began for presidential elections, which are scheduled for 28 July. Election observers have raised concerns over the country’s ability to hold credible elections with 500,000 people remaining displaced, reports AFP. Mali’s election commission has expressed concern about the logistics surrounding polling stations. Two hundred soldiers from the Malian army entered Kidal on 06 July for the first time in sixteen months after a peace accord was signed with the Tuareg separatist group MNLA in a deal that was deemed necessary for elections to take place, reports Al Jazeera. As the political process unfolds, Mali’s lean season began and humanitarian conditions deteriorated, especially in the north. According to the UN News Centre, 4.3 million people require humanitarian aid and 1.4 million need immediate food assistance. Although the World Food Programme (WFP) reports access to most areas in the north, shortages in water and electricity hamper its ability to conduct operations.

Tunisia

A group of nineteen Tunisian actors who were detained after being attacked by Salafists for “indecent” behaviour will appear before a public prosecutor on 08 July, reports AFP. The prosecutor is expected to charge them with “indecent acts”, although the exact charges remain uncertain. The actors were performing in the western town of Kef on 06 July, when they were confronted by the Salafists. A lawyer for the actors, Ghazi Mrabet, said the police arrested the actors rather than the attackers. The performance was a tribute to Chokri Belaid, an anti-Islamist MP who was assassinated by suspected Salafists in February 2013. French President Francois Hollande visited Tunisia on 04 July for talks regarding the region and the recent ousting of Egyptian Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, reports AFP. Veteran leader of the ruling Ennahda party Rached Ghannouchi said that events similar to those in Egypt are unlikely to happen in Tunisia as the country enjoys a “consensus, especially between the Islamist and modernist movements”. Although there has been some violence involving radical Islamists, especially over the draft constitution, Tunisia is deemed most likely to successfully realise its democratic transition – a development France is interested in seeing due to its historical and economical linkages to the country. Hollande pledged EUR 500 million (USD 644 million) to support Tunisia’s democratic transition and also announced that some of Tunisia’s EUR one billion (USD 1.28 billion) debt would be transferred to development projects, reports Magharebia. 09 July 2013

Northeast Africa

Trista Guertin ► trista.guertin@cimicweb.org

South Sudan - Sudan Cross Border Issues Sudan will not close a pipeline which carries South Sudanese oil for export after the two countries reached an agreement on 07 July to ease tensions, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). In early June, President Omar al Bashir threatened to close the pipeline after accusing Juba of supporting rebels in the north, according to South African Press Association (SAPA). However, following a meeting last week between South Sudan’s Vice President Riek Machar and top Sudanese officials, the two countries agreed to continue oil exports. South Sudan continues to deny Bashir’s accusations of supporting the rebels and claims Sudan is supporting rebels in southern Sudan.

Sudan A pro-government militia leader wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC) was wounded during clashes in the capital of South Darfur Source: Britannica state on 07 July, reports Reuters. Residents reported a gun fight broke out when gunmen raided the local market. During the clash, militia leader Muhammad Ali Abdel-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, was wounded and is currently hospitalised. The ICC charged Abdel-Rahman in 2007 with war crimes committed in Darfur. Prosecutors said he commanded thousands of militia fighters and coordinated attacks on towns. Caught in the crossfire, two Sudanese employees of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) World Vision International, were killed while a third was wounded, reports UN News Centre. UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Ali Al-Za'tari, condemned the killings and expressed concern over the increasing instability in Darfur: “Humanitarian workers in Darfur are there to improve the lives of others. They should not have to pay for their noble work with their own blood.” Radio Dabanga reported on 05 July that Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) agents raided the office of the Al Mashhad newspaper on 03 July, confiscating their daily edition. Similar seizures occurred with the daily newspapers of Al Gharar and Akhir Lahza on 04 July. No justification was given by the NISS for the seizures. The Sudanese Journalists Network and Journalists for Human Rights condemned the confiscation of the newspapers by the NISS, stating that it violates the right of expression, press freedom and the Constitution of Sudan.

South Sudan Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reports that more than 20,000 displaced persons are cut off from receiving aid in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state after escaping violence over the past year in the disputed border area with Sudan. MSF warned that living conditions for the displaced are deteriorating, faced with increasing shortages of potable water and other critical humanitarian supplies. MSF cites confusion over the status of the displaced persons as hindering the provision of services. Since the displaced persons come from the disputed region with Sudan, there is uncertainty as to whether to classify them as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs). However, according to Shaun Lummis, MSF field coordinator in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, MSF continues to operate mobile clinics and providing training to teams of community-based healthcare workers to treat diarrhoea, malaria and malnutrition. South Sudan will celebrate its second independence day on 09 July, as it continues to address many critical issues such as corruption, extreme poverty, hunger and unemployment, reports Al Jazeera. Despite gaining its autonomy from Sudan in 2011, life for many South Sudanese has not improved, with residents saying increasing crime and rising health care costs are compounding their misery. While the international community has provided considerable financial and technical support, South Sudan remains one of the poorest nations in the world. Many people continue to struggle to feed their families, and access to schools and health care is minimal. Furthermore, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reports that women in the country have the highest maternal mortality rate in the world and a mere nine per cent of South Sudanese will finish primary school. Humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, Toby Lanzer, congratulated South Sudan on their second anniversary, reports All Africa. Lanzer reconfirmed the support of the humanitarian community to the South Sudanese government and population. However, Lanzer also highlighted the detrimental effects of continued insecurity, particularly on the population in the state of Jonglei, where aid agencies estimate about 100,000 people require urgent assistance, emphasising that “their situation may worsen as we move further into the rainy season”. Violence erupted during protests attended by primary school students in Lakes state on 06 July, injuring at least nineteen, informs Sudan Tribune. The demonstrations, organized by the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) party, were ordered in efforts to support the interim state governor Matur Chut Dhuol as pressure mounts against Dhuol to vacate his post after his term expired three months earlier. According to teachers, Lakes state education minister forced headmasters to “nominate 50 students” to participate in protests warning that those who did not comply would instantly be dismissed from their respective schools. Despite public demands that Dhoul be removed from office, an appeal by SPLM acting secretary, Mabor Ater, to the UN peacekeeping 09 July 2013

mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) requested that the president allow Dhoul to remain in office. Ater’s petition disputed recent claims of insecurity and human rights violations within the state. However, in June Human Rights Watch reported that the state administration was guilty of carrying out gross human rights violations, including unlawful detainment and ill-treatment of over 130 civilians since February 2013.

Horn of Africa

Foard Copeland ► foard.copeland@cimicweb.org

Eritrea Special Rapporteur on Eritrea, Sheila Keetharuth, presented a report to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) on 04 June in which she urged the international community to scrutinise Eritrea for forced conscription, extremely limited political freedoms, and “countrywide arming and military training of the civilian population”. Speaking to the HRC, she summarised, “I am extremely concerned about the human rights situation in Eritrea. The prevailing situation in the country is characterised by extrajudicial killings and forced disappearance and incommunicado detention, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and inhumane prison conditions”. Eritrea responded to the remarks, expressing “surprise” and thanking delegations for their “constructive comments”.

Ethiopia Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn reshuffled his cabinet on 04 July, two months before the anniversary of his first year in office, reports the Sudan Tribune. Ten new ministers were sworn in before Parliament. Among them was Bakar Shale, who replaces Melaku Fenta, the former Director-General of the Ethiopian Revenue and Customs Authority (ERCA). Fenta was dismissed after an investigation in May revealed that he and a dozen ERCA officials laundered over USD 1 million in government assets. According to court documents, the ERCA investigation should conclude by 15 July. As many as 40,000 Ethiopian workers in Saudi Arabia could face deportation in three months after a deadline was postponed on 03 July that would have expelled the foreign workers immediately, according to Sudan Tribune. The decision came after the Saudi government passed legislation aimed at curbing the number of expatriate employees. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) urged Ethiopia to open key sectors of its economy to private investment, reports Africa Review. Senior IMF leaders spent two weeks in Addis Ababa encouraging officials to loosen tight state control of companies in telecommunications and financial services. Ethiopia’s protectionist policies often exclude foreign firms from investing in areas that economists say could improve stagnant growth figures.

Kenya Due to recent gang violence in western and north-eastern Kenya, which has resulted in the emergence of various vigilante groups in recent months, several county governors requested greater control over local security, reports All Africa. The governors say the move to localise security could be implemented as part of the national devolution process. Currently, the Kenyan Police Force (KPF) answers to a single, national command structure based in Nairobi. Harshly criticised by the UN for corruption and incidents of extrajudicial killings, the KPF has been slow to adopt reforms, according to Sabahi. Empowering governors to oversee local commanders could devolve power and increase citizen protection, improve transparency and provide public accountability standards. The Star reported the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Labour department failed to reach an agreement that would end a three-week old strike of 278,000 teachers seeking higher compensation. Knut claims a debt of KES 47 billion (USD 541 million) is owed to teachers dating to a 1997 agreement that promises medical coverage, housing allowances and commuting costs. Attorney General Githu Muigai warned teachers they could face jail time and fines if the strike continues, but the secretary-general for Knut, Mudzo Nzili, said teachers will not be deterred by the threat of imprisonment.

Somalia A plane carrying President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud made an emergency landing twenty minutes after departing from Mogadishu airport on 08 July, reports Voice of America (VOA). The reported problem, an engine malfunction, caused a slight delay before the president boarded another flight to South Sudan. Tensions continue to run high between two rival warlords in Jubaland as fighting between militia groups killed at least 71 people in June, reports Al Jazeera. The on-going conflict complicates military relations between Somali and Kenya, notes The Star. Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) currently patrol southern Somalia, deployed as peacekeepers, but the KDF security arrangement seems tenuous due to perceived diplomatic rifts between the two countries. On 05 July, former defense minister and local kingpin, Barre Adam Shire Hirale, threatened to retake the port city of Kismayo, reports Sabahi. Competing with Hirale’s militia are members of Ras Kamboni, an armed group led by Ahmed Madobe, who proclaimed himself president of Jubaland in May. The Somalia Federal Government (SFG) called Madobe’s presidency unconstitutional. The decision to shun Madobe resulted in lukewarm relations between SFG and Kenyan officials, according to the Christian Science Monitor, due to the fact that KDF received support from Madobe’s militia in ousting al Shabaab from Jubaland. Somalis accused Kenya of creating a security buffer zone in southern Somalia, but Kenya maintains its neutrality in the country. Somali Foreign Minister Fawzia Yusuf Adam, misdirected a letter meant for the African Union (AU) through local media outlets that accused the KDF commander in Kismayo of “poor judgment” and “incompetence”. The letter, released on 04 July, exposed a diplomatic rift that could initiate a Somali request for KDF to withdraw from the country’s south, 8 09 July 2013

explains BBC. However, Abdirahman Omar Osman, a spokesperson for the president, backtracked from the letter’s critical tone on 06 July saying, “Kenya and Somalia are working towards the same goal. We are very grateful for Kenyan’s role in AMISOM”.

IED & De-Mining

Linda Lavender

linda.lavender@cimicweb.org

The CFC publishes a weekly IED and Demining Events map. This global compilation links to articles reporting significant IED related-events and demining efforts. This report covers 02 – 08 July 2013. GLOBAL NEWS Canada: Canadian police foiled an al Qaeda-inspired plot to detonate three pressure-cooker bombs in British Columbia, during 01 July Canada Day celebrations, reports Reuters. Click on the map for more IED events. Egypt: Islamist militants are suspected of bombing a natural gas pipeline to Jordan on 07 July, reports Associated Press. It was Egypt’s first pipeline attack in over a year. Click on the map for more IED events. Greece: A letter bomb suspected of being sent by radical anarchists ignited in a Greek letter sorting facility on 03 July, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). No injuries were reported. Click on the map for more IED events.

Recent CFC Special Reports Mali’s Stabilisation Project: Political, Security and Humanitarian Assessments (June 2013) Regional Monarchies in the Context of the Arab Spring (June 2013) Destination Unknown: Eritrean Refugee Torture and Trafficking (May 2013) Rebuilding Somalia: Security Challenges for the Post-Conflict Nation (May 2013) The Re-Awakening of Anbar (April 2013)

CLICK ON LINKS TO VISIT COMPLEX COVERAGE PAGES ON CIMICWEB

09 July 2013

Middle East

North Africa

Northeast Africa

Global IED