17 September CC Review by Civil Military

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Complex Coverage

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Review 17 September 2013

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Egypt Iraq Lebanon Libya Mali Somalia Sudan & South Sudan Syria Tunisia IED & Demining

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This document provides complex coverage of developments in regions of interest from 03 – 16 September 2013, with hyper-links to source material highlighted in blue and underlined in the text. cimicweb. 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.

Egypt

Robin Barnett ► robin.barnett@cimicweb.org

Egypt’s second largest Islamist party, the Salafist al-Nour party, walked out of Egypt’s constitution talks on 16 September to protest “moves to curb the influence of Islam in state affairs”. The representatives stated the group was “not quitting the committee, but wanted to show its anger”, reports Voice of America (VOA). Al-Nour supported the Egyptian army’s 03 July removal of the more moderate Islamist President Mohamed Morsi; however, the group had “reservations about the committee and its improper representation of the state’s powers from the start,” said Shabaan Abel Alem, a party official and former parliamentarian, reports Reuters. “We decided to join as we are pro-negotiations as a way to implement our goals,” said Alem. Despite claims that the constitutional committee lacks membership from the Islamist parties that swept the 2011 elections, the army’s plan allowed sixty days, beginning in September, for the committee to complete the draft document. Then a constitutional referendum will be held, leading up to 2014 elections. A draft constitution, leaked to the media in late August, reportedly sought to minimize the “influence of Islamic laws and ease rules banning officials from the Mubarak era from running for office”, according to Al Monitor. Further, the draft restores a Mubarak-era voting system that could favour individuals over parties, thus preventing organised groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood from winning, reports VOA. The draft emphasises the rights of women and children, originally neglected in Morsi’s Islamist-drafted constitution.

CONTACT THE CFC For further information contact: complexcoverage@cimicweb.org

In other news, on 13 September, Egyptian forces regained control of Dalga in Minya Province, 300 km (190 miles) south of Cairo, in a pre-dawn raid, reports Associated Press (AP). Dalga has been under militant control since the ousting of the Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi, when militants

reportedly expelled the local police force, taking over the city. With a population of 120,000, of which 20,000 are Christian, Dalga has been witness to what is described as “the most horrific sectarian violence” in Egypt, report The New York Times. A 1,650-year-old monastery, 35 Christian homes and 2 churches have been burned or ransacked. A joint force of Egyptian army and police entered the town on 16 September just before sunrise, engaging in intense gunfire, “sporadic bursts of heavy gunfire”, tear-gas discharge and door-to-door searches resulting in the arrest of 88 suspected militants, reports AP. Shortly after the arrival of Egyptian forces, hundreds of Morsi supporters attempted to stage a protest but were immediately dispersed with tear gas, said Islamist activist Mohammed El-Dalgawi. Eleven people were injured by “birdshot” or treated for gas inhalation. Many of Dalga’s top Islamists reportedly fled shortly before the re-taking of the city. Many residents had advance warning of the operation, as Islamists, “used loudspeakers on mosque minarets to warn of an assault before it began,” said Father Loannis of Dalga’s Coptic Orthodox church. In other security related news, Egyptian authorities closed the Rafah crossing on 11 September after a car bomb exploded outside Egyptian intelligence headquarters in Sinai, reports Al Jazeera. The crossing is the one of the only routes through which Palestinians in Gaza can exit or enter the territory. Israel imposes an air and sea blockade on the enclave, and its border is closed to Palestinians. Following the closure, on 16 September, dozens of Palestinian students protested in front of the Rafah crossing in Gaza, demanding that Egyptian authorities reopen the border terminal, according to Ma’an News Agency. Egyptian army security operations within the Sinai, in coordination with the interior ministry, are ongoing and will not “end until all the terrorist hideouts in the peninsula are cleared,” said army spokesman Colonel Ahmed Ali, according to Aswat Masriya. More than three hundred Islamist militants have been arrested since July 2013 and the army has destroyed more than 154 tunnels in the Sinai Peninsula. The army successfully confiscated explosive devices and weapons, including anti-aircraft missiles, typically used “in war, not in crimes”, reports Reuters. Ali also commented that the army discovered a large number of hand grenades sealed by the Qassam Brigades stamp, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist organisation Hamas. On 13 September, the military discovered two bombs beneath a security observation tower with “detonation fuses that ran through a tunnel into Gaza”. According to Ali, “there is cooperation between the armed terror groups with their counterparts in the Gaza Strip, and more than one joint operation has been monitored”. Islamist militant attacks have dramatically increased in Sinai since the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi in July, reports Reuters. Egypt extended its state of emergency for a further two months, on 12 September, including a night-time curfew for many parts of the country, reports Reuters. A one-month curfew was first announced on 14 August but now extends to mid-November. Cairo, known as “the city that never sleeps” has been particularly hard hit by the curfew as shops and restaurants are forced to close early, reports BBC.

Iraq

Linda Lavender ► linda.lavender@cimicweb.org

Iraqi security forces stopped demonstrators from protesting against the Iraqi Parliament’s pension programme, which many say is excessive, reports Christian Science Monitor (CSM). Despite the government’s prohibition against protesting, hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in other cities where Iraqi police beat and arrested some activists. According to Al Monitor, Iraqi lawmakers are compensated USD 22,500 each month in addition to housing and security allowances. Many Iraqis perceive a huge discrepancy between the lifestyle of the political class and the economic, social and security conditions faced by average Iraqis. A new wave of protests has started in Baghdad and several other Iraqi cities in efforts to address corruption within the country. In an attempt to combat the recent surge of car bombs, Baghdad’s security command implemented a scheme which bars half of the city’s vehicle traffic, reports Gulf Today. The tactic is a revival of measures taken in 2005 when violence surged in Iraq and will be enforced until further notice. Automobiles with license plates ending in odd numbers are allowed on the streets one day, and plates ending in even numbers are permitted the next. Baghdad has engaged again with the Turkish government in attempts to open a new diplomatic chapter between the countries, reports Gulf News. Iraq’s Speaker of Parliament Osama al Nujaifi indicated that diplomatic visits were being scheduled and would occur shortly in order to normalize relations. A Pan-Kurdish regional gathering in Erbil has been postponed indefinitely, according to Today’s Zaman. The Pan-Kurdish Conference organising committee dismissed claims that the conference was cancelled due to pressure from neighbouring countries such as Iran and Turkey, home to significant Kurdish populations. Instead, Iraqi Kurdish Media reported conference delays were a result of deep differences between Kurdish groups over the number of delegates that should attend from each of the various Kurdish regions in Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria, as well as disagreements over who should be named president of the Pan-Kurdish Conference. Meanwhile, Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) members have halted their pullout from Turkey, which began in May 2013, after accusing the Turkish government of breaking the ceasefire agreement, reports Gulf Today. Nevertheless, PKK leadership indicated the 17 September 2013

group would continue to respect the truce. The PKK accuses the government of failing to make progress “on the Kurdish question”, which was part of the ceasefire agreement. The United Nations called upon the Iraqi government to protect Iranian exiles in Camp Ashraf, where 52 exiles were killed on 01 September, reports The Washington Post. According to Xinhua, the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) urged Baghdad to launch an investigation into the camp violence. Reports suggest that all the deceased appeared to have suffered gunshot wounds; the majority of the wounds were to the head. The Iraqi government announced on 07 September that it would be relocating dozens of the Iranian exiles of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organisation (MKO) to a facility in the Baghdad area, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). MKO members accused Iraqi troops of carrying out the 01 September assault. Numerous violent incidents were reported throughout the country during the previous two weeks: 03-Sep-13: A wave of deadly car bombings ripped through Baghdad, targeting restaurants, markets and mosques in Shi’ite neigbourhoods, reports Voice of America (VOA). At least 50 were killed in the violence. Also, gunmen stormed the home of a Sahwa fighter, killing the fighter and his family of four, reports Gulf Today. 07-Sep-13: A gunman opened fire on supporters of the Iraqi Kurdistan’s opposition party two weeks ahead of planned regional parliamentary elections, reports Gulf Today. One man was injured in the incident. The shooting took place in Suliamaniyah and targeted the Goran party1. Attacks north of Baghdad, which included a suicide bombing of a government building and the detonation of a booby-trapped corpse killed four people, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). Shootings and bombings occurred in Taji, Mosul, Tuz Kharmato and Baquba. 09-Sep-13: Twin bombings near the Baiji oil refinery, north of Baghdad killed two people and wounded three others, reports Gulf Today. Also, gunmen opened fire on a police checkpoint near Tikrit, killing three police officers. 10-Sep-13: In Baquba, three car bombs targeting outdoor markets killed ten and wounded 34 others, reports AP. A bomb hidden in a coffee shop in the town of Latifiyah killed four and wounded fourteen. Gunmen killed six in their Yousufiya home where the Sunni family was preparing the body of a man for burial, according to VOA. Another car bomb targeted a Shi’ite tribal leader in Hwaish, Diyala province. The leader survived but three others were killed in the blast. 11-Sep-13: A suicide bombing at a Shi’ite mosque killed at least 40 people, according to The Daily Star. In Nineveh, nine other people were killed in violence. 12-Sep-13: Five people were killed and fourteen others wounded in Ramadi and Kirkuk, according to Gulf News. 13-Sep-13: More than thirty people were killed and 25 injured in a double bomb attack on a Sunni mosque in Baquba. In Nineveh province, gunmen burned a father and his four sons and then torched their home, reports Iraqi News. 14-Sep-13: North of Mosul, a suicide attack on a funeral procession killed at least 36 people and wounded 48 others, according to CNN. 15-Sep-13: AP reports that over 58 people were killed and scores of others wounded in a wave of car bombings and other attacks in Iraq, mostly in Shi’ite majority cities. Abu Sayda, Azamiyah, Basra, Iskandariayh, Karbala, Kut, Hillah and Nasiriyah were targets in the attacks. 16-Sep-13: Violence in Iraq included a suicide attack on Brigadiere General Ismail Jubouri, the Nineveh provincial intelligence chief, reports United Press International (UPI). An ambush was orchestrated by gunmen on several government vehicles south of Mosul. In all, eight people were killed and thirteen injured.

Lebanon

Linda Lavender ► linda.lavender@cimicweb.org

Three rockets launched from Syrian territory on 14 September struck an area between Labweh and Jabbureh villages in Bekaa Valley, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). There were no reported casualties from the rockets. The attack is one of the latest in a series of rocket attacks which continued to escalate as Hezbollah’s involvement in Syria further increases. The Daily Star reports that on the evening of 14 September, rockets from Syria also struck northern regions of Lebanon near the Nahr al Kabir River in Akkar. Earlier in the week, two bodies were found in the Kabir River, separating Syria and Lebanon. Fourteen Lebanese and Syrians were charged on 05 September with carrying out a rocket attack in June 2013 that struck power lines in Aley, reports The Daily Star. On 16 September, unidentified assailants opened fire at a Tripoli coffee shop wounding four people, reports Arab News. Lebanese army personnel secured the scene and investigators have opened a probe into the attack. In the coastal city of Sidon, a personal dispute between an activist and Syrian refugee labourers resulted in a shootout that left three people wounded, reports The Daily Star. Invoking UN Security Council Resolution 1701 which calls for the disarmament of all armed militias in Lebanon and the more recent Baabda Declaration, US Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale asserted that the country would only achieve internal stability through the effective implementation of these policies, reports The Daily Star. Hale indicated that Hezbollah continues to violate the Baabda The Goran Party, meaning “Change Movement”, is an opposition party in Kurdistan that seeks to challenge the established political players in a region dominated by corruption and patronage politics. 1

17 September 2013

Declaration which calls upon all Lebanese stakeholders to disassociate from the neighbouring conflict in Syria. In a meeting of Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) states on 15 September, Interior Ministry undersecretaries discussed the means to implement the GCC’s recent decision that adopts measures against Hezbollah’s members currently within GCC states, reports The Daily Star. Political attempts to form a new Lebanese Cabinet were described as “murky, leaning toward dark”, reports The Daily Star. President Michel Sleiman continues to try and convince the March 8 and March 14 political blocs to enter a national unity government without preconditions but his efforts have only highlighted the deep divisions and lack of trust between factions. Cabinet formation remains stalled amid ongoing political and security crisis. Hezbollah member and Caretaker Minister of State Mohammad Fneish warned against attempts to eliminate the “tripartite formula of the army, people and resistance”, according to The Daily Star. On 04 September, The Daily Star reports that March 14 members of parliament denounced the detention of Saudi diplomats by Hezbollah members in Beirut’s southern suburbs and called upon Lebanese authorities to protect its citizens and Arab residents. Earlier in September, the Saudi embassy in Lebanon filed a complaint with the Lebanese Foreign Ministry after one of its diplomats was stopped and his car inspected at a Hezbollah checkpoint. UNHCR confirmed on 05 September that a rapidly constructed reception center for Syrian refugees at the Masnaa border crossing was operational, reports The Daily Star. The construction of the facility came days after the 21 August chemical weapons attacks in Syria when Lebanon braced for a significant influx of fleeing Syrians. The Masnaa crossing hosts between 10,000 and 15,000 arrivals into Lebanon daily with about half that number crossing into Syria. In Lebanon, The Danish Refuge Council stopped settling Syrian refugees in unconventional “box shelter” homes in June 2013, reports The Daily Star. However, it hopes to propose additional box shelters once funding is secured. The 5 x 5 metre box is made of simple, insulated sandwich panels that provide excellent insulation for the upcoming winter months. Additionally, the practice received some criticism, as Lebanon is against erecting permanent shelters for refugees. On 12 September, The Daily Star reported the European Commission designated an additional USD 77 million in assistance in efforts to alleviate the impact of Syrian refugees sheltering in Lebanon. On 11 September, a group of 100 Syrian refugees currently residing in Lebanon will be relocated to Germany with the assistance of the United Nations, according to Xinhua. Under a temporary programme adopted by Germany in March 2013, the Humanitarian Admissions Program, refugees in Lebanon will be resettled in Hanover, Germany. It is the biggest relocation programme currently assisting Syrian refugees and provides resettlement packages for up to 5,000 refugees. A report by the Consumer Confidence Index shows that sixty per cent of Lebanese say their savings have dwindled over the past year while eight per cent report that their personal financial situation worsened, reports The Daily Star. Over the past year, the Lebanese economy has slowed and the gross domestic product is forecast to grow by a modest one to two percent this year. On 15 September, The Independent reported that the US-Russia agreement over chemical weapons has eased fears in Lebanon. “The streets of Beirut are full once again and cafes which were empty last week are buzzing”. Return to normalcy in Lebanon means shelling from Syria into the Bekaa Valley.

Libya

Foard Copeland ► foard.copeland@cimicweb.org

In Benghazi, a Foreign Ministry building was hit by a car bomb on 11 September, reports CNN International. No one was killed in the attack, but the building’s façade was destroyed, a nearby office of the Central Bank of Libya was also damaged and one security guard sustained injuries. The bomb detonated on the anniversary of an attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi that resulted in the death of US Ambassador Christopher Stevens. Magharebia reports that tensions continue to escalate in Benghazi due to an absence of security. In the last year, nearly seventy officers and security officials were assassinated, yet a single suspect has yet to be charged. A UN Security Council report released on 05 September detailed significant “political fallout” over the previous nine months resulting from the dysfunction of the General National Congress and Libya’s entire political system. The report also identified endemic security problems, especially violence and instability resulting from so-called “revolutionary brigades” that operate throughout the country with relative impunity. The inability of the government to manage or integrate these fractious military groups into the armed forces has created an almost insurmountable security vacuum. The report also cites the Political and Administrative Isolation Law, meant to prevent officials from the previous regime from participating in a “public life” as an impediment to national political cohesion. In recent months, armed groups employed intimidation tactics to discourage politicians from improving or enforcing the law. Moreover, the UN report suggests the law is unconstitutional and too restrictive as it has blocked almost anyone from taking office who participated in prior Libyan politics. Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports that members of Libya’s Muslim Brotherhood party (PJC) threatened to withdraw their support of Prime Minister Ali Zeidan, possibly resigning from cabinet posts over a visit Zeidan made to Egypt last week. Zeidan met with Egypt’s interim President Adly Mansour and General Abdel Fattah al Sisi. PJC leaders claim the visit legitimises what some consider a 03 July coup that sacked Muslim Brotherhood member and former president Mohamed Morsi. Finally, Zeidan announced on 11 September the attorney general issued arrest warrants for leaders of on-going oil strikes, reports Reuters. Over the past two months, the powerful Zintan tribe has shut down El Feel and Esshara, the two largest oil fields in the south. The strikes have reduced production by at least one third, amounting to revenue losses of USD 130 million per day. 17 September 2013

Mali

Foard Copeland ► foard.copeland@cimicweb.org

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (IBK) revealed his 34-member Cabinet on 08 September, reports Reuters. Bouare Fily Sissoko, a former World Bank official was appointed finance minister. Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga was named defense minister, and Zahaby Ould Sidy Mohamed, an Arab from the north, was named foreign minister. In an effort to spur economic growth and “stamp out corruption”, newly appointed Minister of Mining and Industries Boubou Cissé, announced on 10 September, the government will review all existing mining contracts. “The government has decided to carry out a complete inventory of what exists - mining contracts, titles, licenses - be it in the mining or the oil sector”, Cissé told Reuters. The Mines Ministry plans for mining revenue to increase from its current level of eight per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) to fifteen – twenty per cent of GDP. The US Department of State also announced that it will resume aid to the country, notes AFP. Most foreign assistance was suspended last year due to the coup. Youth affiliated with the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) hurled stones and rocks at three of Mali’s new Cabinet ministers who arrived in Kidal on 15 September, reports AFP. Members associated with MNLA, the Tuareg separatist group based in Kidal, first attempted to prevent a plane that carried the three ministers from landing. Later, they threw rocks at the convoy, smashing vehicle windows. Two grenades were also detonated near the Kidal town centre. According to an official, the UN stabilisation mission (MINUSMA) intervened, allowing the ministers to land, although some of the minister’s “reconciliation” activities were cancelled. Kidal remains restive as MNLA leaders insist on an autonomous designation for the region. The Wall Street Journal revealed that French troops and engineers comb the region every few weeks to remove artillery weapons and prevent jihadist resurgence. In the Timbuktu region, Tuareg militants clashed with members of the Malian army on 13 September, reports Al Jazeera. Despite the fact that shots were fired, no casualties were recorded.

Somalia

Foard Copeland ► foard.copeland@cimicweb.org

European Union (EU) and Somali leaders gathered in Brussels for the long-anticipated “New Deal Conference” on 16 September, reports BBC. Hosted by the EU, the event represents the culmination of a state-building and reconstruction plan for Somalia. At the meeting, donor countries pledged EUR 1.8 billion (USD 2.4 billion). Officials pledged that the country is embarking on a “new era” and that funds will help reinvigorate the economy, stamp out corruption, deliver government services and prevent a resurgence of al Shabaab militancy. UK ambassador to Somalia, Neil Wigan, called the conference “a major milestone”. Al Shabaab coyly tweeted the conference amounted to a “Belgian waffle”. Notorious American-born Omar Hammami, who used the nom de guerre Abu Mansoor al Amriki, was killed in mid-September, reports Associated Press (AP). He died during an ambush carried out by al Shabaab in southern Somalia. A native of Alabama, Hammami moved to Somalia, learned Arabic and fought alongside al Shabaab for several years before falling out of favour with the group’s leader, Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr. Wanted by the US government for USD 5 million, he was one of the most recognisable foreign jihadi fighters in the world. In a separate security incident, dual explosions killed fifteen people and wounded at least twenty in Mogadishu on 07 September, according to The Guardian. Mohamed Yusuf, a government spokesperson in Mogadishu, said that a car bomb exploded at the entrance of the Village restaurant, a local venue that is popular with diplomats, visiting dignitaries and government officials. When witnesses and rescuers converged on the scene, a second bomb was detonated. Al Jazeera reported that al Shabaab claimed credit for the attack. Amnesty International criticised the forcible eviction of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from camps in Mogadishu, reports BBC. City officials claim the IDP settlements are preventing reconstruction efforts in the Somali capital. Amnesty says the coercive relocation of 370,000 people has led to “large-scale human rights abuses”. In a detailed report released on 13 September, Amnesty stated, “the government IDP relocation plan could have been a positive development, if it was planned and carried out in a manner which ensures the security, fundamental rights and basic needs of the IDPs”. The group cites numerous instances of homes being flattened and forced evictions taking place when residents do not have alternative shelters. It also recorded incidents of security forces firing on evictees who protested the demolition of IDP camps.

Sudan & South Sudan

Callum Thomson► callum.thomson@cimicweb.org

Darfur On 9 September, the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported that the People’s Initiative against Tribal Conflict and Violence in South Darfur State launched a one million signature campaign that calls for the stop of inter-tribal conflict and “dialogue, recognition of all 17 September 2013

local cultures, and respect for the customs and traditions of each group living in the state”. Furthermore, the governor of northern Darfur, Osman Kibir, has received a mandate from Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to end tribal violence by the 2015 elections, reports the Sudan Tribune. Tribal clashes are the leading cause of insecurity and violence in Darfur, according to the Sudan Tribune. Ironically, Kibir is accused of instigating the tribal clashes between Beni Hussein and Rezeigat over gold mines in Northern Darfur by the leader of the Darfurian Arab Mahameed, Musa Hilal. Despite these new initiatives to end tribal violence, the UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns of an imminent outbreak of clashes between the Misseriya and Slamat tribes as field reports reveal a large mobilisation of armed groups in the areas of Um Dokhon, Bendasi and Mukjar in Central Darfur, according to the Sudan Tribune. On 17 September, the German ambassador to Sudan, Rolf Welberts, gave the first installment of technical support to the Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programme that aims to mark small arms and light weapons in Darfur, as well as providing USD 20 million to support rehabilitation programmes, according to the Sudan Tribune. Sudan As of 16 September, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has submitted a formal application to the United States for a visa that would allow him to attend the United Nations General Assembly taking place from 24 September to 02 October in New York, according to Human Rights Watch. The approval for this application has yet to be decided; however, diplomats from many UN member states have expressed overwhelming disapproval over allowing al-Bashir, accused of violating International Human Rights Law, to travel within their own borders. Samantha Powers, US ambassador to the UN has called the Sudanese visa application “deplorable, cynical and hugely inappropriate”, according to Reuters. Many countries have previously attempted to avoid visits by al-Bashir, including Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. In some instances countries have barred the use of their airspace to Bashir en route to state visits to Iran and China. However, the US is not a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which accuses al-Bashir of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, and therefore, is not legally bound to hand him over to the ICC should he enter US jurisdiction, reports Reuters. Conversely, the US is legally obligated to “promptly grant visas to officials seeking to take part in activities of the world body”, although it has previously refused entry to the head of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Yasser Arafat, in 1988, according to the Sudan Tribune. The Sudanese foreign ministry has met opposition to al-Bashir’s visit with “rejection and astonishment,” insisting that he has the right to attend the General Assembly and that the “US is not morally, legally or politically qualified to provide ‘sermons’ on human rights”, citing the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, reports Voice of America (VOA). The European Union (EU) hosted a meeting of Foreign Ministers from Sudan and South Sudan on 17 September, in a side meeting of a larger international conference focused on Somalia, which sought to discuss issues of peace and development between the two countries and the role of the EU within that peace, according to the Sudan News Agency. Talks involving top EU official Catherine Ashton and Sudanese Foreign Ministers Ali Karti and Dr. Barnaba Benjamin resulted in positive developments during Salva Kiir’s recent visit to Khartoum and confirmed the EU’s support for good relations between Sudan and South Sudan, reports Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency. Four African nations including Chad, Egypt, Libya and Sudan have committed themselves to a UN-backed plan seeking to optimise the equitable use of an underground aquifer system and better management of water resources, according to the UN News Services. This strategic action plan builds upon existing regional cooperation mechanisms by establishing a joint authority among these African nations over the Nubian Aquifer System. The project, as well as meeting basic human needs, provide for the protection of ecosystems and avoid the chances of transboundary issues. South Sudan As of 21 September, Rwandair, the national air carrier of Rwanda, will embark on its first flight into Juba International Airport in South Sudan, reports the Sudan Tribune. This marks a critical opening up of transport lines between South Sudan and the rest of the African continent necessary for economic success. Furthermore, a railway line in Northern Uganda has opened and is expected to serve South Sudan as well as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to the Sudan Tribune. This method of transportation is similarly expected to spur economic growth in South Sudan and to facilitate imports and exports. According to Sudanese government reports, economic sanctions imposed by the United States on Sudan are not only affecting Sudanese economic welfare but that of South Sudan too, as South Sudanese imports and exports are not easily able to reach Port Sudan on the Northern coast of Sudan, reports the Sudan Tribune. US sanctions have been in place since 1997 over terrorism allegations, human rights abuses as well as the harbouring of Islamist militants in Sudan. However, after South Sudan’s independence in 2011, these economic sanctions did not apply to the newly recognised country although certain activities such as refining South Sudanese oil in Sudanese refineries are prohibited. Despite this, ongoing sanctions in Sudan still inhibit the economic success of South Sudan. Director of the US bureau at the Sudanese Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Mohammed Al-Abdullah al-Toum states, “[w]e have fundamental issues in relations with America and we want [US special] envoy [Donald] Booth to see what he can offer in issues that concern us in our relationship with the US.” 17 September 2013

According to The Daily Star, China is assisting South Sudan in developing its mining sector by lending between USD 1 billion and USD 2 billion. Funds will be for infrastructural development such as road, power and agricultural projects including USD 43 million for a geological study to plan the distribution of mining licenses. South Sudan is believed to have unexplored deposits of gold, diamonds, copper, uranium, chromite, manganese and iron ore. Chinese Ambassador Ma Qiang said: “We want to enhance the friendship and the very good relationship with South Sudan… to encourage a lot of Chinese companies to join the development of South Sudan.”

Syria

Linda Lavender ► linda.lavender@cimicweb.org

A report by UN Chemical Weapons Investigators, presented to the UN Security Council (UNSC) on 16 September confirms that there is “clear and convincing evidence” that sarin gas was used on a “relatively large scale 2” in the 21 August attack on a Damascus suburb, reports France 24. The report did not indicate who was responsible for the attacks, which led to the deaths of hundreds of civilians. The Washington Post indicated that US intelligence officials have authenticated at least thirteen videos documenting the after effects of the 21 August gas attacks on men, women and children. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the chemical weapons attacks qualifies as a “war crime” and called upon the UNSC to impose “consequences” for any failure by the Assad regime to relinquish its chemical weapons arsenals, reports AFP. Also, the UNSC heard reports that caches of weapons and ammunition left over from the collapse of Libya’s Gadhaffi regime are being smuggled into Syria, reports AP. The New York Times reported on 13 September that Syrian government forces are systematically attacking hospitals and medical staff and denying treatment to the wounded from areas affiliated or under control of rebel forces. The UN Commission of Inquiry states, “the denial of medical care as a weapon of war is a distinct and chilling reality of war in Syria”. As US President Barack Obama faced resistance in Congress for military action in Syria after the 21 August chemical weapons attack in Damascus, Russian and US diplomats met in Geneva to discuss an agreement which would provide for the hand-over of Syrian chemical weapons caches to the international community, reports RT. Russia and the United States reached a historic chemical weapons agreement that calls upon Syria to hand-over a full list of its chemical weapons stockpile within a week and destroy or remove its arsenal by mid-2014, according to BBC. The US-Russian agreement includes several key components, reports Voice of America (VOA). The plan also addresses the “importance of rapid destruction” of equipment that could be used to produce or mix chemical agents. Three target dates are also outlined as part of the process. A joint US-Russian statement indicated that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons should complete its initial on-site inspections in Syria, and the government’s ability to produce and mix weapons should be destroyed by November 2013. The complete elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons material and equipment would be completed by June 2014. On 14 September, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the chemical weapons deal but said that the agreement “must be a stepping stone to ending the appalling suffering of Syrians”, according to AFP. Euronews reports that while US Secretary of State John Kerry asserts that talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov included agreement on military action should the Assad government fail to comply with the conditions, Lavrov indicated that “Chapter 7 was not in the discussions between the USA and Russia. This chapter does not exist in the final text”. Lavrov also warned that such military threats risked jeopardising peace talks, which he suggested should be forced upon Syrian rebels rather than just urging rebels to engage in dialogue. Differing interpretations of the agreement suggests difficult talks lie ahead at the United Nations to agree on the finer points of any resolution. UPI reports that on 16 September a UN resolution that is part of the US-Russia chemical weapons plan was stalled by “quarrels over what it includes”. Lavrov indicated he would not support a resolution that included Chapter 7 language, while the US and France insist on the language as a way of forcing compliance by the Assad regime. While meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that the US has not completely shelved a military option in Syria, reports UPI. Kerry warned that if Syria fails to implement the agreement, US President Barack Obama made it “absolutely clear about the reminder of the potential use of force”. Netanyahu commented that the agreement should be judged on whether it achieves complete destruction of the weapons arsenal, reports The Guardian. Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey’s Foreign Minister told reporters on 14 September that Assad was likely stalling for time by agreeing in principle to hand over chemical weapons, reports UPI. He cautioned the international community not to be lulled into the idea the crisis in Syria was easing. France welcomed the agreement, calling it an important step towards the larger goal of ending the Syrian conflict, reports BBC. French President Francois Hollande indicated that a UNSC resolution could be signed as early as 20 September and noted that the military option “must remain otherwise there will be no pressure”. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen welcomed the USRussian framework and called it “an important step towards the goal of ensuring the swift, secure and verifiable elimination of Syria’s stocks of chemical weapons”, according to Xinhua. In a veiled criticism of the US-Russian agreement, the Saudi Arabian cabinet urged international intervention in Syria in order to immediately end the fighting and called for strengthening international support to 2

The full text of UN report can be found at this link.

17 September 2013

the Syrian opposition enabling them to repel regime attacks, according to AFP. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, responding to the chemical weapons agreement, called for the US to “stop invading the Middle East” and commented that the renewed US diplomacy efforts could help to stabilize Syria, reports The Washington Post. Free Syrian Army (FSA) chief General Salim Idriss rejected the US-Russian initiative, according to AFP. Speaking shortly after the announcement Idriss said, “We in the Free Syrian Army are unconcerned by the implementation of any part of the initiative... I and my brothers in arms will continue to fight until the regime falls”. After receiving word that the US and Russia had crafted a historic chemical weapons deal, one FSA commander positioned in Idlib province said that the deal proved the United States no longer cares about helping Syrians and was “leaving them at the mercy of a government backed by powerful allies in Russia and Iran”, reports New York Times (NYT). The Washington Post reported on 14 September that Syrian rebels said the deal did nothing to punish those in the Assad regime for the 21 August chemical attacks. Syria’s opposition National Coalition announced a new interim Prime Minister Ahmad Toameh, replacing Ghassan Hitto who resigned in July 2013 from the post, reports AFP. Toameh pledged to form a cabinet that would work on the ground, along-side rebel fighters. Meanwhile, AP reported that a high-ranking Syrian official welcomed the US-Russian agreement calling it a victory for Damascus. US Secretary of State John Kerry told US Congressmen that extremist groups made up only 15 to 25 per cent of rebel fighters in Syria, reports USA Today. Kerry asserted, “I just don’t agree that a majority are al Qaeda and the bad guys”. His comments came as the US embarks on efforts to arm rebel fighters, which is part of a broader US strategy to topple the Assad regime. In contrast, the defense consultancy IHS Janes reports that nearly fifty per cent of the rebels fighting in Syria are either “diehard al Qaeda jihadists or hardline Islamists” intent on establishing an Islamic state, according to UPI. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) head Valerie Amos met with Iranian officials on 15 September, encouraging the Iranian government to assist aid agencies in gaining greater access to those in need within Syria, reports AP. Amos indicated she had signed a joint statement with the Iranian government about strengthening cooperation and providing help to humanitarian and disaster management agencies. In recent days, Amos has held talks with members of the Syrian government and humanitarian partners in efforts to improve aid operations, reports Shanghai Daily. Amos indicated that currently there are 4,500 UN staff in Syria. Reuters reports that one third of Syria’s housing stock has been destroyed during the ongoing conflict, forcing 4.25 million people to abandon their homes according to a UN report. More than 3,000 schools have been damaged and 1,000 more are currently being used as shelter by refugees. UNICEF indicates that two million children have dropped out of school and more than four million are affected by the conflict. Finally, multiple news outlets point to spillover effects and cross-border incidents that increasingly result from the sustained Syrian conflict. According to UPI, Syrian forces crossed into Lebanon and killed a man outside the eastern Bekaa Valley village of Arsal on 12 September. The Lebanese army would not comment on the incident. Syrian troops moved to retake the mostly Christian city of Maaloula on 10 September after rebels invaded the city in order to blow up an army post, reports AP. On 16 September, a Turkish jet fighter shot down a Syrian military helicopter in Turkish airspace after repeatedly warning the pilots of the Syrian helicopter, according to The Washington Post. Meanwhile, members of jihadist group Jabhat al Nusra (JAN) claimed responsibility for killing thirty Alawites during an attack on three Alawite villages in central Syria earlier in the week, reports AP. Jordan has received more than 2,100 defecting Syrian officers from Syrian since March 2011, the beginning of the conflict, reports AFP. The officers are hosted in a special military complex.

Tunisia

Foard Copeland ► foard.copeland@cimicweb.org

The National Salvation Front (NSF), the primary coalition of parties opposed to the ruling Ennahda administration, organised one of the largest protests to date on 07 September, according to AP. For several weeks, the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), the country’s largest and strongest non-government institution, has engaged in negotiations between the NSF and Ennahda. On 13 September, Al Monitor reported that officials from the two coalitions moved closer to an arrangement that will end Tunisia’s political crisis. The potential agreement could include a new technocratic government, an agenda for the National Assembly and exact dates for the next election.

17 September 2013

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 03-16 September 2013.

Recent CFC Special Reports

Blowback: The Unintended Consequences of Hezbollah’s Role in Syria (Sep 2013)

LAPSSET Transport Corridor: Transit and Oil Infrastructure in East Africa (Sep 2013)

CLICK ON LINKS TO VISIT COMPLEX COVERAGE PAGES ON CIMICWEB

17 September 2013

Middle East

Mali’s Stabilisation Project: Political, Security and Humanitarian Assessments (June 2013)

North Africa

Regional Monarchies in the Context of the Arab Spring (June 2013)

Northeast Africa

Global IED