World News

Ethiopia civil war: Hyenas raid corpses while Tigray forces retreat

Horrific accounts from a brutal war in Ethiopia that has left tens of thousands dead.

Image source: Getty ImagesBy Farouk Chothia & Teklemariam BekitBBC NewsHyenas scavenging corpses from villagers, cities, and towns that were hit by air strikes, young men and women conscripted into army units, and elderly men and women conscripted into the military – these are the horrifying accounts of a war in Tigray. It has been under a blockade since 17 months, with no banking, telephone, or internet access. In November 2020, the Ethiopian and Eritrean forces captured Mekelle, the Tigrayan capital. About a year later, the Tigrayans launched a counter-offensive against the Amhara and Afar regions. This brought them closer to Addis Ababa. The latest round of fighting saw the Tigrayan forces retaking territory in Tigray, including the city of Shire. Alex de Waal, the US-based executive director of World Peace Foundation, stated that there are at least 500,000 Eritrean federal troops and 200,000 Tigrayan soldiers in active combat. He also said that the Tigrayan defense lines around Shire couldn’t hold out after more than 50 days worth of fighting. It’s a major setback for Tigrayans. It exposes civilians to massacre, rape, and starvation,” Prof De Waal stated. An aid worker said that 600,000 civilians were seeking refuge in Tigray after fleeing war-torn areas. “More that 120,000 were out there, sleeping under trees or bushes,” he said to the BBC. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was afraid of reprisals. Many residents are fleeing Shire in fear of being subject to atrocities, similar to those experienced elsewhere when Ethiopian and Eritrean troops took control. “Four witnesses said that 46 people were arrested and executed in Shimblina in September. The aid worker stated that other villagers found their bodies mixed with domestic animals, which were also killed. “Hyenas had eaten some of the bodies and could only be identified by the remains of their clothes. He said that witnesses claimed they didn’t have the time to bury them and that the hyenas had finished them by then. He said that the atrocity stood out because most of the victims were from the Kunama ethnic group, which was not involved in the conflict. “Both sides are losing troops, and when they enter a village, they take out their anger upon locals,” he said. The population of the region is approximately seven million. This is a small number for a country of more than 100 millions. Old-fashioned warfareApart form the atrocities, all armies have been accused for forcibly recruiting civilians into fighting, and using the “human wave”, a tactic to gain ground. Abdurahman Sayed, a Horn of Africa analyst based in the UK, said that people are drafted into the army and sent through the mined areas to the trenches of their enemy after only a few weeks of training. “The enemy fires on many of them and kills many more, but they keep coming in waves until they run out of ammunition and occupy their trenches. It is the old way to war. It was first used in 1890s by the king Abyssinia against the Italian invaders. Despite their superior airpower the Italians were overwhelmed at the sheer number of people they faced. “Mr Abdurahman stated that this tactic causes massive casualties. He estimates that between 700,000 to 800,000 people have died in the nearly two years of fighting. He added that “This is the most horrific war in Ethiopia’s history.” Faisal Roble, a US-based Horn of Africa analyst, denied that the Tigrayans used human waves attacks. However, his estimate of the death count was not much different. He stated that “in the first two phases, approximately 500,000 died in combat and 100,000 died in the third phase.” Image source: ACMr Roble. He said that while the Tigrayan army was well-trained and had “the heart” and the ability to fight, the Ethiopian army had two advantages: numbers as well as airpower. Ambassador to the United States, a general said that they could enlist one-million young men each year. They also have fighter jets and Turkish drones which have proven very effective. The Tigrayans do not have an air force. “The command of Ethiopia’s air force had moved to Asmara, Eritrea’s capital, he explained. This is where fighter jets were taking flight, as it was closer to Tigray than their Bishoftu base in central Ethiopia. Roble stated that drones were still leaving Bishoftu. Resolving old scoresEritrea intervened as the TPLF was its sworn enemy. The TPLF dominated a coalition government that was formed in Ethiopia, until Abiy Ahmed became Prime Minister in 2018. A border war between Ethiopia and Eritrea claimed the lives of approximately 80,000 people. A tribunal ruled that Ethiopia should give territory to Eritrea. However, the TPLF-controlled government failed this task. The TPLF fought a border war that claimed the lives of approximately 80,000 people. “Eritrea’s concern was that the TPLF wanted to either regain power, or it wants a satellite government to Asmara that will allow it access to the Red Sea, because Tigray, a landlocked, impoverished area, is its goal,” Mr Abdurahman stated. The war in Tigray has escalated in recent weeks. Eritrea’s government intensified military mobilisation and hunted down draft dodgers throughout the country. Multiple sources in Eritrea said that Eritrea’s government wanted to either regain power in Ethiopia or create a satellite government in Asmara that will allow it access to the Red Sea. In September, Eritrean troops invaded a church in Akrur in the south, detaining a priest, young worshippers, Prof De Waal stated that the call-up showed Mr Isaias was not taking any chances, but he hasn’t deployed large numbers of conscripts to Tigray. “Eritrea has units in Tigray but most of the fighting are being done by Ethiopian troops. Talks seem unlikely. According to Mr Abdurahman the war is being fought on four- to six fronts with thousands of Eritrean and Ethiopian troops stationed near Adigrat, Tigray. He said that they were ready to attack Adigrat and Mekelle. Sources close to the battlefront confirmed to the BBC that the two armies were already moving from Shire towards Aksum in an operation that has seen them move west to west. Foreign powers have been urging both sides to end the conflict peacefully. But Mr Abdurahman said that this was unlikely. “Historically, the ruling classes in Abyssinia and Ethiopia have fought for their power. The powerful become the king of all kings until someone else rises. There is no tradition of peaceful resolution of disputes. It is a zero-sum sport,” he stated. Prof De Waal stated that the international community must act immediately to impose a ceasefire. “Otherwise there’s the risk of genocide and mass starvation,” he stated, pointing out that a Belgian academic team had earlier this year estimated that over 250,000 Tigrayans had died from hunger and other causes since the war started in November 2020. “Harvesting should begin now, but the Eritrean led armies are making Tigray a desert. “More about Ethiopia’s civil War: A military drone is flying overhead as i write this article. Hunted down to avoid Eritrea military call upMy patients are doomed in Tigray BlockadeWhy has the war in Ethiopia rekindledAround the BBCAfrica Today podcasts

World News

Ukraine war: Kyiv secures a bridgehead across the key Dnipro River, reports

But military experts warn that advancing from positions across the Dnipro could be very difficult.

Ukrainian troops have set up positions on the east bank of the Dnipro River in southern Kherson region, reports say.The region is partially Russian-held and crossing the river could be significant in future offensives.The US-based Institute for the Study of War says Russian military bloggers have posted “enough geolocated footage and text reports to confirm” the advance.BBC Ukraine says its military sources have reported a “certain movement across [the] Dnipro” near Kherson city.

Ukraine’s military has not confirmed the movement, while Russia has denied the reports.But if the reports that Ukraine has secured a bridgehead on the east bank are correct, it could be significant in helping Kyiv drive Russian troops back.A Ukrainian advance in the area could, in the future, even cut the land corridor to Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014.However, military experts say any Ukrainian troop movements in the bridgehead area – which is crisscrossed by floodplains, irrigation canals and other water obstacles – would be a tough task.And Ukrainian advances would be further complicated by Russia’s significant advantage in the air.

Ukraine’s military has for some time publicly spoken about preparations for a major counter-offensive, without specifying where and when it could be launched.Until now, all of the Kherson region on the east bank of the Dnipro has been under Russian control, with the wide river serving as a natural barrier.The regional capital – sitting on the west bank – was liberated by Ukrainian forces last November.Celebrations as Ukraine takes back key city KhersonPutin visits occupied Kherson region in UkraineIn Sunday’s report, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said “geolocated footage published on 23 April indicates that Ukrainian forces are operating in areas north-west of Oleshky on the east” bank of Dnipro.

The ISW added there was not enough information to analyse the scale of the reported Ukrainian advance – or the further intentions of the Ukrainian military.On Monday, Russia’s WarGonzo military blogger reported that Ukrainian troops were “trying to gain a foothold on Bolshoi Potemkin [Velykyi Potyomkin – Ukrainian] island”, which is located between the new and old channels of the Dnipro.

World News

India’s population will surpass China this week, according to UN

Last week, a different UN body said the milestone would be passed later in 2023.

India is expected to overtake China as the world’s most populous nation by the end this week. A different UN body predicted last week that India would surpass China by the middle this year. The Asian nations have accounted more than a quarter of the global population since over 70 years. The UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs said in a press release that “China will soon relinquish its long-held position as the world’s largest country”.

The UN Population Fund said last week that India would have 2.9 million more people than China by the middle of 2023. China’s birthrate has dropped recently, and its population shrank last year for first time since 1961. India’s population will continue to grow for several decades, it said. However, fertility rates in India are also dropping – from 5.7 babies per woman in 1950, to 2.2 today. In November, the world population reached 8 billion. Experts say that the growth rate is slower than it used to be, and is now at its lowest level since 1950.

World News

Scientists are concerned about recent rapid ocean warming.

There’s growing concern that the oceans are heating up quickly – and scientists are unsure of the implications.

It has never warmed up this much, so quickly. Scientists don’t fully understand why. But they worry that, combined with other weather events, the world’s temperature could reach a worrying new level by the end of next year. Scientists do not fully understand why it has happened. But they are concerned that combined with other weather conditions, the temperature of the planet could reach a new alarming level by the end next year. They are less efficient in absorbing planet-warming gases.

In the last 15 years, Earth’s heat has increased by 50 percent, with the majority of that extra heat going into the oceans. This has real world implications – not only was the temperature of the oceans a record in April, but in some areas the difference over the long term is enormous. Image source: Getty ImagesIn march, sea surface temperatures along the east coast of North America reached 13.8C above the 1981-2011 average. Karina Von Schuckmann, lead author of the study and oceanographer with the research group Mercator Ocean International, said: “It is not yet clear why such a rapid and huge change is occurring.”

“We have doubled heat in the climate system over the last 15 years. I don’t think this is climate variability, but it could be. We do see the change. “An interesting factor that could influence the level of heat entering the oceans is a reduction in shipping pollution. In 2020, the International Maritime Organisation implemented a regulation to lower the sulphur in fuel burned by ships. This has had an immediate impact on reducing the amount aerosol particles released in the atmosphere. Aerosols that pollute the air also reflect heat back into the space, so removing them could have caused more heat to reach the oceans.

The average surface temperature of the oceans has risen by 0.9C since pre-industrial times, with 0.6C of that increase occurring in the last 40. This is less than the rise in air temperatures on land which have increased by 1.5C. Oceans absorb heat much deeper than land and require more energy to heat. This has real-world implications. It is especially damaging to coral reefs. Extreme weather will increase as heat from the upper ocean surface increases hurricanes and cyclones. This means they become more intense and longer-lasting.Sea-level rise: warmer waters take up more space – known as thermal expansion – and can greatly accelerate the melting of glaciers from Greenland and Antarctica that flow into the oceans.

This increases global sea levels and increases the risk of coastal flooding. Warmer water has a lower ability to absorb CO2. The oceans will absorb less CO2 if they continue to warm. This will lead to more CO2 accumulating in the atmosphere, further warming the air. “The Australian Bureau model strongly suggests a strong El Nino.” Hugh McDowell, from Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, said that the trend has been in that direction and that all climate models have been trending towards a stronger event. Mr McDowell warned that predictions are less reliable at this time of the year.

Other researchers are more optimistic. Experts believe that a fully-formed event will follow. “If we have a new El Nino on top of that, it will probably cause an additional global warming of 0.2-0.25C,” Dr Josef Ludescher from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research said. “The impact of El Nino is reduced a few months following the peak. This is why 2024 is likely to be the warmest year on record. “Image source, Anadolu Agency.” And we may, we’ll be close to 1.5C and perhaps we’ll temporarily go over. El Nino is likely to disrupt weather patterns in Australia and around the world. It will also weaken the monsoon. There are also more fundamental concerns that as heat is absorbed by the oceans, they may be less able store excess energy.

One scientist described being “extremely stressed and worried”. Karina von Schuckmann says that some research has shown the world warming in jumps. Little changes over years are followed by sudden leaps upwards. After El Nino subsides, temperatures may drop again. She told BBC News that “we still have a window of opportunity to act and we should take advantage of this to reduce the effects.” Graphics by Erwan RIVALL.

World News

Wagner in Sudan: what have Russian mercenaries done?

The Wagner group denies involvement in the current conflict, but there’s evidence it has previously been active in Sudan.

Russian Wagner mercenary forces are accused of having commercial and military ties with Sudan. However, the group denies involvement in the current conflict. Yevgeny Praighozin, who has close ties to President Vladimir Putin, has stated that “not one Wagner PMC [private company] fighter has ever been present in Sudan”. We have found no evidence of Russian mercenaries currently inside the country. There is evidence of Wagner’s previous activities in Sudan. Mr Prighozin’s operations in the nation have been targeted by US and EU sanctions. Gold-mining DealsIn 2017, Sudan’s former President Omar al-Bashir, during a trip to Moscow, signed a number of deals.

These included an agreement to establish a Russian naval base at Port Sudan along the Red Sea as well as “concessions on gold mining” between Russian company M Invest, and the Sudanese Ministry of Minerals. The According to a CNN investigation, gold was transported overland into Central African Republic where Wagner operates – exports that were not recorded in Sudanese trade data.

The BBC has not independently confirmed these images. In 2021, a Wagner linked Telegram channel published photos of an unnamed top Wagner leader awarding Sudanese soldier memorabilia during a ceremony that took place two years earlier. TelegramAnd, in July 2022 this channel distributed a clip allegedly showing Wagner’s mercenaries performing par The same source linked the Instagram profile of a Russian mercenary who called himself a “freelancer”. He shared stories of his exploits on Sudan in posts dating from August and Oct 2021. How influential is Wagner? The US Treasury claims that the Wagner Group has been involved in “paramilitary activities, support for maintaining authoritarian regimes and exploitation natural resources”. The relationship between the Royal United Services Institute and the UK-based Royal United Services Institute has grown since then.

“In 2018, they had around 100 men actively training Sudanese forces,” says Dr Joana De Deus Pereira from the UK. Sudanese media reported that the number grew to 500 and that they were mainly based in the south-west, near Um Dafuq and close to Sudan’s borders with the Central African Republic. According to Dr Samuel Ramani who wrote a book on Russia’s activities throughout Africa, the Wagner Group created its own media campaigns in order to keep President Bashir in power. Image source: AFP. This caused friction with the president’s security forces and Wagner switched its support to General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who overthrew him.

Dr Ramani says that while the Foreign Ministry in Moscow opposed the coup, Prigozhin, and the Wagner Group, welcomed al-Burhan’s takeover. According to Dr Ramani it was between 2021 and 2022 when the Wagner Group increased their connections with the Rapid Support Forces, which is currently fighting Sudan’s regular army led by Gen Burhan. Mr Pri “Wagner had links with both General al-Burhan and Mr Hemedti in different degrees and ways,” she says. Wagner’s presence in AfricaWagner fighters are widely reported to be in the Central African Republic for several years, guarding diamond mines in the country, as well in Libya and Mali.

World News

Sudan fighting: Foreign nationals and diplomats evacuated

Several countries are helping their citizens leave the capital, Khartoum, following a week of fighting.

Several other countries have also started organising evacuations, starting on Sunday. France, Germany Italy and Spain have also started organising evacuations. A vicious power struggle has caused violence throughout the country. The UK government was able to airlift British diplomatic staff and their families out in a “complex” and “rapid” operation. Foreign Minister James Cleverly stated that options to evacuate remaining British nationals were “severely restricted”.

The German army reported that the first of three flights had left Sudan bound for Jordan with 101 people aboard. Italy and Spain evacuated citizens – the Spanish mission included citizens of Argentina, Colombia, Ireland Portugal, Poland Mexico, Venezuela, and Sudan. Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his government had evacuated diplomatic staff. More than 150 people were evacuated to the Saudi Arabian port Jeddah by sea, including citizens from Egypt, Pakistan, and Gulf countries. Many foreign students from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East have also been trapped in Khartoum. They have made desperate calls for assistance.

The US announced on Sunday that a disaster response team will be sent to the region to “coordinate humanitarian response to those in need, both within and outside Sudan.” “Samantha Power, from the US Agency for International Development(USAID), said that the team would initially work out of Kenya and give priority to getting “life-saving humanitarian assistance to those in need.” The World Health Organization reports that the fighting has injured thousands and killed more than 400.

The death toll may be higher than 400, because people are unable to access healthcare due to the closure of most hospitals in the city. The fighting has also affected the western region of Darfur where the RSF was first formed. The UN has warned that 20,000 people, mostly women and children, have fled Sudan in search of safety in Chad across the border.