Photo : AFP/The Economist
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : AFP/The Economist
IN BRIEF
By Ashwin Dhanabalan, Angkuran Dey and Meghna Manoj
Ethiopia: Tigray rebels agree to a cessation of hostilities
On 25 March, the Tigray rebels announced a cessation of hostilities, marking a turning point in the 17-month long war in the northern region. On 24 March, the government announced an indefinite humanitarian truce. The rebels, in a statement, reinforced their commitment to the truce and also urged Ethiopia to deliver aid to Tigray urgently. UN's Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric hailed the ending of hostilities and stated: “These positive developments must now translate into immediate improvements on the ground.”
Sudan: The US sanctions on Sudan’s Central Reserve Police
On 21 March, Washington issued sanctions on Sudan’s Central Reserve Police, accusing it of using excessive force to put down peaceful demonstrations against the military coup. The US Department of Treasury stated: “The Central Reserve Police, a heavily armed division of Sudan’s police force, has been at the forefront of the violent response of Sudanese security forces to peaceful protests in Khartoum.” The US further mentioned that the police had used live ammunition, chased, arrested, beaten, and shot at protestors.