FinPol Digest

  In a horrifying escalation of violence, South Sudanese forces have been accused of dropping makeshift incendiary weapons on civilians, leaving entire villages in flames and children charred beyond recognition. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has exposed a series of deadly airstrikes in Upper Nile State, where government forces allegedly killed nearly 60 people—including children —using improvised firebombs. The attacks, carried out between March 16 and 21, targeted multiple counties, with witnesses describing scenes of unimaginable horror. Survivors reported seeing victims with "black skin peeling off" and one man so badly burned that even his teeth were scorched. The brutality of these attacks has raised urgent questions about potential war crimes. The deadliest strikes hit Mathiang village in Longechuk County, where at least 21 people were killed. Similar attacks devastated Nasir town, where 22 civilians died, and Kuich village, where 15 people—including three children—perished ...

  Imagine walking for miles under the scorching sun, your child limp in your arms, only to find the health clinic boarded up — because foreign aid was cut.   This is the devastating reality for families in South Sudan, where children are dying from cholera as US funding vanishes. South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, is no stranger to suffering. Since gaining independence in 2011, it has been trapped in cycles of violence and poverty. Now, a deadly cholera outbreak — the worst in the country’s history — has pushed its broken healthcare system to the brink. UNICEF reports nearly 40,000 cases since September, with children under 15 making up half the victims. But what’s driving this catastrophe? Experts point to drastic cuts in US aid, leaving clinics shuttered and families helpless. The consequences are dire. Save the Children, a UK-based charity, revealed that at least five children in Jonglei state died while trekking for medical care — only to find clinics closed. The or...

  The UK promised a breakthrough for Sudan — but by shutting out Khartoum , it may have just reignited the diplomatic war behind the bloodshed. When the UK announced a high-profile conference to address Sudan’s humanitarian disaster, it framed the event as a chance to unite the world behind peace. Instead, the move has triggered a diplomatic explosion, with Sudan’s government accusing Britain of “whitewashing genocide” by excluding it while inviting countries it claims fund the RSF’s atrocities. The backlash reveals a fatal flaw in international peacemaking: Can Sudan’s crisis be solved without the government that still holds the keys to legitimacy — and the military? In its fiery letter to the UK, Khartoum didn’t hold back: London stands accused of becoming a “propaganda hub” for the RSF, a group the US has labeled a perpetrator of crimes against humanity. The Sudanese government’s fury isn’t just about exclusion — it’s about recognition. By treating the RSF and its backers as equ...

  The Somali National Army serves as a crucial military entity through which nations fight against terrorism on an international scale. The SNA's current military initiatives combined with their strategic growth has elevated Somali internal security measures which now benefit the safety of the region and worldwide stability. The SNA took over the protection role for both the Presidential Palace and Federal Parliament in December 2023 after the 16-year mission of African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) had completed its run. The Somali military forces now operate independently for national security which demonstrates their continuous development and independence. The SNA strengthens its counter-terrorism actions through focused terrorist militant elimination operations.  International military cooperation produced noteworthy battlefield victories which resulted in freeing important towns together with villages from enemy forces. Through these military campaigns the ...

  The United Nations has issued a scathing condemnation following shocking reports of extrajudicial killings in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum . After the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) retook the city on March 26, local human rights groups began documenting widespread executions of civilians accused of collaborating with the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF). UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed deep horror, calling the killings a blatant violation of international law. The allegations paint a grim picture of a military crackdown spiraling into unchecked brutality. Disturbing videos circulating on social media since late March show armed men — some in uniform, others in plain clothes — gunning down unarmed civilians in broad daylight. Türk’s office verified several clips depicting executions in Khartoum’s southern and eastern neighborhoods, where victims were accused of aiding the RSF. “These are not isolated incidents,” Türk warned, demanding an immediate halt to th...

  South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, is teetering on the brink of another devastating civil war — and the African Union (AU) is racing against time to prevent it.  A high-level AU delegation, including former Burundian President Domitien Ndayizeye and ex-Kenyan judge Effie Owuor, arrived in Juba this week to mediate escalating tensions after First Vice President Riek Machar was placed under house arrest . The move has sparked fears of renewed conflict, threatening to unravel the fragile 2018 peace deal that ended a brutal five-year war. The crisis erupted last week when President Salva Kiir’s government accused Machar — his longtime rival — of plotting a rebellion. Machar, who led rebel forces during the 2013–18 civil war, denies the allegations, but his detention has sent shockwaves across the region. Fighting in Upper Nile state between government troops and the White Army militia, once allied with Machar, has intensified, raising concerns that the country could desce...

  The African Union (AU) has issued a stark warning about the growing risk of Sudan’s partition following the announcement of a parallel government by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its allies. This development comes amid an already dire situation, with nearly two years of violent conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF. The war, initially sparked by disagreements over the RSF’s integration into the regular army, has escalated into a brutal struggle for control, splitting the country geographically. The army maintains dominance in eastern and northern Sudan, while the RSF controls nearly all of western Darfur and portions of the south. The announcement of a rival government has added fuel to the fire, prompting urgent calls for unity from the AU and the international community. The RSF and its allies took a significant step in March by signing a founding charter in Nairobi, outlining their plans for a secular, democratic, and decentralised state. Their proposal promises ...