An internally displaced Sudanese family from Darfur. Reuters
An internally displaced Sudanese family from Darfur. Reuters
An internally displaced Sudanese family from Darfur. Reuters
An internally displaced Sudanese family from Darfur. Reuters

Troop reinforcements arrive in Darfur after 201 killed in ethnic clashes


Hamza Hendawi
  • English
  • Arabic

An army brigade arrived in West Darfur on Tuesday to restore security in the remote region after ethnic clashes there killed 201 people and wounded 103, said the local governor.

Khamis Abdullah Babekr said the troops arrived shortly before nightfall on Tuesday and that a company of tanks was expected to arrive later in the day.

His comments, posted online by his office, came a day after Sudan's Security and Defence Council, led by army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan said it was sending reinforcements to West Darfur province to “separate the parties and contain the situation.”

Speaking after a meeting on Monday night, Defence Minister Gen Yassin Ibrahim Yassin, said the council had also commissioned a “sovereign” delegation to bring calm to West Darfur and another to deal with the humanitarian aftermath of the violence.

The latest violence in Darfur pitted suspected members of the mostly Arab Janjaweed tribesmen against members of the ethnic African Massalit tribe. The fighting began when the militiamen raided Massalit villages in the Krink area on Friday to avenge the killing the previous day of two Arab tribesmen.

The deadliest fighting happened on Sunday when hundreds of suspected Janjaweed militiamen raided the locality of Krink, killing residents and burning down homes. They also attacked the local hospital and government offices. The violence spread to the nearby city of El Geneina on Monday.

"The attacking party, backed by heavy arms and hardware, outnumbered by far the local garrison of troops, policemen and members of the (paramilitary) Rapid Support forces. The garrison withdrew, although there was no need or reason for it to do so," said Mr Babekr.

"They left behind and alone our unarmed citizens and the entire town was pillaged. We believe it is a crime against humanity, morals and the Muslim faith. The entire town has been destroyed."

Darfur, torn by a brutal civil war in the 2000s, has experienced an increase in violence in the six months since the military seized power. The conflict is rooted in disputes between Arab herdsmen and ethnic African farmers over land, water, livestock and grazing areas.

  • Fighters for Sudan's Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) travel through an area on the Sudan-Chad border in north-west Darfur. AFP
    Fighters for Sudan's Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) travel through an area on the Sudan-Chad border in north-west Darfur. AFP
  • UN peacekeepers on patrol during a visit by the High Commissioner for Refugees to Al Nimir camp, in Darfur. The UN confirmed on Saturday that a compound it had jointly used with the African Union in Sudan’s western region of Darfur was overrun and looted, as the country reels from a political crisis. AFP
    UN peacekeepers on patrol during a visit by the High Commissioner for Refugees to Al Nimir camp, in Darfur. The UN confirmed on Saturday that a compound it had jointly used with the African Union in Sudan’s western region of Darfur was overrun and looted, as the country reels from a political crisis. AFP
  • Then Sudanese president Omar Al Bashir addresses supporters during a visit to the North Darfur state capital of Al Fashir. Al Bashir, whose 29-year rule ended in April 2019, was indicted a decade ago by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur. AFP
    Then Sudanese president Omar Al Bashir addresses supporters during a visit to the North Darfur state capital of Al Fashir. Al Bashir, whose 29-year rule ended in April 2019, was indicted a decade ago by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur. AFP
  • Woman carry relief supplies distributed by UN agencies at the new settlement in the Zam Zam camp for Internally Displaced Persons, in north Darfur. AFP
    Woman carry relief supplies distributed by UN agencies at the new settlement in the Zam Zam camp for Internally Displaced Persons, in north Darfur. AFP
  • The commander of the UN Mission in Darfur's peacekeeping force, Gen Martin Luther Agwai, tours a base in Khor Abeche in Darfur. Photo: UNAMID
    The commander of the UN Mission in Darfur's peacekeeping force, Gen Martin Luther Agwai, tours a base in Khor Abeche in Darfur. Photo: UNAMID
  • Children stand next to a UN peacekeeper at the Abu Shok camp. AFP
    Children stand next to a UN peacekeeper at the Abu Shok camp. AFP
  • The UN says it is concerned about the safety of its staff in Darfur after the raid on the camp. AFP
    The UN says it is concerned about the safety of its staff in Darfur after the raid on the camp. AFP

Darfur’s civil war began when rebels took up arms to redress what they saw as discrimination by the Arab-influenced elite in northern Sudan.

The war led to 300,000 deaths and displaced 2.5 million, according to the UN, and deepened the ethnic divide when the Janjaweed joined the government in the fight against the rebels.

The latest violence is part of a wider breakdown in Sudan. Fighting has laid bare the inability of the ruling military to check the rapid security deterioration in many parts of the vast Afro-Arab nation.

It has also exposed the failure of peace accords signed between the government and some Darfur rebel groups in 2020.

The military-led administration in Khartoum made its first public statement on Monday evening, when a representative said the ruling, military-led Sovereign Council deeply regretted the violence and the loss of life.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the violence and called for rapid deployment of security forces.

His special envoy in Sudan, Volker Perthes, called for a transparent investigation into the violence.

In an implicit criticism of the military’s handling of the violence in Darfur, the US embassy in Khartoum called on security forces to “uphold their obligation to ensure the safety of those affected by these deplorable acts”.

The British Ambassador to Sudan said the latest violence was not an isolated incident.

Giles Lever called on authorities to “intensify efforts” to ensure the safety of civilians in Darfur.

“Darfur faces a long road to sustainable peace. Local peacebuilding, a unified security presence, access to justice, disarmament and land reform are just some of the essential steps that must be taken,” he said.

A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO

South Africa 66 (Tries: De Allende, Nkosi, Reinach (3), Gelant, Steyn, Brits, Willemse; Cons: Jantjies 8) 

Canada 7 (Tries: Heaton; Cons: Nelson)

Five expert hiking tips
    Always check the weather forecast before setting off Make sure you have plenty of water Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon Wear appropriate clothing and footwear Take your litter home with you
Tips for taking the metro

- set out well ahead of time

- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines

- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on

- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers

Last-16 Europa League fixtures

Wednesday (Kick-offs UAE)

FC Copenhagen (0) v Istanbul Basaksehir (1) 8.55pm

Shakhtar Donetsk (2) v Wolfsburg (1) 8.55pm

Inter Milan v Getafe (one leg only) 11pm

Manchester United (5) v LASK (0) 11pm 

Thursday

Bayer Leverkusen (3) v Rangers (1) 8.55pm

Sevilla v Roma  (one leg only)  8.55pm

FC Basel (3) v Eintracht Frankfurt (0) 11pm 

Wolves (1) Olympiakos (1) 11pm 

FOOTBALL TEST

Team X 1 Team Y 0

Scorers

Red card

Man of the Match

 

Rajasthan Royals 153-5 (17.5 ov)
Delhi Daredevils 60-4 (6 ov)

Rajasthan won by 10 runs (D/L method)

The biog

Name: Abeer Al Shahi

Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan

Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.

Favourite activities: Bungee jumping

Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.

MATCH INFO

Quarter-finals

Saturday (all times UAE)

England v Australia, 11.15am 
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm

Sunday

Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20Tabby%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%20August%202019%3B%20platform%20went%20live%20in%20February%202020%3Cbr%3EFounder%2FCEO%3A%20Hosam%20Arab%2C%20co-founder%3A%20Daniil%20Barkalov%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Payments%3Cbr%3ESize%3A%2040-50%20employees%3Cbr%3EStage%3A%20Series%20A%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Arbor%20Ventures%2C%20Mubadala%20Capital%2C%20Wamda%20Capital%2C%20STV%2C%20Raed%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Founders%20Capital%2C%20JIMCO%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20Venture%20Souq%2C%20Outliers%20VC%2C%20MSA%20Capital%2C%20HOF%20and%20AB%20Accelerator.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Grubtech

Founders: Mohamed Al Fayed and Mohammed Hammedi

Launched: October 2019

Employees: 50

Financing stage: Seed round (raised $2 million)

 

Other ways to buy used products in the UAE

UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.

Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.

Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.

For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.

Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.

At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.

Company profile

Name: Thndr

Started: October 2020

Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: FinTech

Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000

Funding stage: series A; $20 million

Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC,  Rabacap and MSA Capital

Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

A Long Way Home by Peter Carey
Faber & Faber

Fifa Club World Cup quarter-final

Kashima Antlers 3 (Nagaki 49’, Serginho 69’, Abe 84’)
Guadalajara 2 (Zaldivar 03’, Pulido 90')

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GIANT REVIEW

Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan

Director: Athale

Rating: 4/5

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

'The Batman'

Stars:Robert Pattinson

Director:Matt Reeves

Rating: 5/5

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Company Fact Box

Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019

Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO

Based: Amman, Jordan

Sector: Education Technology

Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed

Stage: early-stage startup 

Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.

Updated: April 26, 2022, 6:15 PM