Arab media

January 13, 2023

Source: Al Rai (Government-friendly, Jordanian daily enjoys wide circulation)
Headline: EUFOR Deployment Resumes

• First plane carrying EUFOR troops to Chad arrived yesterday to signal official resumption of European peacekeeping force deployment in Chad and Central African Republic
• EUFOR deployment was temporarily halted during Chadian rebels’ attempt to topple Idriss Deby’s regime.  European leaders expect the force to be fully deployed at the end of March
• The force will provide protection to more than half a million Sudanese refugees who fled violence in Darfur

Source: Addustour (Government-friendly, Jordanian daily enjoys wide circulation)
Headline: UN Accuses Sudanese Army of “Burning Down” Two Villages in Darfur

• An official close to UN and AU Hybrid force, who participated in investigating recent violence in West Darfur, indicated that two villages were “partially torched”
• He added we “attested to the fact that they were attacked on February 8th, when military helicopter gunships and planes were seen flying over the area.  And eyewitnesses said the two villages were attacked by men on horses accompanied by all-terrain vehicles”
• The official added that civilians who remained in Sirba were still afraid to talk freely in the presence of Sudanese soldiers.  The investigating team was not able to visit Seleia, the third village that was attacked
• ICRC also indicated that one of its Sudanese officials was killed during the attack on Seleia village
• Meanwhile, Sudanese army indicated that its forces attacked the villages of Abu Suruj, Sirba, and Seleia on Friday to rid them of Justice and Equality Movement rebel fighters

Source: Al Hayat (Saudi-owned Pan-Arab daily with wide circulation)
Headline: Sudanese Government Says Radical Cell Might Have Killed US Diplomat and His Driver
By: Annour Ahmed Annour

• According to sources close to Sudanese government, US diplomat John Michael Granville and his Sudanese driver were most likely killed by members of a terrorist cell whose member were arrested in the suburbs of Khartoum
• A little-known radical Sudanese group calling itself “Ansar Attawheed” claimed responsibility of the diplomat’s killing shortly after the incident
• Sudanese Minister of the Interior Zubair Taha discounted the possibility of dormant terrorist cells in Khartoum, but left the door open to the possibility that some radical elements might have been responsible for the diplomat’s assassination