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Darfur Rebels Join in Sudan, South Sudan Fight

Another day, another few steps closer to all out war. This time, Darfur Rebels from the Justice and Equality Movement have apparently joined some sort of tactical alliance with the South. The Darfur rebels sacked Sudanese army outposts near the disputed Heglig oil field, which was captured last week by the South.  “Rebels from Sudan’s Darfur region on Thursday said they seized two Sudanese military positions north of the Heglig oil field occupied by South Sudanese forces. In fighting on Wednesday night, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) took control of the outposts 40km north of Heglig, said the group’s spokesperson Gibril Adam Bilal…Bilal denied that JEM forces were fighting alongside the South Sudanese, who occupied Heglig on April 10 and allege it was used to attack the South. Khartoum’s foreign ministry claims that international press photos show the Darfur rebel movement has been fighting with Southern troops.” (News24 http://n24.cm/HWJc59)

Dramatic Increase in Refugees Fleeing Mali to Mauritania

A warning from MSF:  “At least 57,000 people from Mali have entered the Mbera refugee camp in Mauritania since late January. Roughly 1,500 people are arriving in the camp per day, up from 200 per day on April 5. Thousands more people are expected to arrive. In response to the massive influx, MSF is bolstering its activities and emergency medical aid in the desert area, where access to medical care is extremely limited. Fighting between the Malian army, the Tuareg movement, and other armed groups is forcing thousands of people to flee to Fassala, Mauritania, located three kilometers from the border with Mali. “The presence of armed groups and political uncertainty in Mali is generating fear and panic among the people,” said Elisabetta Maria Faga, MSF field coordinator. “Refugees are primarily Tuareg families from the Timbuktu region. They arrive here exhausted after a two-day journey by truck.” (MSF http://bit.ly/IXNSZu)

WHO issues new HIV Drugs Guidelines

Several studies published last year indicated the value of the early adoption of ARV treatments for preventing the spread of HIV. These were big breakthroughs, and now it seems the WHO is officially adopting the early use of ARVs in certain circumstances. “New guidance from the World Health Organisation today marks a new and important step forward in the battle for “an Aids-free generation”, as Hillary Clinton and others defined the goal last year. Antiretroviral drugs have been shown not only to keep people with HIV alive and well, but also in groundbreaking trials published last year, to reduce the chances by 96% that they will transmit the virus to anyone else. So now the WHO is recommending that anybody with HIV who has an uninfected partner should be started on treatment straight away – and not have to wait until tests show their immune system has been depleted. The move could have a real impact on the course of the epidemic by reducing the transmission rate of the disease. WHO also calls for greater efforts to encourage people to come to be tested with their partner – in the knowledge that it is good for both. Only 40% of people with HIV know it. They risk their own health and will spread the virus.” (The Guardian http://bit.ly/JjOZOY)

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Omar al Bashir Effectively Declares War on South Sudan

Yesterday, we noted how the African Union warned against the prevailing logic of war that is taking hold between Sudan and South Sudan. To that, we can add there is now a prevailing rhetoric of war, particularly coming from Khartoum As the BBC’s James Copnal notes, if Bashir acts on his word, it means Sudan and South Sudan are at war. ‘Mr Bashir told a rally at his party’s headquarters that the SPLM needed to be removed. ‘We say that it has turned into a disease, a disease for us and for the South Sudanese citizens. The main goal should be liberation from these insects and to get rid of them once and for all, God willing.’ The reference to insects is an apparent play on the SPLM’s Arabic name. He told the crowd that his message to the SPLM was: ‘Either we end up in Juba and take everything, or you end up in Khartoum and take everything.’” (BBC http://bbc.in/I5l8ss)

Yet another major, coordinated attack in Iraq. “Bombings struck several areas in Baghdad and to the north Thursday, killing at least 30 people in the first major attacks in Iraq in nearly a month. The violence stoked fears that insurgents were trying to undermine confidence in the Shiite-led government amid rising sectarian tensions. In all, officials said extremists launched 12 attacks in the Iraqi capital and in the cities of Kirkuk, Samarra, Baqouba, Dibis and Taji. Mortars were fired into the northern cities of Beiji and Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit, but no injuries were reported there. Nearly 100 people were wounded in the rapid-fire explosions that unfolded over an hour and 15 minutes. Half of the bombs struck at security forces and government officials — two frequent targets for insurgents still seeking to undermine Iraq’s efforts to normalize after years of war and violence. (Time http://ti.me/I8z7Bk)