Attack on communication devices in Lebanon violates international law, could be war crime: UN human rights chief
The explosions of pagers and walkie-talkies on Tuesday and Wednesday killed at least 37 people
Updated 21 September 2024
Arab News
NEW YORK CITY: The UN on Friday said the detonation of hand-held communication devices reportedly used by Hezbollah in Lebanon this week violated international law and could constitute a war crime.
A senior UN official separately warned on Friday that escalation between Israel and Iran-backed groups in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon could lead to an inevitable spiral into a wider regional conflict.
The explosions of pagers and walkie-talkies on Tuesday and Wednesday killed at least 37 people and wounded more than 3,000 others after they detonated in public areas filled with civilians across Lebanon.
Hezbollah quickly blamed Israel for the violence, but the Israeli government has not commented directly on the attacks.
“It is a war crime to commit violence intended to spread terror among civilians,” said the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.
Speaking to a UN Security Council briefing on the attacks called for by Algeria, Turk said he was “appalled by the breadth and impact of the attacks.”
UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk speaking during the Security Council session. (Screenshot/UNTV)
He continued: “These attacks represent a new development in warfare, where communication tools become weapons simultaneously exploding across marketplaces, on street corners, and in homes as daily life unfolds.”
He told the council that this type of action “cannot be the new normal,” adding there was a need for an “independent, thorough, and transparent investigation” into the explosions.
“Those who ordered and carried out these attacks must be held to account. Let me be clear — this method of warfare may be new and unfamiliar. But international humanitarian and human rights law apply regardless and must be upheld,” he said.
The UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo told the council that the recent escalation risked “seeing a conflagration that could dwarf even the devastation and suffering witnessed so far” in the nearly year-long conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
“As we approach a full year of near-daily exchanges of fire across the Blue Line and bloodshed in Gaza, too many lives have been lost, too many people have been displaced, and too many livelihoods have been destroyed,” DiCarlo said.
“It is not too late to avoid such folly. There is still room for diplomacy, which must be used without delay.
“The secretary-general continues to urgently call on the parties to recommit to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 and immediately return to a cessation of hostilities,” she added.
The Slovenian representative to the UN, Samuel Zbogar, who currently holds the presidency of the Security Council, expressed his “profound concern” over rising violence in the Middle East.
“We are stepping in a dangerous new territory and as new technology is being used and developed, we underline the need to respect the existing legal obligations,” he said.
“Civilian objects should not be weaponized. The international law is clear: use of booby traps is prohibited.
“We call for maximum restraint by all actors in the region. The circle of violence risks escalating into a wider conflict. We call on all parties, both state and non-state actors, to deescalate and refrain from any further retaliatory actions,” he added.
Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood echoed this and told the council that it was “imperative that even as facts emerge about the latest incidents — in which I reiterate, the US played no role — all parties refrain from any actions which could plunge the region into a devastating war.”
He added that Washington expected all parties to the conflict to “comply with international humanitarian law and take all reason steps to minimise harm to civilians.”
Israeli airstrike in Bekaa shakes ceasefire 29 days after it came into effect
The Israeli army claimed that “an Israeli fighter jet attacked a terrorist cell in the Bekaa”
Updated 32 sec ago
NAJIA HOUSSARI
BEIRUT: For the first time since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect on Nov. 27, Israel breached the agreement deep inside Lebanese territory.
In the early hours of Wednesday, an Israeli warplane struck the town of Taraya near Baalbek.
A Lebanese security source said the airstrike occurred at 2:45 a.m., targeting a residence and an associated garage in the town of Taraya owned by a member of the Hamieh family. There were no casualties.
The Israeli army claimed that “an Israeli fighter jet attacked a terrorist cell in the Bekaa.”
Taraya is on the eastern slopes of the western Lebanese mountains, approximately 73 kilometers from the capital city of Beirut and 23 kilometers from the city of Baalbek. It was previously targeted by Israeli airstrikes during the extensive war on Lebanon — which lasted for 64 days — under the pretext of targeting sites and weapon depots belonging to Hezbollah.
Israel’s continued flouting of the terms of the ceasefire, which has been in effect for 29 days, were the focal point of a meeting held on Tuesday evening between caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and representatives from the United States, France, and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon.
The attendees included American Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, France’s Gen. Guillaume Ponchin, the commander of the Southern Litani sector of the Lebanese Army, Brig. Gen. Edgar Lowndes, and UNIFIL Commander Maj. Gen. Aroldo Lazaro, along with the Lebanese army commander, Brig. Gen. Joseph Aoun.
Mikati called on the committee to “stop the Israeli violations and the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from the border areas.”
He also agreed with the attendees to hold successive meetings with the Lebanese army to discuss the issues raised.
Israeli reconnaissance planes resumed incursions into Lebanese airspace, flying at low altitude over southern Lebanon, Beirut and its southern suburbs, after ceasing operations for two days.
On Wednesday, the Israeli army raised Israeli flags at a vacant Lebanese army post on Awida Hill.
This site, a strategic location, is where the Lebanese army previously established a base. It is adjacent to the villages of Kfar Kila, Adaisseh, Deir Mimas and Taybeh and overlooks Israeli settlements in Galilee, including Kiryat Shmona and Hula Valley, extending to Tiberias and deep into the Golan Heights.
Israeli raids on the border village of Taybeh killed two people on Monday.
The Israeli forces that invaded several border villages in southern Lebanon demolished houses and bulldozed roads on the outskirts of Houla, adjacent to Mays Al-Jabal. Lebanese residents are still denied entry to the occupied area, which includes 62 villages.
Israeli artillery shelling on Wednesday targeted Tayr Harfa, the outskirts of Majdal Zoun, and Maroun Al-Ras. Israeli forces also struck Jebbayn, firing bursts of machine-gun fire toward the town.
Media reports in Beirut reported that “US envoy Amos Hochstein will visit Beirut at the beginning of next year to help implement the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon.”
Israeli forces have dragged their heels in the withdrawal from invaded border areas, delaying the Lebanese army’s deployment in the cleared area.
Fears grow that Israeli’s war against Lebanon may restart, because the committee overseeing the implementation of the ceasefire is unable to stop Israeli violations.
The Israeli army is using the 60-day period in the ceasefire agreement for the complete withdrawal of its troops from invaded areas to destroy what is left of Hezbollah’s positions and weapon depots.
Meanwhile, explosions were heard in the Anti-Lebanon mountains separating Lebanon and Syria, apparently caused by the Lebanese army detonating explosive remnants of Israeli operations against Bekaa.
2024 Year in Review: Conflict keeps Sudanese trapped in a nightmare without end
Famine now blights swathes of the country, while mass atrocities have taken place in Darfur and other regions
Sudan remains a stark reminder of the human cost of indifference and the urgent need for concerted global action
Updated 42 sec ago
Robert Edwards
LONDON: Sudan’s descent into chaos, triggered by the outbreak of civil war in April 2023, has created one of the worst humanitarian disasters of the 21st century.
Despite its magnitude, the crisis has been overshadowed this year by events in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, leaving millions to endure unimaginable hardship with insufficient international attention or assistance.
The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has plunged the nation into a spiral of violence, famine, displacement, and suffering.
Over the course of 2024, tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions forced from their homes. Famine now blights swathes of the country, while mass atrocities have taken place in Darfur and other regions.
Essential services, including hospitals, have collapsed, leaving the population dependent on overstretched and underfunded humanitarian aid.
The conflict between Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo has plunged the nation into a spiral of violence. (AFP/File)
Observers say the crisis, described by the UN as a “living nightmare,” has exposed the failure of the international community to provide adequate support or enforce meaningful accountability.
Hunger is now a fact of life for millions of Sudanese. The crisis has unleashed famine, particularly in Darfur, Kordofan, and neighboring regions, where the fighting has decimated agricultural production and disrupted supply chains.
In August, the Global Famine Review Committee officially declared famine in parts of Sudan, confirming IPC Phase 5 conditions in camps near Al-Fashir in Darfur. More than 25.6 million people face acute food insecurity, while 1.5 million are on the edge of famine.
The outbreak of famine was no accident. Humanitarian agencies say both the SAF and RSF have weaponized hunger by blocking aid routes, looting food supplies, and destroying farmland.
The deliberate targeting of humanitarian convoys has left isolated communities without access to food or clean water, exacerbating the crisis. Children have been the most vulnerable, with malnutrition rates soaring to catastrophic levels in displacement camps.
Malnutrition weakens immune systems, making the population more susceptible to illness. Disease outbreaks, including cholera and malaria, have compounded the misery.
Relief efforts, hampered by funding gaps and logistical challenges, have failed to match the scale of need. Despite repeated warnings from aid organizations, donor pledges have fallen short, leaving millions at risk of starvation.
The conflict has also triggered one of the largest displacement crises in recent history. More than 14 million people have been forced from their homes, with 11 million internally displaced and 3 million fleeing to neighboring countries such as Chad, Egypt, and South Sudan.
Khartoum, once the vibrant capital of Sudan, has become an epicenter of displacement. Entire neighborhoods lie in ruins, and millions of internally displaced persons now live in makeshift shelters, enduring appalling conditions.
Refugees who have sought sanctuary in neighboring countries now find themselves in overcrowded camps, with inadequate provisions and limited access to healthcare.
Host countries, already grappling with their own economic and security challenges, have received insufficient international support to meet the growing needs of these vulnerable populations.
The plight of IDPs is compounded by continued violence. Armed groups frequently attack camps, looting supplies and preying on displaced families. Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations face immense challenges in reaching those most in need.
Millions of people lack access to basic necessities such as food, water, medicine, and fuel. The war has crippled the country’s healthcare system, with more than 70 percent of medical facilities destroyed, looted, or knocked out of action.
Humanitarian aid, though vital, has been woefully insufficient. Only half of the $2.7 billion needed for Sudan’s relief operations in 2024 was funded, leaving millions without adequate support.
Refugees who have sought sanctuary in neighboring countries now find themselves in overcrowded camps. (AFP/File)
Aid agencies say the SAF and RSF have systematically obstructed deliveries of relief, targeting warehouses and convoys in an attempt to starve opposition strongholds into submission. As such, despite the efforts of aid workers, the scale of suffering continues to grow.
The toll of Sudan’s civil war is staggering, with estimates indicating more than 150,000 civilians killed since the conflict began in April 2023. These deaths, caused by bombardments, massacres, starvation, and disease, underscore the catastrophic human cost of the war.
A November report by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine estimated more than 61,000 deaths in Khartoum state alone between April 2023 and June 2024.
Medical professionals warned early on that official figures underrepresented the true death toll, as many victims could not access hospitals due to ongoing violence.
In a May US Senate hearing, experts suggested the real casualty figure could be 10 to 15 times higher than earlier estimates.
The appalling extent of the violence plaguing Sudan emerged in October and November amid a spate of massacres in eastern Al-Jazirah state. As of December, up to 7,000 civilians had been killed in a series of brutal attacks reportedly carried out by the RSF, according to local monitors.
Survivors recounted harrowing tales of mass rape, forced displacements, and homes set ablaze. These atrocities are part of a broader pattern of violence that has characterized the conflict across Sudan.
Ethnic and territorial motives have driven these attacks, particularly in non-Arab communities. The RSF has been accused of systematic killings, sexual violence, and the destruction of entire villages in Darfur and other regions.
International condemnation of the massacres has been swift but largely ineffective. Human rights organizations have called for accountability and protection for civilians, but the lack of a functional justice system in Sudan has allowed perpetrators to act with impunity.
The conflict has also been marked by the widespread and systematic use of sexual violence, with harrowing accounts of abuse continuing to emerge.
Over the course of 2024, tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions forced from their homes. (AFP/File)
In July, Human Rights Watch released a report detailing the extent of these atrocities, stating that sexual violence in Khartoum had become “widespread,” particularly at the hands of the RSF.
The report documented numerous cases of rape, gang rape, forced marriages, and sexual slavery, with victims ranging in age from nine to 60.
Women and girls, often displaced and vulnerable, have been subjected to unimaginable suffering. NGOs estimate that as many as 4,400 cases of sexual assault may have occurred during the conflict, though the true number is likely much higher.
In April, Canada’s Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights concluded that atrocities committed in Darfur meet the legal definition of genocide.
The RSF and allied militias have targeted communities, particularly the Masalit people, in what experts describe as a campaign of ethnic cleansing with echoes of the slaughter perpetrated by the RSF’s predecessor, the Janjaweed, in 2003-05.
Mass killings, sexual violence, and the destruction of villages have become hallmarks of the conflict. Survivors have recounted chilling accounts of entire families being executed and homes being razed.
The international community has struggled to respond effectively. While some advocacy groups have called for stronger sanctions and international prosecutions, enforcement mechanisms remain weak.
Many observers believe the international response to Sudan’s crisis has been fragmented and insufficient.
Relief efforts, hampered by funding gaps and logistical challenges, have failed to match the scale of need. (AFP/File)
The EU imposed sanctions on individuals and entities linked to activities that undermine Sudan’s stability, including those implicated in atrocities. However, these measures have done little to change the behavior of the warring factions.
The US and the African Union have called for a ceasefire, while Saudi Arabia and others have sought to mediate between the parties. However, peace talks have repeatedly failed.
In August, the Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan (ALPS) Group, which includes Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE, proposed the creation of humanitarian corridors and civilian protection measures. However, ongoing violence has stymied these efforts.
External actors have continued to arm factions in the conflict, further complicating international mediation efforts. The UN Security Council, meanwhile, has faced criticism for its perceived inaction.
As the war continues into another year, Sudan remains a stark reminder of the human cost of indifference and the urgent need for concerted global action.
Asma Assad ‘has 50/50 chance’ of surviving leukemia: Report
Former Syrian first lady is being kept isolated in Moscow as doctors treat aggressive blood cancer
The 49-year-old reportedly arrived in the Russian capital ahead of her ousted husband
Updated 38 min 54 sec ago
Arab News
LONDON: Asma Assad is suffering from leukemia and has been given a “50/50” chance of survival by doctors, the Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday.
The British-born wife of ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose family sought asylum in Moscow this month, is being kept in isolation to prevent infection.
Her father Fawaz Akhras is in the Russian capital to care for her, and was described as “heartbroken” by sources in contact with the Assad family.
In May, the Syrian presidency announced that the then-first lady had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.
It follows her previous battle with breast cancer, which she announced she was “completely” free from in 2019.
The 49-year-old is believed to have arrived in Moscow for treatment before the Kremlin convinced her husband to flee Syria earlier this month.
The news of her leukemia follows reports that she was unhappy in Moscow and seeking a divorce from her husband. The family have not commented on the reports and the Kremlin denied rumors of a divorce.
Turkish journalists briefed by Russian diplomats were believed to be the source of the reports, the Telegraph reported.
One source who has communicated with a family representative told the newspaper that “Asma is dying,” adding: “She can’t be in the same room with anyone (because of her condition).”
Akhras, a London-based cardiologist, has cared for his daughter for almost half a year, initially in the UAE and now in Moscow.
Syrians protest after video showing attack on Alawite shrine: monitor, witnesses
State news agency SANA said police in central Homs imposed a curfew from 6:00 p.m. (1500 GMT) until 8:00 am on Thursday
Syria’s new authorities said the video footage was “old” and that “unknown groups” were behind the incident
Updated 5 min 23 sec ago
AFP
DAMASCUS: Thousands protested Wednesday in several areas of Syria after a video circulated showing an attack on an Alawite shrine in the country’s north, a war monitor and witnesses said.
Syria’s new authorities said the footage was “old” and that “unknown groups” were behind the attack, saying “republishing” the video served to “stir up strife,” a day after hundreds protested in Damascus against the torching of a Christmas tree.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said “thousands of people” took to the streets on Wednesday, with major demonstrations in the coastal cities of Tartus and Latakia, provinces that are the heartland of the Alawite minority which deposed ruler Bashar Assad hails from.
The Britain-based Observatory also reported protests in parts of the central city of Homs and other areas including Qardaha, Assad’s hometown.
Witnesses told AFP demonstrations broke out in Tartus, Latakia and nearby Jableh, where images showed large crowds in the streets, some chanting slogans including “Alawite, Sunni, we want peace.”
State news agency SANA said police in central Homs imposed a curfew from 6:00 p.m. (1500 GMT) until 8:00 am on Thursday, while local authorities in Jableh also announced a nighttime curfew.
The Observatory said the protests erupted after a video began circulating earlier Wednesday showing “an attack by fighters” on an important Alawite shrine in the Maysaloon district of Syria’s second city Aleppo.
It said five workers were killed, adding that the shrine was set ablaze.
Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said the video was filmed early this month, after militants led by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) launched a lightning offensive and seized control of major cities including Aleppo on December 1, ousting Assad a week later.
AFP was unable to independently verify the footage or the date of the incident.
The new authorities’ interior ministry also said the footage was “old and dates to the time of the liberation” of the Aleppo this month.
The attack was carried out by “unknown groups,” the ministry statement said, adding that “republishing” the footage served to “stir up strife among the Syrian people at this sensitive stage.”
Protester Ali Daoud said thousands attended the demonstration in Jableh, adding that: “We are calling for those who attacked the shrine to be held to account.”
Images showed a large crowd marching in the streets brandishing the three-star independence-era flag.
“No to burning holy places and religious discrimination, no to sectarianism, yes to a free Syria,” one protest placard read.
In the city of Latakia, protesters decried “violations” against the Alawite community, said protester Ghidak Mayya, 30.
“For now... we are listening to calls for calm,” he said, warning that too much pressure on the community “risks an explosion.”
Tartus resident and protester, Alaa, 33, expressed concern that the situation could deteriorate, saying that “a single drop of blood risks us back to very bad scenario.”
Assad long presented himself as a protector of minority groups in Sunni Muslim-majority Syria.
Alawites fear backlash against their community both as a minority religious group and because of its long association with Assad’s family.
On Tuesday, hundreds of demonstrators protested in Christian areas of Damascus against the burning of a Christmas tree near central Syria’s Hama, with HTS vowing to restore it promptly.
Hamas says ‘new’ Israeli conditions delaying agreement on Gaza ceasefire
“Occupation has set new conditions concerning withdrawal (of troops), the ceasefire, prisoners, and the return of displaced people,” Hamas said
Updated 25 December 2024
AFP
JERUSALEM: Hamas accused Israel on Wednesday of imposing “new conditions” that it said were delaying a ceasefire agreement in the war in Gaza, though it acknowledged negotiations were still ongoing.
Israel has made no public statement about any new conditions in its efforts to secure the release of hostages seized on October 7, 2023.
Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, have taken place in Doha in recent days, rekindling hope for a truce deal that has proven elusive.
“The ceasefire and prisoner exchange negotiations are continuing in Doha under the mediation of Qatar and Egypt in a serious manner... but the occupation has set new conditions concerning withdrawal (of troops), the ceasefire, prisoners, and the return of displaced people, which has delayed reaching an agreement,” the Palestinian militant group said in a statement.
Hamas did not elaborate on the conditions imposed by Israel.
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told parliament that there was “some progress” in the talks, and on Tuesday his office said Israeli representatives had returned from Qatar after “significant negotiations.”
Last week, Hamas and two other Palestinian militant groups — Islamic Jihad and the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine — said in a rare joint statement that a ceasefire agreement was “closer than ever,” provided Israel did not impose new conditions.
Efforts to strike a truce and hostage release deal have repeatedly failed over key stumbling blocks.
Despite numerous rounds of indirect talks, Israel and Hamas have agreed just one truce, which lasted for a week at the end of 2023.
Negotiations have faced multiple challenges since then, with the primary point of disagreement being the establishment of a lasting ceasefire in Gaza.
Another unresolved issue is the governance of post-war Gaza.
It remains a highly contentious issue, including within the Palestinian leadership.
Israel has said repeatedly that it will not allow Hamas to run the territory ever again.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal last week, Netanyahu said: “I’m not going to agree to end the war before we remove Hamas.”
He added Israel is “not going to leave them in power in Gaza, 30 miles from Tel Aviv. It’s not going to happen.”
Netanyahu has also repeatedly stated that he does not want to withdraw Israeli troops from the Philadelphi Corridor, a strip of land cleared and controlled by Israel along Gaza’s border with Egypt.
The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, during which militants seized 251 hostages.
Ninety-six of them are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the army says are dead.
The attack resulted in 1,208 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 45,361 people in Gaza, a majority of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry that the UN considers reliable.
