Suspension of #USAID deepens humanitarian strain in #Tigray camps; displaced residents say “we ration lentils like they’re a treasure”

At the 70 Kare IDP Center near #Mekelle, Tigray’s largest displacement site, 35-year-old Leterbrhan holds a plate with a few lentils and asks, “What does Trump eat? Here, we ration lentils like they’re a treasure.” Displaced by the Tigray war (2020–2022), she lives with her one-year-old daughter in a camp where, despite a peace agreement signed in Pretoria in 2022, many continue to live under precarious conditions. Now, residents say they are also facing the consequences of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) suspension, ordered by President Donald Trump at the beginning of 2025.

“Since Trump took office as president of the United States, three people have left to embark on migration routes out of fear, desperation, and loss of hope. They are now imprisoned in Libya,” said Mehari Abadi, a coordinator at the Haki IDP Center, where 2,250 displaced persons currently reside. Gebreslassie Hailemichal, another coordinator, detailed the reductions in food rations: “In January, February, and March 2024, we received a 15-kilogram bag of wheat from USAID per person. From April to September, the amount changed from 15 to 12 kilograms per person. In October, November, and December, we were informed that we would receive 9,200 bir [$68] per family, but the reality is that they only paid for two of those three months.”

“It is very difficult to express how I feel, how we feel. We are alone, and we know it. The only thing left is to pray to God for help or simply wait for death,” said 65-year-old Genet Araya, who has lived at the Haki Center since October 2022. Tirhas Teweldemdh, another displaced woman at the center, said: “Why does [Trump] ignore us before the peace agreement [signed in Pretoria, South Africa, in 2022] is fully implemented? He is the richest man in the world; we are the poorest. He plays with our hunger, why does he do this? I would tell Trump that if I could speak to him… We have no options, there’s no hope, all we can do is wait to die.”

“We stopped working on January 24, 2025,” said Mebrahtom Belay, head of USAID in Tigray. “Our major problem has been that the budget is managed at the national level, and despite our request for better communication, from Tigray we rarely knew what the budget was for most of the campaigns.” Mebrahtom noted that “the budget for rehabilitating 40% of public facilities had been approved, but sadly, it has now been interrupted.” On the HIV program, which USAID also funded, he added: “What Trump did is not correct… It’s true that there should have been more thorough audits, but punishing innocent people in this way for the mismanagement of a few is not the solution.”

https://english.elpais.com/international/2025-05-11/hunger-looms-in-tigrays-refugee-camps-what-does-trump-eat-here-we-ration-lentils-to-make-them-last.html

#Somalia reopens #Doolow airport after months-long suspension

Somalia's federal government has reopened Doolow airport in the Gedo region, lifting a flight ban that had been in place since late December 2024, according to a statement from the Ministry of Internal Security.

Federal Internal Security Minister Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail Fartaag said the decision followed “a thorough security review” and commitments from Doolow authorities to ensure airport safety and compliance with national aviation laws. The airstrip was initially closed after a Halla Airlines flight, operating the #Mogadishu–Kismayo–Mogadishu route, was reportedly diverted “without clearance” and “forcefully landed” in Doolow—a move the federal government described as a violation of Somali airspace regulations.

The reopening comes amid mounting pressure from residents and regional officials. Minister Fartaag cited “the pressing needs of the Gedo population, particularly with the Hajj season approaching,” and added that the government had acted “based on assurances” from both local officials and regional security forces. The closure had been criticized by the Jubaland administration, which accused the federal government of using the flight suspension as a political tool.


https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/somalia-govt-reopens-doolow-airport-after-months-long-flight-ban

#Ethiopian media under siege ahead of 2026 Elections

#Ethiopia’s media landscape is once again gripped by a “climate of fear” as journalists face arrests, raids, and terrorism charges, raising serious concerns about press freedom in the lead-up to national elections scheduled for 2026.

Recently, journalists have found themselves increasingly targeted. Three staff members from #AddisStandard were detained for hours last month after a police raid on the publication’s offices. Authorities confiscated laptops and mobile phones...The reasons behind the detentions remain unclear.

Another case in April saw a journalist from The Reporter detained while covering grievances of former soldiers dismissed without compensation. These incidents have fueled widespread unease among Ethiopian media workers.

Adding to concerns, lawmakers recently passed a legislative amendment that tightens state control over media regulation, transferring oversight to the prime minister’s office, weakening the independence of the media authority.

Journalists interviewed by AFP, all using pseudonyms for safety, described a deeply troubling atmosphere. One, referred to as “Tesfa,” said the situation is now “more dire than ever.” Others recounted deleting apps and messages out of fear that private communications could be used against them.

On World Press Freedom Day, 14 diplomatic missions - including those from the UK, France, and Belgium - issued a joint statement condemning the “significant pressure” placed on freedom of expression in Ethiopia.

https://newscentral.africa/ethiopian-media-under-siege-ahead-of-2026-elections/

#Ethiopia: Health professionals at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital hold protest ahead of nationwide strike demanding better pay, benefits, and working conditions

Health professionals at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital held a pre-strike protest on Monday, ahead of a nationwide strike planned for Tuesday to demand better salaries, benefits, and working conditions. Protesters carried placards reading, “We Save Lives But Can’t Afford Rent,” “Stop Harassing Health Workers,” and “Healthy Citizens Build a Strong Economy.” The demonstration follows similar actions held earlier this month in public hospitals nationwide, including over the weekend in Debre Tabor, Debre Markos, Bahir Dar’s Tibebe Ghion, and Felege Hiwot hospitals, where health professionals raised concerns over “delayed salaries, unfulfilled benefit payments, and deteriorating workplace conditions.”

Speaking to Addis Standard, one health professional actively participating in the movement said the nationwide strike is intended to be “a partial strike which preserves emergency, labor, and ICU services,” and added, “we don’t think that’s harmful to the people.” The professional stated, “We really care for our people,” and explained that their oath “obliged us not to harm patients, so we will never do that.” However, he cautioned that if authorities “do any harm to those who are involved in the partial strike, we will be obliged to get into full strike,” and warned that “the government will be fully responsible for all deaths and morbidity that will happen owing to that.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=50109

#Sudan orders halt to South Sudan oil exports citing #RSF attacks

Sudan has instructed oil firms to begin shutting down the pipeline transporting South Sudanese crude for export, citing repeated drone attacks attributed to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their alleged allies, according to a letter seen by the Sudan Tribune. The letter, dated May 9 and signed by Mohhieddien Naiem Mohamed Saied, undersecretary at Sudan’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, said the attacks had caused “grave losses in both national economies and the foreign investors,” particularly by disrupting oil production and transportation systems.

The letter highlighted that a drone strike in the early hours of May 9 had targeted PETCO’s pump station number 5 in Al-Hudi, causing what was described as “grave damage.” It also pointed to a separate incident on May 8, in which a diesel depot used by the Bashayer Pipeline Company (BAPCO) in White Nile state was reportedly hit. Sudan’s energy ministry said the attacks had led to shipment delays, power outages at maritime terminals, and risks of fuel shortages, adding that the situation posed a “very high” threat to export operations.

As a result, Sudan has “instructed both PETCO and BAPCO to deliver a fast-track roadmap to enable us to shut down the facilities,” the letter stated. A technical adviser at South Sudan’s Ministry of Petroleum, speaking anonymously, confirmed the letter was received on Friday, May 9, and noted that a response may follow “on Monday through official channels.” Another South Sudanese official suggested Khartoum may be using the “security situation as leverage to increase oil transit fees.”

https://sudantribune.com/article300736/#google_vignette

#Ethiopia: Salsay Weyane #Tigray warns of “rapidly escalating death toll” in IDP camps, cites stalled implementation of #CoHA and risk of renewed conflict

Salsay Weyane Tigray, an opposition party in the Tigray region, has warned of a “rapidly escalating death toll” in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, citing “critical shortages of essential supplies” and what it described as a worsening humanitarian crisis.

In a statement issued on 12 May, the party said “millions of IDPs and refugees” are living in “abject squalor,” and warned that “the prospects for both short- and long-term relief are vanishing rapidly” due to “a clear lack of political will and the looming threat of renewed conflict.” It attributed the situation to a “dangerous impasse” in the implementation of the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) and “escalating tensions between the Ethiopian and #Eritrean governments,” warning these developments “directly threaten to reignite a far deadlier conflict.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=50127

Policy Debate: Transcending contingent barriers in #Ethiopia-#Türkiye relations

In this commentary, Dr. Mukerrem Miftah, senior researcher at the Centre for Türkiye Studies (CeTuS) and senior lecturer at the Ethiopian Civil Service University, reflected on the historical and strategic dimensions of Ethiopia–Türkiye relations. He argued that ties between the two countries are grounded in “deep-rooted historical, cultural, and religious experiences,” citing 19th-century diplomatic exchanges between Emperor Menelik II and Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II as an example of how “religious, moral, and historical affinity” once informed bilateral engagement. Ethiopia, he wrote, continues to hold a unique place in “Turkish, particularly Islamic Turkish, consciousness,” in part due to its role in early Islamic history and symbolic figures such as Bilal al-Habesh and the first Hijrah to the Christian Kingdom of Axum.

Dr. Mukerrem criticized what he called Ethiopia’s “extraordinarily poor” institutional approach to Islamic heritage preservation, contrasting it with Türkiye’s efforts such as the restoration of the al-Nejashi Mosque. He attributed the lack of domestic engagement to a religious elite that “largely underestimates local, historical, and religious legacies.” To address this, he called on bodies such as the Ministry of Culture and the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council to help reposition Ethiopia’s early Islamic connections as a core part of its national identity and foreign policy, adding that “symbolic acts of remembrance must be matched by domestic commitment.”

Addressing recent political challenges, the author identified Türkiye’s alleged role in Ethiopia’s war in #Tigray as a “contingent and ephemeral” but potentially damaging obstacle. Referring to statements by senior TPLF officials, including Getachew Reda, he noted that Türkiye’s arms sales during the war could “constrain Türkiye's strategic and regional ventures” if not critically assessed. He further pointed to growing concerns among Turkish investors about regulatory inefficiencies and allegations of misconduct involving some Turkish firms. “If left unaddressed,” he cautioned, “these concerns risk undermining the long-term credibility of Türkiye’s presence in Ethiopia,” calling for institutional reform and renewed trust-building on both sides.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=50119

#Ethiopia: Four opposition parties call for political, security reforms ahead of Ethiopia’s 7th national election; warn current conditions threaten vote’s “credibility”

Four opposition parties have issued a joint call for political and security reforms ahead of Ethiopia’s upcoming national election, warning that current conditions threaten the vote’s “credibility.” In a statement released on 12 May, All Ethiopia Unity Party, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party (#EPRP), Enat Party, and the Amhara Ghionians Movement said the government must ensure a “fair media,” allow civic institutions to “operate freely,” and release political prisoners detained “due to their political views and identities.”


The statement also raised concern over changes within the National Election Board of Ethiopia (#NEBE), noting that “the process of replacing Election Board members in a new form has begun.” While recognizing the challenges faced by the current board, the parties said it has “gained experience by conducting at least one election” and warned that new appointees may “lack the experience” to manage the process effectively. They called for any replacement to follow Article 5 of Proclamation No. 33/20 and Sub-Article 6, which require consultation with political parties. The statement urged the ruling party to “return to the negotiating table” and engage in “genuine and all-inclusive dialogue,” emphasizing that the upcoming election is “a matter of life and death” and “the only alternative” to resolving the country’s “multi-faceted quagmire.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=50134

#Sudan warns #Red_Sea navigation at risk after Port Sudan attacks; accuses #UAE of supporting #RSF

Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has warned that recent drone attacks on Port Sudan pose a threat to navigation safety in the Red Sea, attributing the strikes to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and accusing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of providing them with support.

In a statement issued Monday, the ministry said the attacks targeted key sites including the seaport, airport, fuel depots, a power station, military facilities and a hotel housing diplomats. It claimed the strikes were part of efforts to “destroy the Sudanese state” and prolong the conflict, following territorial losses by the RSF.

“These attacks threaten regional security and the safety of navigation in the Red Sea,” the ministry said, urging “effective measures… against the regional sponsor” of the RSF. While not naming the UAE directly, the ministry alleged the sponsor had supplied drones, weapons and foreign personnel to carry out the attacks.

The ministry also welcomed international condemnations from the UN, AU, EU, U.S., Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, and cited the EU’s reference to an “external dimension” to the attacks. The accusations come after Sudan severed diplomatic ties with the UAE, labelling it an “aggressor state” over alleged arms supplies to the RSF. Sudan previously filed a case against the UAE at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, and has a pending complaint before the UN Security Council.

https://sudantribune.com/article300795/

Numbers don’t lie: The disconnect between professional growth and financial reward in #Ethiopia’s health sector is a systemic crisis

"We save lives but can’t afford rent." This cry from the heart of Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital captures the seriousness of the ongoing questions by Ethiopia’s healthcare professionals. From Addis Abeba to regional hospitals, physicians are standing up - not just for paychecks, but for dignity. As one health worker puts it, "this isn’t just about better pay, it’s about reclaiming our humanity." The strike that began today is a call for systemic reform; the author of this article argues.

Behind the slogans are staggering realities (see the graph). The writer, a senior physician who is no longer in their position testifies, “Now, with nearly two decades of experience… I earn the equivalent of $173/month, roughly what a junior doctor earned two decades ago” when the Birr was stronger than it is today. Despite rising workloads, real incomes have collapsed, eroded by devaluation and surging inflation. Bread, fuel, transport - everything costs more, while salaries stand still. This isn’t an “abstract policy debate”; it’s a structural failure with dangerous consequences for public health, the writer warns.

Ethiopia pays its doctors among the lowest in Africa, while expecting the most. Neighboring countries like Kenya and Rwanda have implemented reforms to retain skilled professionals.

As the physician-author warns, policymakers must stop treating health workers as expendable. Inflation-adjusted pay, housing allowances, and retention schemes aren’t luxuries, they are lifelines. “If left unaddressed, this will lead to the collapse of the country’s medical workforce.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=50142

#Ethiopia: Health professionals report facing threats, intimidation as nationwide partial strike over pay, benefits kicks off

Health professionals across Ethiopia have reported facing threats and pressure from local authorities as a nationwide partial strike over pay and working conditions began on Tuesday, 13 May. A staff member at Madda Walabu University Goba Referral Hospital in #Oromia said workers were “facing intimidation,” adding the facility was “full of government officials” from early morning. In #Amhara region’s Akesta General Hospital, a doctor was briefly detained and told to either resume duties or “go to prison,” before being returned to the hospital after colleagues “chose to go to prison in solidarity,” according to a health worker.

In #Addis_Abeba, Addis Standard visited three major public hospitals—Menelik II Referral Hospital, Zewditu Memorial Hospital, and Yekatit 12 Hospital—where outpatient services were halted in the morning despite staff being present. Patients were seen waiting in queues while health workers in uniform remained inactive. One patient at Menelik II said, “Staff are walking around, but no one is attending patients,” while another at Zewditu said, “We’ve been here since morning, but no one has called us in.” Essential units such as emergency, ICU, and maternity services remained functional.

The strike follows a campaign under hashtags such as #HealthWorkersMatter and #PayHealthWorkersFairly, and comes after years of what professionals describe as “unaddressed demands.” Multiple arrests were reported in the lead-up, including that of Yonatan Dagnew, president of the Ethiopian Health Professionals Association (#EHPA), and three doctors from Arba Minch. On Monday, Amnesty International called for the government to “immediately release Yonatan Dagnew... and others detained over the planned healthcare strike,” and urged authorities to “respect the right to peaceful assembly” and “stop harassing healthcare workers.” In an interview with state media, Health Minister Dr. Mekdes Daba said concerns over salary, benefits, and risk compensation have been raised “many times,” and while “some of them have been reviewed and are being addressed,” she cautioned that the government “cannot act today, put the society under pressure, or take actions that are not sustainable.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=50147

#Chinese firms to Invest $1.75 billion in #Ethiopia mining, solar

Ethiopia expects five Chinese companies to invest a total of $1.75 billion in the East African nation, mainly in solar-cell manufacturing and mineral exploration, according to Finance Minister Ahmed Shide.

Shanghai-listed CSI Solar Co., in which Canadian Solar Inc holds a majority stake, will spend $250 million on a plant producing solar modules and energy-storage products, while Sequoia Mining & Processing Plc plans to invest $600 million in coal exploration.


Hainan Drinda New Energy Technology Co. and Toyo Solar Manufacturing One Member Plc also have solar manufacturing projects in the works, while Hua Ye Mining Processing Co. plans to invest $500 million in mineral exploration and processing, and the development of a special economic zone focused on minerals.

The companies are undergoing the local licensing process, said Zeleke Temesgen, commissioner at the Ethiopia Investment Commission.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-13/chinese-firms-to-invest-1-75-billion-in-ethiopia-mining-solar?srnd=homepage-americas

#The_Interview: No historical, demographic, or constitutional basis for #Amhara claims on Western #Tigray – Historian Tesfakiros Arefe

The cabinet of the Tigray Interim Administration recently accused federal government media and outlets in the Amhara region of spreading false claims that “Western Tigray is part of Amhara,” calling it a violation of both the constitution and the Pretoria peace agreement.

In its statement, the administration cited an Ethiopian Press Agency report that mentioned a road connecting #Gondar to #Humera. The cabinet noted, “While Humera is a territory of Tigray located in Western Tigray, the report referred to it as connecting with Gondar as if it were part of the Amhara region.”

Another example highlighted was federal media coverage of a fundraising event at the Sheraton Addis titled “Come, Let’s Beautify Gondar.” According to the statement, “During this event, donations were solicited in the name of Wolkait, Tsegede, Setit, and Humera.” The administration condemned this as “a conspiracy intended to convey the message that Western Tigray is part of the Amhara region.”

Lieutenant General Tadesse Werede, President of the Tigray Interim Administration, recently stated, “Nearly 40% of Tigray remains under the grip of external forces.” He was referring to Western Tigray and parts of Southern Tigray, which are currently controlled by forces aligned with the Amhara region. Eritrean troops also continue to occupy areas in Northern and Northeastern Tigray. “Above all else, the interim administration’s mission is to ensure the region’s territorial boundaries as enshrined in the constitution…,” the president said.

In a detailed interview published in The Addis Standard Quarterly Journal (#ASQJ), Issue #1, historian Tesfakiros Arefe emphasized, “The constitution has no problem” in resolving the issue but stressed that “what we’re seeing is forcible annexation in violation of the constitution.” He cited the 2007 census, which showed that 97% of Wolkait’s population was Tigrinya-speaking. Arguing that “there is no historical, demographic, or constitutional basis” for the claims over the area, Tesfakiros warned that the federal government’s actions are “eroding public trust.” He also asserted that the government is using these territories as “political bargaining chips,” hindering the withdrawal of non-ENDF forces as stipulated in the peace agreement.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=50156

#Amnesty urges arms embargo renewal on #South_Sudan; cites #Ugandan military presence

Amnesty International has called on the United Nations Security Council (#UNSC) to renew and enforce its arms embargo on South Sudan, citing “open violations” by Ugandan forces and continued use of military helicopters by South Sudanese forces. The embargo, initially imposed in 2018, is set to expire on 31 May. Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, said that while the embargo “has not been a panacea,” without it, “the human rights situation would almost certainly be worse.”

According to Amnesty, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) deployed armed personnel and military equipment to South Sudan in March 2025, allegedly without notifying the UNSC Sanctions Committee — a requirement under resolution 2428. Amnesty said the deployment “flagrantly violates the arms embargo” and is inconsistent with the stated purpose of the mission. While UPDF officials reportedly told media the troops were sent to “secure the capital Juba” and are “not there for peacekeeping,” the force’s own website described their aim as to “maintain peace and security in the country.”

Amnesty also cited evidence of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (#SSPDF) operating attack helicopters, including reports that two Mi-24 helicopters bombed a pharmacy operated by Médecins Sans Frontières in Old Fangak on 3 May, killing seven and injuring 20 others. Chagutah emphasized that “amid heightened tensions in the country,” regional and international actors “have a duty to protect civilians by ensuring the current arms embargo is not violated, including through the introduction of new weapons, arms or spare parts.”

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/05/south-sudan-un-security-council-must-renew-and-enforce-arms-embargo-to-protect-civilians/

Video: Pretoria Agreement is in a “strange limbo”, U.S. policy expert tells Senate members responding to a question on “the bubbling, almost boiling situation” between #Ethiopia and #Eritrea.

At a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on 13 May focusing on East Africa and The Horn, Michelle Gavin of the Council on Foreign Relations cautioned against the fragile state of peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea, attributing it to the incomplete implementation of the Pretoria Agreement. She described the current state of the agreement as being in a “strange limbo.”

Responding to a question from Senator Van Hollen on what “practical steps” the U.S. should take to “try to address the bubbling, almost boiling situation with respect to Ethiopia and Eritrea,” Michelle echoed concerns previously raised by Joshua Meservey of the Hudson Institute. Joshua had highlighted Eritrea’s continued presence inside Tigray in violation of the agreement.

Both experts discussed the need for international pressure to ensure full implementation of the Pretoria Agreement, which brought an end to the brutal two-year war in the Tigray region.

“This is something everybody’s already agreed to, but it has not been fully implemented. It is in this strange limbo,” Michelle said, calling for increased involvement from AU member states as a “helpful focal point.”

#Breaking: #Ethiopia’s Election Board revokes #TPLF’s legal status

The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has revoked the legal status of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), citing its “failure” to implement “corrective measures” mandated under Proclamation No. 1332/2016. The Board stated the TPLF “did not fulfill” the conditions of its special registration, which required the party to hold a general assembly within six months of its August 2024 registration under the special status, and to notify the Board 21 days in advance. Despite warnings issued in February.

The TPLF, however, rejects NEBE’s authority in the matter, arguing that its original legal recognition was restored through the November 2022 Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA). “Denying our legal recognition undermines the very foundation of the peace accord,” the party said, accusing the Board of acting “under the guise of legal cover.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=50164

#TPLF: Practically reclassified as “illegal political party”

In its decision to revoke TPLF’s legal status today, #NEBE practically reclassifiedthe TPLF as an “illegal political party,” and brought back to life its January 2021 decision to revoke the party’s legal status. That initial decision was based on the TPLF’s “engagement in armed conflict.”

NEBE said that, pursuant to Article 99 of Proclamation No. 1162/2019 of “The Ethiopian Electoral, Political Parties Registration and Election’s Code of Conduct Proclamation,” the appropriate legal consequences will apply to the TPLF and its leadership, including the prohibition of further political activity and asset disposition as per Article 99 of Proclamation titled “Effect of Cancellation or Dissolution of Political Party.”
The Article outlines the legal consequences that follow when a political party is dissolved, whether voluntarily, by decision of the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), or through a court ruling.

Accordingly, Art. 99/1 stipulates that once a party is officially dissolved, either by its own decision, by NEBE, or by court order, it loses all legal authority to operate or act under its name from the date the dissolution takes effect. This includes both the party as an entity and its leadership.

Art.99/2 says if the party has debts, its assets must first be used to settle those liabilities. This ensures that dissolution does not allow parties to avoid financial accountability.

Similarly, Art. 99/3 says any assets that remain after all debts are paid, or if there were no debts, the leftover property or funds must be used for civic and voter education, as directed by NEBE. This provision ensures that residual party resources are redirected to public benefit.

#Ethiopia: Health workers report detentions, pressure from authorities as partial nationwide strike enters second day

Health professionals and medical students in multiple regions of Ethiopia have reported arrests and increasing pressure from authorities as a nationwide partial strike entered its second day on Wednesday, 14 May. The strike, which began on Tuesday, is part of a coordinated movement calling for fair pay, improved benefits, and risk compensation—demands participants say have been neglected for years.

At St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College in the capital, three medical trainees—two interns and a fifth-year student—were detained between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, a health professional told Addis Standard. They were reportedly taken to Lazarist Police Station in Adisu Gebeya and “cannot communicate with anyone on the outside.” The source added that intern doctors have since “left the campus,” citing a heightened police presence. “All outpatient departments are closed,” the professional said, with only critical services such as emergency, ICU, and labor wards remaining operational

A separate health worker from Tikur Anbesa Specialized Hospital confirmed that the strike is proceeding “according to plan” across departments. The source also reported the arrest of Dr. Nebiyu, a chief resident in the orthopedic department, who was “taken from his home” by security forces. “We are not currently aware of his status. Just that he was taken by security,” the source said. The source further claimed that “rather than taking our movement seriously, the responsible bodies have continued to make threats.” He also alleged attempts to undermine the strike by “making calls to unemployed physicians to take over.”


In the #Amhara region, detentions were reported in multiple hospitals. At Delgi Primary Hospital in Takusa District, East Gondar Zone, a health professional said that on Monday, 13 May, “Dr. Biniam Assefa, the hospital’s Outpatient Department Manager,” was detained around noon by “ten security personnel,” followed by the arrest of “Habte Kefele, a nurse and coordinator of the outpatient department,” around 12:30 p.m. The professional stated that both detainees were accused of having links to “extremist forces” and, despite promises of release after investigation, “both remain in custody.”

Attempts by Addis Standard to contact the Federal Police, Addis Abeba Health Bureau, Addis Abeba Police Commission, and the Ministry of Health were unsuccessful.


https://addisstandard.com/?p=50185

#Sudan’s capital suffers blackout from #RSF drone attack

Sudan’s electricity provider said late Wednesday that two power stations were targeted in a drone attack carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), causing fires and a power outage in the capital.

“Militia drones targeted the Al-Markhiat substation and a distribution station in the city of Omdurman,” it said in a statement.

It said the attack “led to a power outage across Khartoum, further worsening the suffering of citizens and the disruption of services.” The statement added, “The Civil Defense Forces are making significant efforts to extinguish the fire. A technical assessment of the damage caused by the attack will be conducted later, followed by the necessary remedial measures.”

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/sudan-s-capital-suffers-blackout-from-rsf-drone-attack/3568296