Sudan has been gripped by violence since fighting broke out just over a week ago between rival military factions vying for control in Khartoum. With the situation deteriorating, the plight of civilians has been in the spotlight, but protective infrastructure is scarce. For Sudanese civilians, the only option has been “self-protection.”
For Tunisia’s population, water shortages are only the latest addition to a broader array of difficulties, including mounting inflation and a collapsing currency. Many Tunisians are now turning against President Kais Saied’s authoritarian power grab, and the sight of dry water taps is fueling further discontent.
More than 300 people have been killed and thousands more wounded in the week since intra-regime fighting among Sudan’s military rulers broke out in Khartoum. In addition to creating a humanitarian crisis in Khartoum, the conflict now risks drawing in regional actors, with potential fallout for neighboring states.
A recent report from the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan documented terrible human rights violations taking place in the country, named individual perpetrators and called for prosecutions. But certain obstacles could prevent the International Criminal Court from being the venue for such a trial.
A year after mass protests forced the resignation of the government, Sri Lanka is making some progress on its economic and debt crises. But the country is not out of danger. Its humanitarian crisis is far from over, and some of the forces that helped create the catastrophe are still embedded in the country’s centers of power.