Ten years since the Rabaa massacre in Egypt, dozens killed in Libya- here’s the Middle East this week.
Ten years since one of the worst massacres of protesters in modern history | One million civilians have fled Sudan | Fighting in Libya killed dozens. Here’s the Middle East this week.
‘I saw so many bodies that day’: 10 years since Rabaa
It happened in Cairo’s Rabaa al-Adawiya Square: One of the worst massacres of protesters in recent history.
In 2013, thousands staged sit-ins to protest against a military coup that overthrew Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi in July. Many were Muslim Brotherhood supporters, Morsi’s group – loved and hated equally in Egypt.
At 6 am on August 14, 2013, security forces began a brutal crackdown. Amr Hashad was there and told Al Jazeera the horrors he saw. Military helicopters hovering, armoured vehicles blocking escapes, snipers on rooftops picking people off.
Human Rights Watch documented at least 900 protesters killed in Rabaa and at another sit-in at al-Nahda Square. Others say even more died. To compare, estimates suggest 400 to 1,000 people were killed in Tiananmen Square.
The Muslim Brotherhood has since been weakened. Our author says the group is going through an identity crisis, a legitimacy crisis and a membership crisis. Can it recover?
Sudan’s war, and the weapon being used against its women
The conflict in Sudan has trapped countless women who are being sexually assaulted in a country with little to no resources left to help them. Here are some of the harrowing testimonies of survivors, and the civilians dedicated to helping them.
Also this week, Sudan’s military leadership seems to be sending mixed messages.
The head of the army, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, accused the Rapid Support Forces of war crimes, while his deputy, Malik Agar, went in another direction, saying a negotiated settlement was inevitable.
There are no talks currently between the two sides while fighting rages in the capital, Khartoum, and in the Darfur region. The UN says more than 1 million people have fled to other countries.
Armed groups square off in Libya’s capital
Libya has been relatively quiet, but it remains a country with competing administrations, countless armed groups and no signs of a unified governance plan.
This week, the commander of one of the groups was detained by another, which led to a flare-up in fighting in the capital, Tripoli.
The two armed groups fought for 24 hours, killing at least 55 people, with dozens more injured and thousands of civilians displaced. The shooting ended soon after the commander’s release.
And now, something different
It’s been a hot summer, so a pool session is particularly refreshing for children attending al-Qudra summer camp in the Gaza Strip. The camp is designed for children who are amputees or born without a fully formed limb or limbs. “Children with amputated limbs … need spaces and activities tailored to them in order to make them feel included,” said camp organiser Hadil al-Saqqa.
Briefly
Quote of the Week
“You have to do it. You have to … Europe is the land of opportunity.” | Mohammed Sowe, a Gambian man who was rescued from a sinking ship that had left Tunisia for Europe.
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