Sudan Agrees To Indemnify Families Of USS Cole Sailors Killed By Al-Qaïda

The BBC reports that Sudan accepted to indemnify the families of 17 American sailors who died when their ship, the USS Cole, was bombarded by Al-Qaïda in a port of Yemen in 2000, a condition the United States said was essential for Sudan to be removed from its list of states supporting terrorism.

“Attentat contre l'USS Cole : Le Soudan accepte d'indemniser les familles Le Soudan a accepté d'indemniser les familles de 17 marins américains qui sont morts lorsque leur navire, l'USS Cole, a été bombardé par Al-Qaïda dans un port du Yémen en 2000”

BBC

The BBC adds that the United States judged Sudan responsible because the two kamikazes involved had been trained in the country, and it says a Reuters source close to the agreement put the payment at 30 million dollars.

BBC

The BBC also says the U.S. withdrawal from the blacklist would allow sanctions to be lifted, describing it as a major goal of the new Sudanese government.

In Khartoum, the BBC quotes the Sudanese justice ministry via Suna saying: "Le gouvernement du Soudan aimerait souligner que l'accord de règlement a explicitement affirmé que le gouvernement n'était pas responsable de cet incident ou de tout acte terroriste".

The BBC further notes that the Sudanese government accepted that Omar al-Bashir be handed to the International Criminal Court (CPI) to answer accusations of genocide and war crimes in Darfour, while the BBC says the exact amount Khartoum would pay was not known.

In Washington, Sudanhorizon says the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved another bill on Sudan titled (Preventing external aggression and conflict escalation “PEACE” in Sudan), and it says the legislation would ask the U.S. Departments of State and Treasury to submit reports on violations in Sudan.

Sudanhorizon reports that the bill would direct U.S. representatives at international financial institutions to prevent Sudan from receiving any loans or aid under current circumstances, while granting the president authority to lift that provision if the security and political situation in Sudan improves.

Dabanga Radio TV Online

Jeune Afrique, meanwhile, frames France’s role in Sudan’s economic reset by describing how Emmanuel Macron canceled nearly $5 billion of debt owed to France by Sudan after a conference in Paris on May 17.

Jeune Afrique says Abdallah Hamdok left Paris feeling fulfilled after obtaining from France a $1.5 billion bridge loan, and it quotes Macron saying: "These two conditions are fulfilled".

The BBC also places Sudan’s political transition in context by noting that in April the protests that followed inflation and fuel and foreign currency shortages led to the fall of President Omar al-Bashir, setting the stage for the new government’s push to end economic isolation.

Pressafrik says U.S. sanctions announced by the State Department on May 22 for having used chemical weapons in its war against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) came into effect this weekend, and it says the sanctions last at least one year.

“Sudan: why and how Emmanuel Macron canceled $5 billion of debt”

Jeune Afrique

Pressafrik reports that the State Department accused Khartoum of violating the Chemical Weapons Convention Sudan ratified in 1999, and it says the sanctions include a halt of all arms sales to the Sudanese government, restrictions on access to U.S. government credits, and limits on U.S. exports to Sudan except for agricultural products and emergency humanitarian aid.

سودان تربيون describes a separate congressional push that would require the U.S. administration to determine whether the global terrorist criteria apply to the Sudan conflict parties, with a highly classified report due to the Foreign Relations and Judiciary committees within 90 days of enactment.

سودان تربيون also says the bill would extend prior pressure led by Senator Jim Risch, and it states that designations as a SDGT under EO 13224 and the IEEPA would freeze all assets and property under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibit financial transactions with the group.

Dabanga Radio TV Online adds that the Peace in Sudan Act gives the U.S. president authority to impose severe sanctions, including freezing assets and banning or revoking visas, for anyone who recruits children, commits atrocities and violations, or targets civilians, while also requiring periodic reports on weapons transfers and violations of the UN arms embargo.