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Complex
09 April 2013

Coverage
Comprehensive Information on Complex Crisis

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Iraq Mali Syria IED/Demining 1 2 3 4

This document provides complex coverage of global events from 02 08 April 2013 with hyperlinks to source material highlighted in blue and underlined in the text. For more information on the topics below or other issues pertaining to events in the region, contact the members of the Complex Coverage Team or visit our website at www.cimicweb.org.

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The Civil-Military Fusion Centre (CFC) is an information and knowledge management organisation focused on improving civil-military interaction, facilitating information sharing and enhancing situational awareness through the CimicWeb portal and our Weekly and monthly publications. CFC products are based upon and link to open-source information from a wide variety of organisations, research centres and media outlets. However, the CFC does not endorse and cannot necessarily guarantee the accuracy or objectivity of these sources. CFC publications are independently produced by Desk Officers and do not reflect NATO policies or positions of any other organsiation. The CFC is part of NATO Allied Command Operations.

Iraq

Linda Lavender

linda.lavender@cimicweb.org

CONTACT THE CFC

For further information contact: Complex Coverage Team Leader Linda Lavender linda.lavender@cimicweb.org Foard Copeland Desk Officer foard.copeland @cimicweb.org

Yahya al Qubaisi, an analyst with the Iraqi Center for Strategic Studies in Amman, Jordan, suggests a correlation between the recent increase in violence in Sunni-dominated provinces and the disintegration of the Iraqiya political coalition, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Qubaisi states, [t]his wave of violence shows there is real fragmentation of Sunni unity. He adds, [w]e are now talking about a security situation that is different than the sectarian fighting in 2007 when there were groups fighting against the government and against those who cooperated with the government. We now have two main groups in the Sunni community and they both accept the political process; but each one wants to be the sole representative of the Sunnis within the government and within the provincial councils. Recent defections from Iraqyia have diminished the blocs influence in Baghdad, leaving its power dispersed across three different political factions, suggests Qubaisi. According to United Press International (UPI), Iraqi election officials are prepared for 20 April elections. The elections will take place in fourteen provinces despite security concerns. On 19 March, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced the postponement of elections in Anbar and Nineveh provinces for six months citing deteriorating security in those regions. UN special envoy to Iraq Martin Kobler agreed that, with the exception of the three Kurdish provinces, Iraq is prepared for elections and encouraged the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to maintain its independence and transparency to ensure credible elections. On 06 April, a coordinated bomb attack killed twenty people attending a political rally in Baquba, Diyala province, heightening concerns over pre-election violence, according to The New York Times (NYT). Four political candidates standing for elections were injured in the explosions. Jihad al Bakri, a security expert and former officer in the Iraqi Army, states Al Qaeda is here in Diyala and they want to prevent the elections from happening. More bombings will happen before the elections, and more attacks on candidates will happen.

Iraqs cabinet unveiled sweeping reforms to legislation that barred Baathist members from public office in an effort to quell months of protests and rallies by Iraqs Sunni Arab minority, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). The proposed amendment to the standing De-Baathification law must still be approved by the Iraqi Parliament. Despite international calls for Iraq to declare a moratorium on executions, Iraqi officials executed seven people convicted of terror-related crimes on 08 April, according to AFP. Amnesty International states that executions in Iraq have peaked to their highest level in almost ten years, reports Al Arabiya. Meanwhile, approximately fifty gunmen in military uniforms stormed four independent newspapers operating in Baghdad on 02 April, beating and stabbing newspaper employees, reports NYT. On 08 April, Iraq grounded and searched an Iranian aircraft en route to Syria and found only medical equipment, according to Reuters. In late March, US Secretary of State John Kerry called upon Iraqs Shiite -led government to improve its searches of Iranian aircraft transporting weapons to Syria through Iraqi airspace. Also, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, after months of hostile rhetoric with Turkey, now welcomes rapprochement, reports Reuters. Turkeys negotiation of energy deals with the semi -autonomous region of Kurdistan has angered the Iraqi central government, which maintains it alone is authorised to control oil exports and agreements. Unidentified attackers bombed a military vehicle in western Baghdad on 05 April, killing three soldiers, according to Al Jazeera. Later the same day, three civilians were killed at the market in Hillah, a Shiite -dominated city south of Baghdad. On 03 April, a member of the anti-al Qaeda Sunni militia and his mother were killed by unidentified gunmen, according to Associated Press (AP). The reemergence of al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) has coincided with an increase in revenge killings of anti-al Qaeda Sunni fighters who fought against AQI during the Iraq civil war.

Mali

Foard Copeland

foard.copeland@cimicweb.org

On 08 April, France launched its last major operation before reducing its presence in Mali later this month, reports BBC. Operation Gustav will rout militants from Gao and surrounding territories using 1,000 French troops. Covered by support from drones, tanks and helicopters, the soldiers moved against a suspected jihadist base in the small town of Bourem, north of Gao. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius urged Malis leaders to adhere to a 07 July deadline for presidential elections, reports Al Jazeera. Fabius also noted on his 05 April visit to Mali that France intends to halve the number of troops to 2,000 by July. All my interlocutors support the elections as provided for by the roadmap, and that those elections take place in July. Nobody, including politicians, have proposed anything different and for us it is important that election are held on the date, he said. Additionally, Fabius asserted that Tuareg separatist group National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) must disarm in time. Fabius described a disarmament process that will include cantonment1 and the abdication of arms, reports France 24. Tuareg fighters fear disarming due to recent backlash from Malians who blame them for sparking the conflict by declaring independence for the North, which subsequently fell under the control of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). Bilal Ag Al Sharif, MNLA Secretary-General, told Al Jazeera that his soldiers do not intend to return northern territory to the Malian government without a political dialogue. According to Sharif, the MNLA is open to peace talks with the Malian leadership. We have not completely renounced our independence claims. In fact, this is not just our desire, but that of our people, and for that purpose we have always expressed our readiness for negotiations, said Al Sharif. The United Nations diplomatic corps took up the issue of Mali last week after Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon released his two recommendations for a stabilisation mission on 26 March. On 03 April, Jeffrey Feltman, the UNs top political official warned the UN Security Council (UNSC) of the necessity for broad-based measures to secure and stabilise Mali. Feltman identified two immediate goals: securing the countrys territorial integrity and holding legitimate elections. Additional priorities include: strengtheni ng state institutions, preventing human rights violations during the transition process and bolstering local governance. While outlining key aspects of the Malian political transition, he commended the interim governments selection of a Tuareg woman, Meti Ag Mohame d Rhissa, as one of its two Vice-Presidents to the newly established National Commission. Rhissa is a moderate from the Kidal region who many hope will lead efforts to reconcile disputes between the countrys fractious ethnic communities. On 03 April, US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice announced US support for the transition of the African-led AFISMA force to a UN stabilisation operation. She said the US envisions a robust Chapter VII 2 peacekeeping mission with political and security mandates that provide for protection of civilians, a reconciliation process and democratic elections. Earlier, France declared it expects to contribute one thousand permanent troops to support a UN mission. Security Council Report, an independent watchdog, expects the UNSC to establish a fullfledged, UN-led peacekeeping operation rather than a political mission that supports AFISMA. According to the report, the fifteenmember states are focused on balancing security and robust stabilisation programmes with respect for the interim government and Malian-led initiatives.
1

Cantonment refers to the temporary housing of troops. Cantonment camps are typically provided to former combatants during the second stage of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) process, according to the UN Integrated DDR Standards (IDDRS). 2 Chapter VII peacekeeping missions take action with respect to peace, breaches of the peace, and acts of aggression. Althoug h rare in the past, they became more common under the current and previous Secretaries-General (1997-present). Chapter VII peacekeeping forces are authorised to use force in the protection of civilians and maintenance of peace, and they often incorporate robust political goals that relate to re-establishing the integrity of the state.

09 April 2013

On 03 April, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released a grim report on humanitarian conditions in Mali. The humanitarian situation in Mali remains extremely fragile. Since March 2012, over 470, 000 people have been displaced, the majority fleeing to southern Mali, further straining limited resources. An estimated 177,000 refugees fled to Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso; meanwhile, 10,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) stranded near the Algerian border require urgent assistance. Many pastoralist refugees fled with their herds, complicating their return and possibly endangering populations in neighbouring Sahel countries due to local-level skirmishes erupting from resource disputes and disruption of transhumance corridors. Displaced populations fleeing Mali due to insecurity are not inherently safer abroad, notes the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). On 05 April, UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards told reporters, Reception conditions are very precarious. In Niger, the two primary refugee camps lack health facilities and the drinking water contains clay. The fragility in Mali threatens regional neighbours as distressed populations compete for limited resources. FAO noted that in 2013, 10.3 million people in the Sahel could face food shortages and 1.4 million children might suffer malnutrition. Additionally, US Agency for International Development (USAID)s FEWS NET service predicts that northern Mali could precipitate into a food crisis in April. Gao will likely be affected, while Timbuktu and much of the countrys south will fare better. Final ly, BBC cited concerns voiced by aid groups in Mali and elsewhere over recent US budget cuts. The US is the worlds largest donor and in March it slashed its foreign operations budget by USD 2.7 billion, reducing the scale of its humanitarian operations by 5 per cent or more. At this point we are facing an acute number of crises, said Jeremy Kadden of InterAction, a consortium representing hundreds of non -governmental organisations.

Syria

Linda Lavender

linda.lavender@cimicweb.org

Ghassan Hitto, the newly elected Syrian opposition prime minister, began talks on 06 April to form an interim government of eleven ministries, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). The Syrian National Coalition indicated that nominees for ministry positions must willing to work from within Syrian borders and, [t]he nominee cannot be a pillar of the current regime (of President Bashar al-Assad) or have committed crimes against the Syrian people. The opposition continues to be divided over both the need for an interim government and Hittos election as prime minster at a March meeting in Istanbul. Major differences are emerging among rebel groups as the Syrian war drags on, according to UPI. Islamist and secular rebel forces are increasingly at odds and observers fear that the defining conflict will be a showdown between rebel factions rather than bat tling the Damascus regime and that the country will ultimately split between north and south. A full-blown civil war among the rebels is not out of the question, said journalist and analyst Victor Kotsev. In a Turkish television interview, President Assad pre dicted that if the on-going conflict in Syria results in the partitioning of the country, or if terrorist forces take controlthe situation will inevitably spill over into neighbouring countries and create a domino effect throughout the Middle East and beyond, reports Reuters. Free Syrian Army forces report the capture of the Um al Mayathen post along the Damascus-Jordan highway after heavy fighting on 05 April, according to Voice of America (VOA). The post is only several kilometres from the Nassib border crossing with Jordan. Diplomatic and regional intelligence indicate that in recent rebel advances, opposition forces seized large amounts of weapons ammunition and vehicles. The seizures allowed the rebels to maintain the offensive in the southern border area. Jordan has stepped up security and deployed more troops to the border while diplomatic and regional intelligence report that Amman was allowing li mited supplies of light arms to moderate rebel groups opposed to the Nusra front, deemed a terrorist group by the US. Jordan took steps to bolster security along its border with Syria on 05 April after Syri as President Bashar al Assad stated Jordan was playing with fire, by allowing US and other countries to undertake the training of Syrian rebel forces on Jordanian soil, re ports Al Jazeera. Assads comments came after US and other Western and Arab officials revealed that Jordan has been facilitating arms shipments to opposition forces and hosting training camps for Syrian rebels since October 2012. With a burgeoning refugee population and summer quickly approaching, Jordanian officials are concerned that water supplies within the country are insufficient to support populations, reports Time. Jordan continues to be one of the worlds most wate r-stressed countries and growing demand for water, along with electricity and food, may create instability in the country. Also, The Guardian reports Jordanian officials implemented additional security measures at the Zaatari refugee camp after an increased number of thefts, fires and riots. In Lebanon, fuel trucks travelling to Syria continue to be attacked by anti-Assad militants in Lebanon, according to The Washington Post. With Lebanons government doing little to stop the on-going fuel transfers, militants feel justified in their attempts to stem the daily delivery of an estimated 250,000 gallons of diesel fuel. Anti-Assad militants contend the fuel transfers help to sustain the Assad war effort. The most recent attack came on 03 April when several Syrian tanker trucks in the northern city of Tripoli came under gunfire, reports The Daily Star. On the same day, a Syrian helicopter travelled 20 kilometres into Lebanon and fired on a known opposition safe-haven in the Bekaa Valley, reports Al Jazeera. Arsal, the Lebanese village that came under Syrian fire, reported no injuries from the Syrian breach of sovereignty. On 08 April, UPI reports that Israeli leadership fear jihadists will use the Golan Heights to launch an attack on the country now that the Assad government has withdrawn troops from the area. Israeli Military Chief Lieutenant General Benny Gantz states, [w]e are seeing terror organisations gaining footholds increasingly in the territory , adding, [f]or now, they are fighting Assad. Guess what? Were next in line. In other regional events, Assad accused the Turkish Prime 09 April 2013

Minister Tayyip Erdogan of recruiting opposition fighters with Qatari money. He went further condemning the Arab League for its lacks legitimacy and went on to dismiss Western countries calling them, hypocrites for condemning the Syrian government crackdown on protesters. Finally, Israeli intelligence suggests that the Syrian government continues to send members of its irregular militias to a secret base in Iran for guerrilla combat training, reports Reuters. The secret base in Iran is attempting to train a 100,000 member force. The fighters appear to come primarily from minority groups supporting the Assad government. The move to train combatants in Iran suggests [Syrias] increasingly regionalized conflict has grown well beyond -and could even outlast-a battle for power between Assads circle and the opposition, says Reuters. On 06 April, a government airstrike on a majority Kurdish district in Aleppo killed nine children and three women, according to Australian Associated Press (AAP). The air attack came days after fierce fighting between Kurdish, pro-Assad and rebel troops. On 08 April, a suicide car bombing in Damascus killed at least fifteen people, reports The Guardian. At the time of the explosion, no group claimed responsibility for the attack. Responding to rebel advances in Damascus, Assad forces are reinforcing and defending their positions in the city, reports The Daily Star as well as in areas surrounding the city of Aleppo, according to The New York Times. The United Nations (UN) will soon run out of money to assist the massive influx of Syrian refugees in the region, according to a statement released on 05 April, reports Reuters. The needs are rising exponentially, and we are broke, said Marixie Mercado, spokeswoman for the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF). We are doing a lot; we are doing an enormous amount. But the needs are just extraordinary and they are growing every day. United States, European Union and Japan are the largest donors so far in 2013, reports the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). UNHCR has received a meagre USD 162 million, one-third of the USD 494 million required for the first six months of 2013. China donated USD one million specifically for refugees in Turkey. Russia is not on the list of UNHCR donors; however, Russias Foreign Ministry announced a donation of USD one million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), reports UPI. On 04 April, Lebanese President Michel Sleiman called for an international conference to discuss the establishment of UN protected displacement camps inside Syria, reports The Daily Star. Lastly, UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon announced on 08 April that the UN inspection team assembled to probe the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria was in Cyprus and ready to deploy, according to AFP. Citing political sensitivities, Ban did not include experts from UN Security Council permanent member countries or experts from Turkey and Arab countries. According to Reuters Russian diplomats advocate for a chemical weapons inquiry limited to the 19 March alleged attack, other UN countries seek a broader investigation. Ban stated, All serious claims regarding the use of chemical weapons in Syria would be examined.

IED & Demining

GLOBAL NEWS Germany: On 03 April, an operation to defuse an unexploded ordinance from World War II near Berlins main railway station was successfully completed, according to The Guardian. Somalia: A bomb exploded outside the headquarters of the countrys largest bank, wounding two people on 02 April, reports Reuters. Thailand: Suspected Muslim rebels in southern Thailand killed a deputy provincial governor and another state official with a roadside bomb on 05 April, according to Reuters. For more IED & Demining news click here or click on the map above.
Lebanon At Risk: Conflict in Bekaa Valley

Linda Lavender

linda.lavender@cimicweb.org

The CFC publishes a weekly IED and Demining Events map. This global compilation identifies and links to articles pertaining to IED events and demining efforts. This report covers 02 to 08 April 2013.

Iraq Complex Coverage

Mali Complex Coverage

Syria Complex Coverage

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09 April 2013