UN envoy for Western Sahara quits
AFP, United Nations
The UN envoy for Western Sahara has offered his resignation after leading efforts for eight years to settle the conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front independence movement, a senior UN official said Monday.
Christopher Ross submitted his resignation in a letter sent last week to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who is considering whether to make a new appointment.
IS imposes ‘Afghan dress’ in Syrian town
AFP, Beirut
The militant Islamic State group has imposed an “Afghan-style” dress code on men in its Syrian stronghold Raqa to help its fighters blend into the civilian population, a monitor and activists said on Monday.
“For more than two weeks, Afghan-style clothing… has been imposed by Daesh,” said Abu Mohamed, an activist with the “Raqa is Being Slaughtered Silently” group, using the Arabic acronym for IS.
UN court slams Turkey over detained judge
AFP, Netherlands
A UN court slammed Turkey on Monday for failing to free one of its judges rounded up in Ankara’s post-coup crackdown and said it would report the country to the Security Council.
“The government of Turkey has failed to comply with its obligations” in the case of detained judge Aydin Sefa Akay, the court ruled. “This matter shall be reported to the UN Security Council,” presiding judge Theodor Meron added in his ruling.
UN team urges probe of South Sudan abuses
AFP, Geneva
UN human rights experts called on Monday for an international investigation into horrific abuses committed in South Sudan, reiterating warnings of “ethnic cleansing” in the war-ravaged country.
In a report, the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan voiced alarm at the “massive increase in gross human rights violations and abuses” in recent months.
