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UN peacekeepers from Ethiopia’s war-torn Tigray seek asylum in Sudan

The Arab News reporetd, citing the AFP, more than 500 UN peacekeepers from Ethiopia’s war-torn Tigray region have refused to return home, citing fears for their safety and highlighting deepening ethnic fissures as they request political asylum in Sudan.
Until last year, Ethiopian forces accounted for the vast majority of the around 4,000-member peacekeeping mission in Abyei (UNISFA), a disputed border region between Sudan and South Sudan.
The Ethiopian contingent was replaced by a multinational force as ties between Addis Ababa and Khartoum deteriorate over a territorial dispute and Ethiopia’s mega-dam on the Blue Nile, which Sudan fears will threaten its access to water.
A UN peacekeeping spokesperson told AFP in New York that most of the Ethiopian forces have returned home, but some have now requested asylum.

The spokesperson said: “A number of peacekeepers have chosen not to return and are seeking international protection. They are being protected by the UN in a secure location."
“The responsibility to grant asylum lies with the Sudanese authorities who are being assisted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in receiving these individuals.”
A total of 528 Ethiopian soldiers from Tigray have requested asylum in Sudan, according to Major Gebre Kidane, a Tigrayan ex-peacekeeper — a figure confirmed by two of his comrades also contacted by AFP.
Starvation kills nearly 200 young children in Tigray hospitals
“It’s not secure to go back to Ethiopia and we want to be the voice of the people of Tigray” before the international community, the 40-year-old told AFP in a telephone interview from Abyei, explaining his decision to apply for asylum in early March.
Since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray in November 2020 in response to what he said were rebel attacks on army camps, the conflict has divided the multi-ethnic nation.
An early victory against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front — which ruled Ethiopia for nearly 30 years until 2018 — was followed by a rebel comeback last June, when they took back control of Tigray and expanded into neighboring regions.
Rebels from Tigray region take Lalibela, a Unesco world heritage site
Since then the war has dragged on, with essential services shut in Tigray for several months while aid trickles in at a snail’s pace after both sides agreed to a conditional humanitarian truce in late March.
According to the UN, he region of 6 million people — around 6 percent of Ethiopia’s population — has been under at de facto blockade.
Tigrayan officers were purged from federal army ranks soon after the war erupted while ordinary Tigrayans have described being subjected to arbitrary arrests in Addis Ababa.
Bodies with gunshot wounds found in river between Ethiopia’s Tigray and Sudan
Gebre Kidane, who has been based in Abyei since July 2020, said: “Peacekeepers from Tigray previously went back to Ethiopia. Some of them were arrested, some killed."
“The people of Tigray have been living in darkness and the international community is watching in silence. We want to make the international community ... pay attention.”
The Ethiopian government has not responded to AFP’s calls for comment on the troops’ request for asylum.
A second Tigrayan officer told AFP that he too had asked for asylum like his comrades but refused to say anything further for fear of reprisals against his family.
U.N. Warns Of Worsening Famine, More Clashes In Ethiopia's Tigray
A third soldier, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity for similar reasons, said he had asked for asylum “to express my strong opposition” to the federal government’s treatment of Tigrayans.
Furthermore, he said senior officers like him “have a military background and knowledge ... therefore we are considered as a main challenging force by the government.”
He said: “So we are being targeted to be eliminated."
Britain urge fighting parties to end violence in Tigray and allow humanitarian aids
His children understood his reasons for staying out of Ethiopia, he explained: “If I go there, they know what will happen (to me).”
He said: “We are now in the good hands of UNHCR," adding: “I hope for the better tomorrow to come.”
Source: arabnews
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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