SITREP 2020 2ND QTR

Last quarter saw an alarming rise in
tensions between Iran and both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, and an escalation in
Yemen’s war, which could intensify further this summer. Pro-government forces
in Syria stepped up bombing in Idlib, and fighting worsened in and around
Libya’s capital, Tripoli. Relations between Somalia’s federal government and
regions deteriorated and Al-Shabaab upped attacks, boding ill third quarter.
Sudan’s military council resisted demands to hand over power to civilians and
is already stepping up repression of protesters. Militia violence rose in
north-western Central African Republic, intercommunal raids left dozens dead in
eastern Chad, and in western Niger suspected jihadists ramped up attacks. Benin’s
security forces cracked down on opposition protesters, constitutional reforms
that could give Togo’s president two more terms worsened tensions, and
Guinea-Bissau’s political stalemate could trigger unrest in coming weeks.
Anti-Muslim violence rose in Sri Lanka, and tensions spiked within Kosovo and
between Kosovo and Serbia. In Honduras, violence broke out as the government
faced large protests against planned reforms. In Nicaragua, talks between the
government and opposition stalled fuelling concerns they could falter, further
deepening the country’s political crisis.

 Meanwhile, there also were on other crises.  South Sudan’s warring parties agreed to
a six-month extension of the deadline to form a transitional government. That
they had ...