Current Wars in the World: Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian Officer at West Bank Checkpoint as Violence Spreads

In current wars in the world, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian security officer at a West Bank checkpoint and continued violence across the occupied territory on Sunday, while Ethiopian federal troops captured the Tigray capital of Mekelle from rebels and Nigerian senators demanded a military offensive against insurgents in Adamawa State.

Palestinian Officer Dies at Israeli Checkpoint

Raafat Abu Khalil, a 45-year-old Palestinian National Security Forces officer, died of cardiac arrest after being forced to stand in direct sunlight for over an hour at the Anab checkpoint east of Tulkarm. [1] A relative said Raafat Abu Khalil was forced by Israeli forces to stand in the sun for around an hour before he suffered a cardiac arrest. [1] Family members said he suffered a stroke after being assaulted by Israeli forces at the Anab checkpoint. [1] Samir Abu Shams, the deceased's cousin and a member of the Attil municipal council, said Abu Khalil frequently traveled from his town of Attil, northeast of Tulkarm, to his work in Ramallah and Jericho. [1] Citing the testimony of Abu Khalil's companion, Abu Shams said that soldiers forced the security officer to get out of his vehicle, before forcing the two men to stand facing a fence for more than an hour under direct sunlight. [1] The soldiers hurled insults at them, and later allowed Abu Khalil to wait inside the vehicle. [1] Abu Shams said that Abu Khalil began convulsing and foaming at the mouth inside the vehicle, with soldiers slow to act on his pleas to call for help. [1] The Palestinian Red Crescent told WAFA that they rushed to the scene after receiving a report of a critically ill Palestinian, who died at the scene. [1] Palestinians frequently report harassment and ill treatment at Israeli checkpoints in the occupied West Bank. [1]

Further Israeli Violence Across the West Bank

Israeli violence continued to escalate across the occupied West Bank on Sunday. [2] More than 15 people were wounded and one person was killed in attacks by Israeli forces and settlers on Palestinian towns and villages. [2] In Beit Imrin, northwest of Nablus, Israeli troops beat and injured four Palestinian men. [2] The Palestine Red Crescent Society said its medics treated the four and took them to hospital. [2] In Sebastia, another town in the northwest of Nablus, Israeli settlers beat a 45-year-old Palestinian man, leaving him with bruises and wounds. [2] Settlers blocked ambulance crews from reaching him. [2] Israel will close all crossings in the occupied West Bank from 5 to 7 October for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. [2]

Israeli forces close a checkpoint in Hebron in the occupied West Bank. — Source: middleeasteye

Ethiopian Forces Retake Tigray Capital

Ethiopian federal forces have regained control of the Tigray rebels' regional capital. [4] The capture of Mekelle, capital of Tigray, deals a major blow to the opposition alliance that rules the northern region. [4] The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which leads the alliance, said in a statement posted on Facebook it had retreated from the capital and that the regional government would be "temporarily moved out of Mekelle and operate from somewhere else". [4] A source close to a pro-government militia, the Tigray Peace Forces, told Reuters its fighters entered the centre of Mekelle on Saturday afternoon, followed by the Ethiopian military. [4] Federal troops were patrolling Mekelle and manning key institutions on Sunday, as communications were restored for the first time in more than a week. [4] "We have taken control of Mekelle and we are marching forward," a commander with a pro-government militia said. [4] Businesses and shops remained closed, with owners moving stock to safer locations ahead of time, fearing looting and vandalism. [4] "There are no police. Last night, we had to organise ourselves and take care of security," one resident told AFP. [4] A local business owner, Filmon Equar Hailu, told the Associated Press civilians looted government offices and hauled away equipment from police headquarters as rebel fighters withdrew. [4] He said he heard celebratory gunfire overnight into Sunday morning as small groups of pro-government fighters entered the city. [4]

Risk of Wider Horn of Africa Conflict

The renewed Tigray fighting, which began on 23 September, has raised fears of a wider regional conflict involving Eritrea, Egypt and Sudan. [4] The leaders of those countries met in Egypt on Sunday to discuss the situation. [4] The presidents of Egypt, Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea were set to meet in the Egyptian city of Alamein on Sunday to discuss the conflict. [4] Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of directly backing the Tigray rebels, with the support of Sudan and Egypt, which all three countries deny. [4] Before the talks, Sisi urged "dialogue, not confrontation". [4] The African Union has urged restraint, warning that renewed tensions threaten the 2022 peace agreement that ended the previous hostilities in Tigray. [4] The TPLF's war with the federal government killed some 600,000 people between 2020 and 2022, according to AU estimates. [4] The TPLF's civil war with the federal government killed some 600,000 people between 2020 and 2022, according to AU estimates. [5]

Nigerian Senators Demand Action Against Adamawa Insurgents

Northern Nigerian senators called for an immediate military offensive to clear insurgents from the Kopre-Sambisa corridor in Adamawa State after attacks on two army battalions killed soldiers, a forest guard and civilians and displaced hundreds of families. [3] The Northern Senators Forum has demanded an immediate military offensive to dislodge insurgents from the Kopre-Sambisa corridor in Adamawa State following attacks on two military battalions that left soldiers, a forest guard and civilians dead. [3] The forum Chairman, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (Katsina Central), made the demand in a personally signed statement on Sunday. [3] The attacks on the 226 Battalion in Garkida and 232 Battalion in Garaha occurred on Wednesday and Thursday. [3] Yar’Adua said the attacks affected several communities across the Hong and Gombi Local Government Areas. [3] The affected communities include Garaha, Dabna, Bangna, Mubang, Zah, Bitirhuya, Kwapre, Mayo Ladde, Gaya-Dlang, Garkida, Boima and Guyaku. [3] The senators also called on the National Emergency Management Agency and the North East Development Commission to provide relief materials to residents displaced by the attacks. [3] “We are deeply pained by the reports of killings, abductions of women and children, burning of places of worship, destruction of properties, and the tragic displacement of hundreds of families who were forced to flee their ancestral homes on the eve of our nation’s 66th Independence anniversary,” Yar’Adua said. [3]

What to watch next: The TPLF's leader Debretsion Gebremichael implied this week that the group would continue guerrilla-style attacks. [4]