nder The Radar is a special series and newsletter offering from Diplomatic Courier bringing you compelling, under–the–radar stories from around the world over the past month. This month across MENA: Sudan’s cholera and healthcare crisis, a Dutch woman and Islamic State member’s unusual arrest, and the precarity of life in conflict zones through the lens of the blind dog, Cieco. You can sign up to receive the newsletter here.
Sudan’s health system is in a freefall
Sudan’s ongoing war is having catastrophic impacts on the country’s healthcare system. The World Health Organization (WHO)’s regional director is now warning Sudan’s health system is in “freefall.” In April 2023, the WHO listed “Health care delivery in areas of conflict and crisis” as the second most significant threat to global health. Due to the ongoing war, the pandemic, and an economic crisis, Sudan’s health system has been in dire straits for some time, with long–term effects on Sudan’s health infrastructure. Thus, in 2023, the WHO requested $145 million to meet the health needs of those affected by the war. With the WHO’s latest warning, the Humanitarian Coordination Forum (HCF) is now calling for “urgent action.”
However, even as the WHO has taken action—including a vaccination campaign targeted against an outbreak of cholera beginning in September 2024—disease is spreading fast. While the WHO admits that it is too early to see the effectiveness of the vaccination campaign, figures show a significant increase in the number of cases and deaths from cholera. The outbreak likely occurred from contaminated drinking water after intense storms and flooding significantly impacted east Sudan—where many displaced people have sought shelter. And with 75% of health facilities in the capital of Sudan nonfunctional and famine affecting over 25 million people, urgent action needs to be taken to salvage and rebuild Sudan’s healthcare system.
Islamic State member under arrest in The Netherlands
On 14 October 2024, Hasna Aarab, a Dutch woman and Islamic State member went on trial in The Netherlands for humanitarian crimes against two Yazidi women. Aarab also faces charges of having joined a terrorist organization between 2015–2022 and endangering her then–four–year–old by bringing him to a war zone.
The prosecution has accused Hasna Aarab of enslaving the two Yazidi women when she lived in Syria for a year with her son and her former husband, an Islamic State fighter. Aarab denies that she saw signs of abuse against the two women—who are part of a religious minority that the Islamic State sought to eradicate—even though she admits that she was present in the house where the two Yazidi women lived. Although her defense has not yet presented its case, Aarab claims that her husband was controlling her at the time.
The Netherlands can try suspects for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, provided they have a connection to The Netherlands. This case makes The Netherlands the second–ever country to try an Islamic State member for crimes against Yazidis.
This trial is occurring ten years after the Islamic State attacked the Yazidi community in Iraq. As of October 2024, thousands of Yazidi survivors are still missing, with a large portion suspected to be still detained by the Islamic State in northeast Syria.
Blind Dog sees the best and worst of humanity
Blind and deaf dog Cieco has experienced the best and worst of humanity amid conflict along the Israel–Lebanon border. Cieco lost both his sight and hearing after being shot in the face by an unknown assailant for unknown reasons over two years ago. Although remnants of the pellets are still lodged in Cieco’s face and skull, a stranger called an animal shelter run by Houssein Hamza who would save Cieco’s life.
Cieco lived in Houssein Hamza’s shelter in Nabatieh for about two years—living without a name as Hamza was more concerned with saving the dog. However, when Israel increased its attacks on Lebanon in recent months, Hamza worried about the animals in his shelter as Nabatieh is on the southern border between Lebanon and Israel. Hamza appealed to people on social media, urging them to relocate the animals. After receiving dozens of responses, a taxi driver took Cieco and a cat to Beirut.
Cieco was then moved to the Alyarz Pet Club (APC) in Beirut—where he was given his name. The founder of APC shared how slow Cieco was in warming up to his new home, at first sleeping while standing before he was slowly introduced to the other dogs at the shelter. Now, Cieco seems to be thriving, although bombs were dropped just 15 miles away from his new home on 27 September 2024.
Cieco’s situation is illustrative of many of the most vulnerable communities affected by geopolitical conflict, where their lives depend entirely on the goodwill of others around them.
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Sudan’s health system in freefall as cholera spreads
November 4, 2024
Diplomatic Courier staff writer Stephanie Gull brings you three under–the–radar stories from the Middle East/North Africa in October: a cholera outbreak in Sudan, a human rights trial in The Netherlands, and a blind dog in Lebanon that has become a symbol of hope during geopolitcal conflict.
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nder The Radar is a special series and newsletter offering from Diplomatic Courier bringing you compelling, under–the–radar stories from around the world over the past month. This month across MENA: Sudan’s cholera and healthcare crisis, a Dutch woman and Islamic State member’s unusual arrest, and the precarity of life in conflict zones through the lens of the blind dog, Cieco. You can sign up to receive the newsletter here.
Sudan’s health system is in a freefall
Sudan’s ongoing war is having catastrophic impacts on the country’s healthcare system. The World Health Organization (WHO)’s regional director is now warning Sudan’s health system is in “freefall.” In April 2023, the WHO listed “Health care delivery in areas of conflict and crisis” as the second most significant threat to global health. Due to the ongoing war, the pandemic, and an economic crisis, Sudan’s health system has been in dire straits for some time, with long–term effects on Sudan’s health infrastructure. Thus, in 2023, the WHO requested $145 million to meet the health needs of those affected by the war. With the WHO’s latest warning, the Humanitarian Coordination Forum (HCF) is now calling for “urgent action.”
However, even as the WHO has taken action—including a vaccination campaign targeted against an outbreak of cholera beginning in September 2024—disease is spreading fast. While the WHO admits that it is too early to see the effectiveness of the vaccination campaign, figures show a significant increase in the number of cases and deaths from cholera. The outbreak likely occurred from contaminated drinking water after intense storms and flooding significantly impacted east Sudan—where many displaced people have sought shelter. And with 75% of health facilities in the capital of Sudan nonfunctional and famine affecting over 25 million people, urgent action needs to be taken to salvage and rebuild Sudan’s healthcare system.
Islamic State member under arrest in The Netherlands
On 14 October 2024, Hasna Aarab, a Dutch woman and Islamic State member went on trial in The Netherlands for humanitarian crimes against two Yazidi women. Aarab also faces charges of having joined a terrorist organization between 2015–2022 and endangering her then–four–year–old by bringing him to a war zone.
The prosecution has accused Hasna Aarab of enslaving the two Yazidi women when she lived in Syria for a year with her son and her former husband, an Islamic State fighter. Aarab denies that she saw signs of abuse against the two women—who are part of a religious minority that the Islamic State sought to eradicate—even though she admits that she was present in the house where the two Yazidi women lived. Although her defense has not yet presented its case, Aarab claims that her husband was controlling her at the time.
The Netherlands can try suspects for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, provided they have a connection to The Netherlands. This case makes The Netherlands the second–ever country to try an Islamic State member for crimes against Yazidis.
This trial is occurring ten years after the Islamic State attacked the Yazidi community in Iraq. As of October 2024, thousands of Yazidi survivors are still missing, with a large portion suspected to be still detained by the Islamic State in northeast Syria.
Blind Dog sees the best and worst of humanity
Blind and deaf dog Cieco has experienced the best and worst of humanity amid conflict along the Israel–Lebanon border. Cieco lost both his sight and hearing after being shot in the face by an unknown assailant for unknown reasons over two years ago. Although remnants of the pellets are still lodged in Cieco’s face and skull, a stranger called an animal shelter run by Houssein Hamza who would save Cieco’s life.
Cieco lived in Houssein Hamza’s shelter in Nabatieh for about two years—living without a name as Hamza was more concerned with saving the dog. However, when Israel increased its attacks on Lebanon in recent months, Hamza worried about the animals in his shelter as Nabatieh is on the southern border between Lebanon and Israel. Hamza appealed to people on social media, urging them to relocate the animals. After receiving dozens of responses, a taxi driver took Cieco and a cat to Beirut.
Cieco was then moved to the Alyarz Pet Club (APC) in Beirut—where he was given his name. The founder of APC shared how slow Cieco was in warming up to his new home, at first sleeping while standing before he was slowly introduced to the other dogs at the shelter. Now, Cieco seems to be thriving, although bombs were dropped just 15 miles away from his new home on 27 September 2024.
Cieco’s situation is illustrative of many of the most vulnerable communities affected by geopolitical conflict, where their lives depend entirely on the goodwill of others around them.
