Return To: The Security Council
The Security Council Security Council Situation Report 18 November 2019
This update complements the brief background notes already published in the AMUN Handbook. Please read the handbook before turning to this update.
The Situation in Syria
Since the onset of the Turkish “Operation Peace Spring” on 9 October, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has estimated that approximately 180,000 civilians have fled and are currently displaced, and 80,000 of these civilians are children. Between 14 October and 22 October, 7,100 Syrian refugees arrived in Iraq, with nearly all taking shelter in the Bardarash refugee camp. Many refugees have described the necessity of their flight due to airstrikes occurring close to their homes. For others, critical civilian infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed and water-insecurity is becoming more widespread. The Alouk (Allouk) water station in particular, which serves nearly half a million people, had not had stable functionality since 12 October due to hostilities in the areas in and around Al-Hassakeh. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) have been distributing water and assisting with repairs to the damaged facility. The Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, also stated in a briefing to the Security Council on 14 November: “A number of cross-line missions were facilitated by Turkey for technicians to come from Al-Hassakeh to Allouk to do repairs to the water station and the power supply. Turkey also sent its own technicians. While the water has again been restored, it is important to have sustained access to ensure the ongoing operations of these critical facilities.” He continued that “more than 11 million remain in need of humanitarian assistance. That’s more than half the estimated population.”
On 22 October, a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin established an agreement between the two States for a safe zone along the Turkey-Syria border, covering Tel Abyad to Ras al-Ain with a depth of 32 km. The agreement also detailed the deployment of Russian troops to the border and gave elements of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) 150 hours beginning at 12:00 hours on 23 October to “facilitate the removal” of their troops from the area. The YPG is tied to U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The agreement also noted that joint efforts would “facilitate the return of refugees in a safe and voluntary manner” and “take necessary measures to prevent infiltrations of terrorist elements.” As a result of the Turkey-Russia agreement, United States President Donald Trump announced that he would be lifting the sanctions imposed on Turkey on 14 October. On 24 October, the head of the SDF, Mazloum Adbi, accused Turkish troops of violating the ceasefire and attacking Kurdish fighters near Ras al-Ain.
An early morning raid carried out by U.S. Special Forces on 27 October decimated the compound of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Al-Baghdadi subsequently committed suicide using an explosive vest. ISIL confirmed the death of leader al-Baghdadi in a statement on 31 October, naming Abu Ibrahim al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi as the new leader of ISIL and warning the United States in particular: “Do not be happy.” On 30 October, the Syrian Constitutional Committeemet at the United Nations in Geneva to initiate drafting a new constitution. Secretary General António Guterres welcomed the historic meeting and expressed his hope that the parties “will sit together and take the first step on the political path out of the tragedy of the Syrian conflict”. Though the meeting of the Constitutional Committee fostered optimism for peace, the future of regional stability remains unclear with an unknown, untested leader at the head of ISIL. The Syrian Constitutional Committee is set to reconvene in Geneva on 25 November.
With regard to displaced individuals, Turkish President Erdogan presented the Secretary General with a plan to resettle Syrian refugees on 1 November. Two days later, cell phone coverage emerged documenting members of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army brutally attacking and killing Kurdish fighters. Among those identified are Amara Renas and Cicek Kobane, two YPG fighters. These crimes also pose a challenge for the United States, as intelligence from the SDF and YPG was utilized to locate former ISIL leader al-Baghdadi and later carry out the raid that led to his death. U.S Special Envoy for Syria, James Jeffrey, stated: “We’d say that Turkey-supported Syrian opposition forces who were under general Turkish command, at least in one instance did carry out war crimes.” The Security Council held a closed-door meeting on 5 November, reportedly addressing disarmament and the use of chemical weapons. As a result, Turkey’s proposed resettlement plan remains precarious since the same fighters accused of war crimes would be utilized to secure Erdogan’s “new settlement areas.”
Turkish President Erdogan met with United States President Trump on 13 November, in a move that drew widespread criticism. During the visit, President Erdogan showed an “anti-Kurdish” video to President Trump and members of the US Congress on an iPad. Despite strong pushback from members of Congress, particularly dubbing the video Ergodan showed as “propaganda,” President Trump said during a news conference that he is a “big fan” of President Erdogan. Hundreds of civilians, many of whom identify as Kurds, gathered outside the White House in Washington, D.C. to protest Erdogan’s visit. Turkish media criticized the reporting of the “anti-Kurdish” video, stating that “the video specifically focused on the crimes committed by the terrorist[s] and had nothing against the ethnicity.” On 14 November, President Erdogan announced that efforts to deport ISIL fighters back to their home countries had begun.
Bibliography
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: IS leader ‘dead after US raid’ in Syria (28 October 2019). BBC News.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: What we know about US raid in Syria (31 October 2019). BBC News.
BBC wrongly labels anti-terror video shown by Erdogan in White House visit “anti-Kurdish” (16 November 2019). Daily Sabah.
Callimachi, Rukmini and Eric Schmitt (31 October 2019). ISIS Names New Leader and Confirms al-Baghdadi’s Death. The New York Times.
Erdodan shows anti-Kurdish video to senators at White House (14 November 2019). BBC News.
Full Text of Turkey, Russia agreement on northeast Syria (22 October 2019). al-Jazeera.
Gol, Jiyar (3 November 2019). Syria conflict: The ‘war crimes’ caught in brutal phone footage. BBC News.
Guterres in Turkey: UN to study ‘new settlement areas’ plan for Syrian refugees (1 November 2019). UN News Centre.
‘Historic’ new Syria talks should focus on relief for war weary civilians, says UN negotiator (30 October 2019). UN News Centre.
Hundreds of thousands of civilians at risk in Syria amid ongoing violence in northeast and northwest (8 November 2019). UN News Centre.
Nearly 180,000 displaced by northeast Syria fighting as needs multiply: UN refugee agency (22 October 2019). UN News Centre.
Rasheed, Hussein Rasheed (24 October 2019). Refugees entering Iraq describe anguish at fleeing north-east Syria. UNHCR: The UN Refugee Agency.
Renewal of cross-border air operation critical to north Syria: UN relief chief (14 November 2019). UN News Centre.
Sariyuce, Isil and Eliza Mackintosh (14 November 2019). Turkey begins deporting suspected ISIS fighters to US, UK, Germany. CNN.
Security Council: UN welcomes efforts to de-escalate crisis in northeast Syria (24 October 2019). UN News Centre.
Syria: Fears for civilian population as key water plant remains out of action (8 November 2019). The International Committee of the Red Cross.
Top UN Syria envoy hails ‘impressive’ start to historic talks in Geneva (1 November 2019). UN News Centre.
Turkey Syria offensive: Kurds accuse Turkish army of violating ceasefire (24 October 2019). BBC News.
Turkey Syria offensive: Russia deploys troops to border (23 October 2019). BBC News.
Turkey Syria offensive: Trump lifts Turkey sanctions after deal (23 October 2019). BBC News.
UNICEF urges governments to repatriate thousands of foreign children stranded in northeast Syria (4 November 2019). UN News Centre.
Uras, Umut (8 November 2019). Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria: One month on. al-Jazeera.
UN Documents
United Nations, Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs (14 November 2019). Briefing to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria.
United Nations, Security Council (2019). Official communique of the 8659th (closed) meeting of the Security Council. S/PV.8659.
The Situation in Sudan/South Sudan
The transitional government in Sudan continues to work on democratic reforms. In a positive sign, the United States made motions toward removing Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, which renders Sudan ineligible for various forms of relief through the IMF and the World Bank. However, economic and other obstacles remain. The country’s finance minister, Ibrahim Elbadawi, claims that Sudan needs up to $5 billion just to avoid economic collapse and implement already agreed-to reforms. Sudan was also accused of violating UN sanctions on Libya by deploying 1000 troops to the country in July to fight in its civil war on the side of commander Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army.
In South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011 and plunged into civil war two years later, leaders again postponed the formation of a transitional government by 100 days, after missing a deadline set for 12 November. The missed deadline was set in September between current President Salva Kiir and rebel leader and former Vice President Riek Machar as part of a revised timetable under the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan.
The Agreement also required military forces of both the rebels and the government to register and merge; for Machar to return from exile; and for the government to distribute $100 million to assist with the Agreement’s implementation. Rebel leaders cited the government’s failure to distribute the full $100 million as reason for the new delay. According to the government, the significant economic challenges South Sudan faces are behind their current $70 million shortfall. Other disputes around the Agreement concern Kiir’s decision to break up South Sudan’s 10 states into 28, a move that garnered significant criticism from both Machar and other opposition leaders.
In October 21, representatives from the Security Council travelled to South Sudan for an update on the Agreement. “We noted the reduction of political violence which has contributed to the return of 594,000 displaced people, increased food production, enhanced humanitarian access, and increased commerce among communities,” said Ambassador Jerry Matthews Matjila of South Africa, speaking in his capacity as Council president. Machar, who also joined the Council meeting, stated that the two rivals’ security forces must be combined before his party would agree to join the new government and offered a thinly veiled threat if the new government establishment were forced for the sake of complying with the 12 November deadline.
Bibliography
Abdelaziz, Khaled; Ulf Laessing; and Michael Georgy (8 November 2019). Exclusive: Sudan needs up to $5 billion in budget support to prevent collapse. Reuters.
Mohamed, Hamza (12 November 2019). South Sudan: What’s delaying the unity government? Al Jazeera.
Nichols, Michelle (11 November 2019). Jordan, UAE, Turkey, Sudan accused of violating sanctions on Libya – U.N. report. Reuters.
Pamuk, Humeyra (15 November 2019). U.S. may remove Sudan from list of state sponsors of terrorism, but it’s a process: U.S. official. Reuters.
UN Security Council calls for South Sudan leaders to speed up action on peace deal (21 October). UN News.
This update complements the brief background notes already published in the AMUN Handbook. Please read the handbook before turning to this update.
The Situation in Syria
Since the onset of the Turkish “Operation Peace Spring” on 9 October, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has estimated that approximately 180,000 civilians have fled and are currently displaced, and 80,000 of these civilians are children. Between 14 October and 22 October, 7,100 Syrian refugees arrived in Iraq, with nearly all taking shelter in the Bardarash refugee camp. Many refugees have described the necessity of their flight due to airstrikes occurring close to their homes. For others, critical civilian infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed and water-insecurity is becoming more widespread. The Alouk (Allouk) water station in particular, which serves nearly half a million people, had not had stable functionality since 12 October due to hostilities in the areas in and around Al-Hassakeh. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) have been distributing water and assisting with repairs to the damaged facility. The Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, also stated in a briefing to the Security Council on 14 November: “A number of cross-line missions were facilitated by Turkey for technicians to come from Al-Hassakeh to Allouk to do repairs to the water station and the power supply. Turkey also sent its own technicians. While the water has again been restored, it is important to have sustained access to ensure the ongoing operations of these critical facilities.” He continued that “more than 11 million remain in need of humanitarian assistance. That’s more than half the estimated population.”
On 22 October, a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin established an agreement between the two States for a safe zone along the Turkey-Syria border, covering Tel Abyad to Ras al-Ain with a depth of 32 km. The agreement also detailed the deployment of Russian troops to the border and gave elements of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) 150 hours beginning at 12:00 hours on 23 October to “facilitate the removal” of their troops from the area. The YPG is tied to U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The agreement also noted that joint efforts would “facilitate the return of refugees in a safe and voluntary manner” and “take necessary measures to prevent infiltrations of terrorist elements.” As a result of the Turkey-Russia agreement, United States President Donald Trump announced that he would be lifting the sanctions imposed on Turkey on 14 October. On 24 October, the head of the SDF, Mazloum Adbi, accused Turkish troops of violating the ceasefire and attacking Kurdish fighters near Ras al-Ain.
An early morning raid carried out by U.S. Special Forces on 27 October decimated the compound of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Al-Baghdadi subsequently committed suicide using an explosive vest. ISIL confirmed the death of leader al-Baghdadi in a statement on 31 October, naming Abu Ibrahim al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi as the new leader of ISIL and warning the United States in particular: “Do not be happy.” On 30 October, the Syrian Constitutional Committeemet at the United Nations in Geneva to initiate drafting a new constitution. Secretary General António Guterres welcomed the historic meeting and expressed his hope that the parties “will sit together and take the first step on the political path out of the tragedy of the Syrian conflict”. Though the meeting of the Constitutional Committee fostered optimism for peace, the future of regional stability remains unclear with an unknown, untested leader at the head of ISIL. The Syrian Constitutional Committee is set to reconvene in Geneva on 25 November.
With regard to displaced individuals, Turkish President Erdogan presented the Secretary General with a plan to resettle Syrian refugees on 1 November. Two days later, cell phone coverage emerged documenting members of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army brutally attacking and killing Kurdish fighters. Among those identified are Amara Renas and Cicek Kobane, two YPG fighters. These crimes also pose a challenge for the United States, as intelligence from the SDF and YPG was utilized to locate former ISIL leader al-Baghdadi and later carry out the raid that led to his death. U.S Special Envoy for Syria, James Jeffrey, stated: “We’d say that Turkey-supported Syrian opposition forces who were under general Turkish command, at least in one instance did carry out war crimes.” The Security Council held a closed-door meeting on 5 November, reportedly addressing disarmament and the use of chemical weapons. As a result, Turkey’s proposed resettlement plan remains precarious since the same fighters accused of war crimes would be utilized to secure Erdogan’s “new settlement areas.”
Turkish President Erdogan met with United States President Trump on 13 November, in a move that drew widespread criticism. During the visit, President Erdogan showed an “anti-Kurdish” video to President Trump and members of the US Congress on an iPad. Despite strong pushback from members of Congress, particularly dubbing the video Ergodan showed as “propaganda,” President Trump said during a news conference that he is a “big fan” of President Erdogan. Hundreds of civilians, many of whom identify as Kurds, gathered outside the White House in Washington, D.C. to protest Erdogan’s visit. Turkish media criticized the reporting of the “anti-Kurdish” video, stating that “the video specifically focused on the crimes committed by the terrorist[s] and had nothing against the ethnicity.” On 14 November, President Erdogan announced that efforts to deport ISIL fighters back to their home countries had begun.
Bibliography
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: IS leader ‘dead after US raid’ in Syria (28 October 2019). BBC News.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: What we know about US raid in Syria (31 October 2019). BBC News.
BBC wrongly labels anti-terror video shown by Erdogan in White House visit “anti-Kurdish” (16 November 2019). Daily Sabah.
Callimachi, Rukmini and Eric Schmitt (31 October 2019). ISIS Names New Leader and Confirms al-Baghdadi’s Death. The New York Times.
Erdodan shows anti-Kurdish video to senators at White House (14 November 2019). BBC News.
Full Text of Turkey, Russia agreement on northeast Syria (22 October 2019). al-Jazeera.
Gol, Jiyar (3 November 2019). Syria conflict: The ‘war crimes’ caught in brutal phone footage. BBC News.
Guterres in Turkey: UN to study ‘new settlement areas’ plan for Syrian refugees (1 November 2019). UN News Centre.
‘Historic’ new Syria talks should focus on relief for war weary civilians, says UN negotiator (30 October 2019). UN News Centre.
Hundreds of thousands of civilians at risk in Syria amid ongoing violence in northeast and northwest (8 November 2019). UN News Centre.
Nearly 180,000 displaced by northeast Syria fighting as needs multiply: UN refugee agency (22 October 2019). UN News Centre.
Rasheed, Hussein Rasheed (24 October 2019). Refugees entering Iraq describe anguish at fleeing north-east Syria. UNHCR: The UN Refugee Agency.
Renewal of cross-border air operation critical to north Syria: UN relief chief (14 November 2019). UN News Centre.
Sariyuce, Isil and Eliza Mackintosh (14 November 2019). Turkey begins deporting suspected ISIS fighters to US, UK, Germany. CNN.
Security Council: UN welcomes efforts to de-escalate crisis in northeast Syria (24 October 2019). UN News Centre.
Syria: Fears for civilian population as key water plant remains out of action (8 November 2019). The International Committee of the Red Cross.
Top UN Syria envoy hails ‘impressive’ start to historic talks in Geneva (1 November 2019). UN News Centre.
Turkey Syria offensive: Kurds accuse Turkish army of violating ceasefire (24 October 2019). BBC News.
Turkey Syria offensive: Russia deploys troops to border (23 October 2019). BBC News.
Turkey Syria offensive: Trump lifts Turkey sanctions after deal (23 October 2019). BBC News.
UNICEF urges governments to repatriate thousands of foreign children stranded in northeast Syria (4 November 2019). UN News Centre.
Uras, Umut (8 November 2019). Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria: One month on. al-Jazeera.
UN Documents
United Nations, Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs (14 November 2019). Briefing to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria.
United Nations, Security Council (2019). Official communique of the 8659th (closed) meeting of the Security Council. S/PV.8659.
The Situation in Sudan/South Sudan
The transitional government in Sudan continues to work on democratic reforms. In a positive sign, the United States made motions toward removing Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, which renders Sudan ineligible for various forms of relief through the IMF and the World Bank. However, economic and other obstacles remain. The country’s finance minister, Ibrahim Elbadawi, claims that Sudan needs up to $5 billion just to avoid economic collapse and implement already agreed-to reforms. Sudan was also accused of violating UN sanctions on Libya by deploying 1000 troops to the country in July to fight in its civil war on the side of commander Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army.
In South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011 and plunged into civil war two years later, leaders again postponed the formation of a transitional government by 100 days, after missing a deadline set for 12 November. The missed deadline was set in September between current President Salva Kiir and rebel leader and former Vice President Riek Machar as part of a revised timetable under the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan.
The Agreement also required military forces of both the rebels and the government to register and merge; for Machar to return from exile; and for the government to distribute $100 million to assist with the Agreement’s implementation. Rebel leaders cited the government’s failure to distribute the full $100 million as reason for the new delay. According to the government, the significant economic challenges South Sudan faces are behind their current $70 million shortfall. Other disputes around the Agreement concern Kiir’s decision to break up South Sudan’s 10 states into 28, a move that garnered significant criticism from both Machar and other opposition leaders.
In October 21, representatives from the Security Council travelled to South Sudan for an update on the Agreement. “We noted the reduction of political violence which has contributed to the return of 594,000 displaced people, increased food production, enhanced humanitarian access, and increased commerce among communities,” said Ambassador Jerry Matthews Matjila of South Africa, speaking in his capacity as Council president. Machar, who also joined the Council meeting, stated that the two rivals’ security forces must be combined before his party would agree to join the new government and offered a thinly veiled threat if the new government establishment were forced for the sake of complying with the 12 November deadline.
Bibliography
Abdelaziz, Khaled; Ulf Laessing; and Michael Georgy (8 November 2019). Exclusive: Sudan needs up to $5 billion in budget support to prevent collapse. Reuters.
Mohamed, Hamza (12 November 2019). South Sudan: What’s delaying the unity government? Al Jazeera.
Nichols, Michelle (11 November 2019). Jordan, UAE, Turkey, Sudan accused of violating sanctions on Libya – U.N. report. Reuters.
Pamuk, Humeyra (15 November 2019). U.S. may remove Sudan from list of state sponsors of terrorism, but it’s a process: U.S. official. Reuters.
UN Security Council calls for South Sudan leaders to speed up action on peace deal (21 October). UN News.