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10:00 AM ET, Tuesday, November 21, 2023

The Cipher Brief curates open source information from around the world that impacts national security. Here's a look at today's headlines:  

THE TOP STORIES

U.S., Israeli and Hamas Officials Signal Hostage Release Deal Imminent.  Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh told Reuters on Tuesday that Hamas is “close to reaching a truce agreement” with Israel.  He did not elaborate further, though a Hamas official told Al Jazeera that negotiations are focused on how long the truce would last, arrangements for increased aid deliveries into Gaza, and the exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners in Israel.  The deal could include the release of around 50 hostages held by Hamas, including women and children, as well as Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Israeli officials told CNN that a deal could be announced on Tuesday, and U.S. officials say that a deal is “very close”.    Reuters Reuters CNN

North Korea Notifies Japan of Attempted Satellite Launch as US Carrier Arrives in Region.  Japan’s Coast Guard said that North Korea notified Tokyo that it plans to launch a rocket carrying a space satellite between November 22 and December 1 in the direction of the Yellow Sea and East China Sea.  The launch would be North Korea’s third attempt this year to put a spy satellite into orbit and the first since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s trip to Russia, when Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to support Pyongyang’s satellite program. Regarding the launch, the Japanese Prime Minister’s office said on social media that Japan would work with the U.S. and South Korea to “strongly urge” North Korea to not go ahead with it.  This comes as the U.S. aircraft carrier Carl Vinson on Tuesday arrived at a South Korean port in Busan, in a demonstration of extended deterrence against North Korea's recurrent nuclear and missile threats. South Korean Rear Admiral Kim Ji-hoon said that the American aircraft carrier’s arrival exhibits a "strong combined defense posture,” as well as Washington and Seoul’s “determined willingness to respond to North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats.”The U.S. and its allies have called North Korea’s satellite tests a clear violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions that prohibit the development of any technology applicable to the country’s ballistic missile programs.  Bloomberg Reuters Deutsche Welle

ISRAEL AND HAMAS WAR

Houthis Release Video of Ship Hijacking.  Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis released footage of its seizure of the Galaxy Leader commercial vessel in the Red Sea.  Galaxy Maritime Ltd, the owner of the vessel, confirmed that the ship was “illegally boarded by military personnel via a helicopter” and is now in the Hodeidah port area in Yemen.  The company added that the hijacking of the vessel was a “gross violation of freedom of passage of the world fleet and a serious threat to international trade.”  Japan also confirmed the seizure of the vessel, which is operated by Japanese firm Nippon Yusen, and said it is appealing to the Houthis and seeking assistance from Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Iran to secure the release of the ship and its crew.  Two commercial ships connected to Galaxy Maritime Ltd diverted course in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the incident, demonstrating concerns about further attacks against commercial vessels in the region.  Reuters Reuters Wall Street Journal Bloomberg

New Israeli Airstrikes Reported in Southern Lebanon.  Lebanese state media said an Israeli strike near the Lebanese-Israeli border killed two journalists working for the Lebanese TV channel Al Mayadeen and a third person on Tuesday.  Al Mayadeen claimed that the strike, near the town of Tir Harfa, deliberately targeted the journalists for being pro-Palestinian and supporters of Iran’s regional military influence.  Al Mayadeen is a pan-Arab channel that is politically allied with Hezbollah.  Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati likewise accused Israel of launching the attack in an attempt to silence the media.  Lebanese state news later reported that a second Israeli strike near the southern Lebanese city of Tyre killed another four people.  Israel’s military did not comment but said it is looking into the matter. This comes as a Wall Street Journal report says that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under increasing pressure by Israeli citizens living near the northern border with Lebanon, and some in the current administration to take more aggressive measures against Hezbollah.  The Biden Administration has urged Israel to restrain its activities against Hezbollah, for fear of a wider escalation that could see the U.S. more directly involved.  Associated Press Reuters Reuters Wall Street Journal

Muslim Country Contact Group Appeals to Security Council for Gaza Ceasefire.  A group of senior officials from several Muslim countries plans to visit all five of the U.N. Security Council’s five permanent members to appeal for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, according to a Turkish foreign ministry source.  The group was recently formed at the summit of the Arab League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Riyadh earlier this month and includes foreign ministers and representatives from Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, the Palestinian Authority, and the OIC Secretary General.  The source said the group has started talking with the permanent U.N. Security Council members.  They first visited China with a trip to Beijing on Monday.  The group’s main goal is to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and facilitate the delivery of more aid into the territory as part of wider efforts for a two-state solution.  Reuters 

BRICS to Hold Virtual Summit on Gaza.  South Africa is hosting a virtual summit of BRICS leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Tuesday to discuss the Israel-Hamas war.  The leaders of Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates — who have been invited to join BRICS in January 2024 — will attend the virtual gathering.  The South African presidency said U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres will also participate.  A joint statement specifically focused on Gaza is expected.  Bloomberg Barron’s

THE UKRAINE UPDATE

Ukraine says Russian troops concentrating on Bakhmut in the east.  Ukrainian military officials said that the country’s forces were engaged in defending against recent Russian attacks Monday around the eastern town of Bakhmut. The officials also noted that Ukraine’s troops had achieved marginal success after crossing the east bank of the Dnipro river in the Kherson region. Russian forces seized Bakhmut in May after months of heavy fighting. Ukrainian spokesman Volodymyr Fityo said that they are now focused on the village of Klishviivka, a nearby village seized by Ukrainian forces in September. “Eleven attacks have been repelled in the past 24 hours. The enemy is trying to dislodge our men from defensive positions” he said.

Reuters

Russia Claims to Thwart Ongoing Ukrainian Efforts to Cross Dnipro River.  Russia claims to have repelled more Ukrainian attempts to establish footholds on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River.  Russia’s defense ministry said Black Sea Fleet marines have thwarted attempts by Ukrainian forces to land on islands at the mouth of the river in southern Ukraine.  The ministry claimed that Ukrainian troops suffered heavy casualties and lost equipment in the attempted amphibious landings.  The Russian claims could not immediately be independently confirmed.  Ukraine has said in recent days that it is making strong progress on the Russian-occupied eastern bank of the Dnipro, though it is unclear how significant the advances are as heavy fighting in the area continues.  Ukrainian success in crossing the Dnipro could help in Kyiv’s push in the Crimea direction.  Reuters

Russia Seeking to Destabilize NATO through Artificial Migrant Crises.  The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assesses that Russia’s hybrid warfare tactics against Finland involving migrants are likely part of wider efforts to destabilize NATO countries bordering Russia.  Finland has accused Russia of engineering a migrant crisis at their border by sending a surge of asylum seekers there.  Finland has closed several border crossings in response.  ISW said the situation is similar to the 2021 migrant crisis in Poland in which thousands of migrants arrived at the Polish-Belarusian border.  The E.U. accused Russia and Belarus of triggering that crisis to frame any Polish response as NATO aggression against Minsk.  ISW said Russia’s use of migrants as pawns in its efforts to destabilize neighboring or nearby NATO countries is part of wider attempts to “distract from the war in Ukraine.”  Kyiv Independent Institute for the Study of War

German Defense Minister Makes Unannounced Trip to Kyiv.  German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday on a previously unpublicized visit. The German Defense Ministry says that he is in Kyiv to “personally see the current situation and effectiveness of German support.  Deutsche Welle, citing AFP, added that the main purpose of the trip is to discuss training for Ukrainian soldiers and Germany’s continued military aid to Ukraine.  After arriving, Pistorius visited a EuroMaidan revolution memorial to mark the 10th anniversary of the day the revolution started.  Pistorius is set to meet Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and President Volodymyr Zelensky.  His visit comes one day after the visit to Kyiv by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.  Kyiv Independent Associated Press

Moldovan President, EU Council Head Visit Kyiv to Mark EuroMaidan Anniversary.  Moldovan President Maia Sandu and European Council President Charles Michel visited Kyiv on Tuesday to mark this year’s Day of Dignity and Freedom, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the EuroMaidan protests and the 19th anniversary of the Orange Revolution.  Sandu said she plans to meet with Michel and Zelensky to discuss Moldova and Ukraine’s accession to the E.U., regional security, and E.U. support for reforms and development.  Kyiv Independent

Russia Claims Ukrainian Drones Downed in Russian Territory.  The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its forces shot down one Ukrainian drone over the Oryol region and another over the region of Kursk on Tuesday. The Kyiv Independent could not confirm the information. Oryol Oblast Governor Andrey Klychkov also reported on the situation, saying that Russia had destroyed an unmanned aerial vehicle over the Shablykinskiy district, without any casualties or damages. The region of Oryol borders Russia's Kaluga, Tula, Kursk oblasts and Bryansk region in the west. Kursk shares a border with Ukraine's Sumy Oblast. Though Kyiv very rarely takes responsibility for attacks within Russian territory, Moscow has repeatedly accused Ukraine of launching drones at the capital and conducting cross-border incursions on Russia's border regions. Kyiv Independent 

U.K. Intelligence Report Says Russian Women Protest in Moscow.  The U.K. Defense Ministry posted an intelligence update on the Ukraine war on Monday that highlighted what was probably the first public street protest in Moscow since the invasion of Ukraine.  On November 7 2023, the wives of Russian soldiers gathered in the central Teatralnya Square and revealed banners demanding their husbands be allowed to return from the front lines. The protest was shut down by police in minutes but displayed that the indefinitely extended combat deployment without rotation is becoming seen as unsustainable by troops and their families. UK Ministry of Defense X 

THE CYBER AND TECH RUNDOWN

Chinese Researchers Say China Creates World’s First ‘Near-Space’ Command.  A recently published research paper says that Beijing has created a “near-space command” featuring a hypersonic weapons force to complement the army, air force, navy, and rocket branches of the People’s Liberation Army.  This fifth force, according to the paper, is thought to be the first of its kind and is under “rapid development” although its components are not yet fully formed, and combat operations have not been defined.  Researchers from the National University of Defense Technology add that “the understanding of near-space combat command needs to be deepened.”  Command and control authorities as well as command methods and communication remain to be established, the researchers say.  The national defense university paper, which was submitted in October to the 11th China Command and Control Conference, noted that near-space has evolved into a hotly contested zone that could “determine the outcome of future battles”.  Given these circumstances, the paper observed, it has become necessary “to shift the decision-making power upwards” concerning combat readiness operations for the near-space force’s assets, including hypersonic weapons.  The near-space force will also operate spy balloons, solar-powered drones, and other support equipment.  South China Morning Post

China’s Launch of National Data Agency Seen as Key to AI, Smart Technology Advances.  China’s recent establishment of the National Data Administration (NDA) is seen by analysts as a sign of the importance Beijing assigns to artificial intelligence as it seeks to regulate a key ingredient for the technology – its “vast and fast-growing data pool.”  The NDA’s creation also is viewed as an effort to beat Western nations in norms and standard setting for data governance.  The NDA will assume many responsibilities previously performed by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the country’s web regulator.  The NDA is tasked with introducing unified data-sharing standards and advancing the digitalization of public services.  It also will coordinate among government departments, including its parent agency, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and government components at other levels.  Liu Liehong, the head of the NDA, told an audience last month at the Belt and Road Forum, that his agency will propel “high-standard development” of the Digital Silk Road and  promote cooperation in digital infrastructure, smart cities and e-commerce.  South China Morning Post

European Nations Balk at EU AI Act.  Reuters has reviewed a joint paper produced by France, Germany, and Italy indicating that the three countries, which have balked at a proposed EU Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act that implements rules for foundational AI model development, have agreed on a provision for "mandatory self-regulation through codes of conduct."  The countries oppose “un-tested norms” being imposed on AI development, stating that "the inherent risks lie in the application of AI systems rather than in the technology itself."  As an alternative to mandatory requirements, the paper proposes that foundation model developers would define model cards used to provide information about a machine learning model.  The model cards, the paper explains, would “include the relevant information to understand the functioning of the model, its capabilities and its limits.”  The paper goes on to suggest that an AI governance body could monitor the model card procedure, develop guidelines, and establish a system of sanctions if needed.  The European Commission, the European Parliament and the EU Council continue negotiations on the AI Act.  Reuters

U.S. Plans 2024 Billion-Dollar Program for ‘Advanced Packaging’ of Chips.  In what is described as another key stage in the U.S. administration’s efforts to bolster the semiconductor industry, the Commerce Department next year will authorize funding for R&D in “advanced packaging” – the process of combining multiple chips into faster, cheaper, and more sophisticated units.  The launch of the National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program is part of the CHIPS and Science Act and boasts $3 billion for advanced packaging research.  Commerce Department Under Secretary Laurie Locascio told Semafor that by 2030 the U.S. expects to have created “high-volume advanced packaging facilities and will be a global leader in commercial-scale advanced packaging for the most sophisticated chips made in the world.”  Currently, Asia dominates the advanced packaging sector, with Taiwan leading in semiconductor production.  It is noted that advanced packaging techniques have also been the target of Chinese investments.  Locascio noted that “we have a lot of work to do in order to catch up in general with the Asian markets.”  Locascio, who also heads the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), said funding will be open to academic centers and national labs with the ability to form “teams” with industry.  Semafor

Canadian Government Contractor System Breach Exposes Military, Police Staff Data.  Canada has disclosed that the personal data of government employees, including military members and officers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), have been leaked due to a breach of the systems of a government contractor.  The LockBit ransomware gang claimed responsibility for an October cyberattack on SIRVA, which offers relocation and moving services.  LockBit posted a message to its dark web leak site where it said “we have over 1.5TB of documents leaked + 3 full backups of CRM for branches (eu, na and au)."   As recently as this week, SIRVA’s website remained offline.  According to a Canadian government agency, the hack exposed sensitive information of employees who used relocation services as far back as 1999.  The Canadian Treasury Board said the identities of individuals affected have not yet been determined, noting that “breached information could belong to anyone who has used relocation services as early as 1999 and may include any personal and financial information that employees provided to the companies.”  The Canadian government will offer credit monitoring and new passports to breach victims in the coming weeks.  The Record Cybernews BleepingComputer

OpenAI Investors Consider Suing the Board after CEO's Abrupt Firing.  Sources told Reuters yesterday that some OpenAI investors are considering legal action against the company’s board over its firing of Sam Altman as CEO. Most of OpenAI’s 770 employees threatened to resign yesterday unless the company replaces the board and reinstates Altman. University of Nebraska Law Professor Paul Weitzel said that if investors sue, they would have a “weak case,” as companies have wide latitude to make business decisions. One of the board members who voted against Altman on Friday, Ilya Sutskever, reversed himself yesterday and said he deeply regrets his role in the board’s actions. Interim CEO Emmett Shear said yesterday that he plans to hire an independent investigator to review what occurred before and after Altman’s dismissal, and he promised to gather insight from employees, partners and investors as he rebuilds the company’s leadership team. The uncertainty surrounding OpenAI has left investors worried they might lose millions of dollars and businesses concerned over the prospects of hundreds of start-up companies powered by OpenAI’s technology. Reuters New York Times

White House Joins Threads.  The White House yesterday joined Meta’s social media platform Threads, with separate accounts for President Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff. Biden’s re-election campaign said it would create Threads accounts for Biden and Harris as well. The announcements come amid criticism over comments regarded as anti-Semitic posted by Elon Musk on his social media platform X, but the White House said the move has been in the works for several weeks. CNN Bloomberg

ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD

Asia and Oceania

Taiwan Must Choose Between Democracy and China, Presidential Candidate Says.  Taiwanese Vice President Lai Ching-te, frontrunner for the Taiwan presidency and presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), said on Tuesday that the people of Taiwan must choose in next year’s election between walking the path of democracy or heading straight “into the embrace of China.”  Speaking to reporters after formally registering his candidacy with the election commission, Lai said the election will be a choice between “trusting Taiwan” and its democracy or “relying on China, following the old path of the one-China principle.”  Lai and the DPP have championed Taiwan’s separate identity from China.  Chinese state television on Monday condemned Lai and his running mate, Taiwan’s former envoy to the U.S., Hsiao Bi-khim, referring to the pair as "villains colluding together” and asserting that their “independence double act” will lead to conflict and further tension. Lai has dismissed criticism from Beijing as interference in Taiwan’s elections.  Reuters 

India and Australia’s Foreign Ministers Meet.  Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met his Australian counterpart Penny Wong in New Delhi on Tuesday, a day after their countries’ defense ministers held talks in the Indian capital.  Both sides said they are committed to strengthening economic and strategic ties, with Jaishankar saying that there was “a real momentum” in Indian-Australian relations.  India and Australia are both concerned about security challenges from China, which is also both countries’ biggest trade partner.  Regarding the Israel-Hamas war, Jaishankar reiterated that the Hamas attacks were an act of terrorism and that Gaza is in a “humanitarian crisis” and needs urgent assistance.  Wong likewise said Gaza’s humanitarian situation is dire.  She also highlighted that Israel must “observe in its actions international law, including the protection of civilians.”  Associated Press 

Europe

Russia Bans Entry to Moldovan Officials, Summons Ambassador.  Russia banned entry to 11 Moldovan parliamentarians on Monday in response to Moldova blocking access to pro-Russian media outlets and Russian internet sites before local elections in early November.  The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Moldovan Ambassador Lilian Darie to inform her of the action.  Moldova said it blocked access to the Russian media sites to prevent the spread of misinformation.  Russia alleges that Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s government is creating an anti-Russian atmosphere and accused it of “politically motivated persecution of Russian media.”  Sandu has accused Russia of planning a coup to oust her government, conducting a destabilization campaign in Moldova, and interfering in local elections.  Reuters Kyiv Independent 

NATO Considers Permanent Increase of Forces in Kosovo After Violence.  NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday that NATO is considering a permanent increase in the number of alliance soldiers in the Western Balkans to manage tensions and ensure that violence doesn’t “spiral out of control” and create a “conflict in Kosovo or the wider region.” In late September, a gunbattle between armed Serbs and police in northern Kosovo prompted NATO to deploy hundreds of forces from Britain and Romania.  The violence promoted international concern about stability in Kosovo, which has an ethnic Albanian majority and a Serb minority in its north.  The KFOR peacekeeping mission has more than 4,500 troops from 27 countries.  Reuters

The Americas

Canadian Parliamentary Delegation Visits US Congress to Discuss China Policies.  Members of a special Canadian parliamentary committee on China met with their U.S. counterparts for the first time last week, signaling closer cooperation between Canada and the U.S. on dealing with Beijing.  Seven members of Canada’s top four political parties met with a bipartisan group of representatives from the U.S. House Select Committee on China and with members of other House and Senate committees. They also talked with analysts from think tanks such as the Wilson Center and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Canadian Special Committee Chairman Ken Hardie suggested the U.S. and Canada coordinate responses to China’s alleged attempts to target the Chinese diaspora and to influence education in both countries. Hardie also said Canada and the U.S. have an opportunity to collaborate on rare earths processing to counter China’s dominance in the sector. He highlighted China’s recent move to tighten graphite exports and Canada’s opening of a new graphite mine in Quebec. Hardie also said Canada and the U.S. share concern over China’s “bellicose activities towards Taiwan,” the risks associated with Chinese acquisition of foreign companies, and the fragility of North American investments in China.  However, he also said neither Washington or Ottawa wants to isolate China.  South China Morning Post

House Committee Asks for More Indo-Pacific Funding to Counter China.  House China Select Committee Chair Mike Gallagher and six panel Republicans are calling for $12 billion in additional funding for the Indo-Pacific, well above the $2 billion for the region in President Joe Biden’s $106 billion emergency aid request.  The group sent a letter to Congressional leadership on Sunday that called the Indo-Pacific “our priority theater” and said that it cannot be an “afterthought.”  It called Biden’s request for the region “wholly inadequate” to deter China, arguing that another $10 billion is needed to bolster the U.S. military presence in the Indo-Pacific and accelerate production for Indo-Pacific Command munitions.  The letter also asked for an additional $2 billion to replace weapons sent to Taiwan this year from U.S. military stockpiles and $650 million for more military equipment for the island.   Signatories supported the $2 billion already requested by Biden to go to Pacific allies to buy American-made weaponry.  They also backed Biden’s request for $3.4 billion for submarine industrial base investments to support the AUKUS deal.  Politico

Gun Battles in Mexican City of Cuernavaca Kill Nine.  Gun battles broke out between armed civilians and police in various parts of the Mexican city of Cuernavaca on Monday, killing nine people, including two police officers.  Authorities said the shootouts began after a convoy of gunmen opened fire on people in the street and tried to abduct one person.  Competing organized crime groups operate out of Cuernavaca, which is 50 miles south of Mexico City.  Associated Press

Haitian Police Detain Another Suspect in 2021 Assassination of President Moise.  Haitian police arrested Macky Kessa, the former mayor of the southern city of Jacmel, on Monday in connection to the July 2021 killing of President Jovenel Moïse. The arrest occurred after a meeting between Kessa and Judge Walther Wesser Voltaire, the judge investigating the case. Kessa is among more than 40 suspects who have been arrested in connection to the assassination, with 18 of those being former Colombian soldiers accused of taking part in the killing.  Kessa’s attorney said he plans to seek release.  Associated Press

Africa

ANALYSIS - China Combines Africa Space Cooperation with Other Priorities.  China maintains a broad, coordinated involvement in Africa’s space industry and its social, economic and environmental development. Across the continent, China is building satellites and ground stations, and is funding space programs for African countries. Space in Africa Managing Director Temidayo Oniosun said last week at an event organized by the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) that Africa is cooperating with China across all industry sectors, including communications, Earth observation, navigation and positioning, and space satellites.  Oniosun highlighted that China is developing satellite technology for African customers and thus far has built satellites for them worth approximately $900 million.

The USIP event marked the release of the organization’s report on China’s space collaboration with Africa.  The report said that as of October 2021, 23 of Africa’s 54 countries had space partnerships with China. Other countries also have funded satellites in Africa, but the USIP report said China’s spending integrates development with counterterrorism and security applications and is part of a much wider context of domestic programs and international partnerships. For example, the China Academy of Sciences is working with the U.N. Environmental Program to build a network of Chinese and African scientists to use space technology to prepare for natural disasters and monitor climate change. USIP Africa Center Vice President Joseph Sany said that while U.S. public and private entities have collaborated with African countries in the space industry, these efforts “are not coordinated through the current U.S. foreign policy.”  South China Morning Post

Boakai Wins Liberian Presidential Election.  Joseph Boakai won Liberia’s presidential election on Monday.  Boakai won 50.64% of the vote, defeating incumbent George Weah, who received 49.36% of the vote.  Weah received praise from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union, and Nigeria for conceding defeat and initiating a peaceful transition of power. A statement made by ECOWAS commended Weah for demonstrating that “change is possible through peaceful means.” President Joe Biden also made a statement congratulating Boakai and commending Weah for “respecting the will of the people, and putting patriotism above politics.”  Deutsche Welle

Ethnic Fighting in Region Claimed by Sudan and South Sudan Kills 32.  At least 32 people, including a U.N. peacekeeper, were killed over the weekend in an attack by rival Dinka ethnic groups in the Abyei region, a disputed area claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan.  Ngok Dinka from Abyei and Twic Dinka from South Sudan's Warrap State frequently clash in the region.  According to the information minister for the Abyei Administrative Area, armed youth from the Twic Dinka faction, supported by local militia, assaulted villages of the Ngok Dinka on Sunday. Men wearing the uniforms of the South Sudanese army also attacked Ngok Dinka settlements. Civilians were reportedly killed, in addition to a Ghanaian soldier serving with a peacekeeping force. South Sudan’s army has yet to comment on the matter. The U.N. Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) denounced the violence and said that it has fortified security in the area by bolstering patrols and asking traditional leaders and Abyei political heads to help de-escalate tensions.  Reuters Associated Press

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Brad Christian, Ethan Masucol, Ken Hughes, Bruce Wilmot, Katharine Campbell, Leighton Durham, and Tiffany Krueger contributed to this report. 

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