Middle East & North Africa

20 Apr 2023; MEMO: The Chadian Ministry of Defence announced yesterday that 320 Sudanese soldiers have fled the fighting in their country and crossed the border to surrender to the Chadian army, Anadolu news agency reported.

"Elements of the Sudanese army, including 320 gendarmes, police and military personnel, have entered Chadian territory … all have been disarmed and confined," General Daoud Yaya Brahim said while speaking at a press conference, local media reported.

20 Apr 2023; MEMO: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly considering offering the soon-to-be vacant position of Israeli Consul-General in New York to Likud politician and "proud to be racist", May Golan. News of the selection of the far-right lawmaker, who is expected to be dispatched soon, has sparked concerns that Golan's appointment could inflict further dagame to Israel's relationship with Jewish Diaspora and Washington.

20 Apr 2023; MEMO: Iran's Navy forced a US submarine to surface as it entered the Gulf, Iranian Navy Commander, Shahram Irani, told state television on Thursday, but the United States Navy's Fifth Fleet denied such an incident had taken place, Reuters reports.

Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, appealed on Thursday to Israeli politicians from his government and the opposition to keep protests at his judicial overhaul plan away from annual remembrances for slain soldiers and victims of militant attacks, Reuters reports.

Meanwhile, an organiser of the televised 75th Independence Day ceremony in Jerusalem that will follow Memorial Day next week said cameras would cut away from anyone trying to disrupt it.

20 Apr 2023; MEMO: The US is increasing the number of troops it has deployed to East Africa as the Biden administration prepares for a potential evacuation of its embassy staff in Sudan, the Pentagon said Thursday, Reuters reports.

Defence Department spokesperson, Lt. Desert., Phil Ventura, said US Africa Command "is monitoring the situation in Sudan and conducting prudent planning for various contingencies" as violence continues to spiral in Sudan between warring Generals.

20 Apr 2023; MEMO: The US announced, Thursday, the transfer of long time Guantanamo Bay detainee, Said bin Brahim bin Umran Bakush, to his home country of Algeria, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin, informed Congress of his intent to transfer Bakush to Algeria in February, the Pentagon said in a statement. A panel that reviews individual cases determined, 13 April, that it was no longer necessary to hold Bakush at the controversial prison, setting the stage for his release.

DUBAI, April 20 (Reuters) - Iran's navy forced a U.S. submarine to surface as it entered the Gulf, Iranian navy commander Shahram Irani told state television on Thursday, but the United States Navy's Fifth Fleet denied such an incident had taken place.

"The U.S. submarine was approaching while submerged, but the Iranian submarine Fateh detected it and carried out... manoeuvres to force it to surface as it went through the Strait (of Hormuz). It had also entered into our territorial waters but ... it corrected its course after being warned," Irani said.

20 Apr 2023; MEMO: Israel's Haaretz newspaper warned against the consequences of passing the new recruitment law which relieves Haredi Jews from military service in the Israeli Occupation army, stressing that it would be the last nail in the army's coffin.

20 Apr 2023; MEMO: Tunisian security forces yesterday closed the headquarters of the Ennahda Movement a day after they arrested party leader, Rached Ghannouchi.

Riadh Chaibi, a leader of the party, said: "A security force entered the party's main headquarters, asked those present to leave, and closed it."

19 Apr 2023; MEMO: Sudan's Doctors Syndicate has warned that healthcare services are close to collapse as 16 hospitals across the country are out of service, some after being bombed.

Fighting has been ongoing across the country since Saturday as two generals in charge, army chief General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and his deputy, the paramilitary commander Lt. General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, have turned on each other following a power struggle which has been ongoing for several months.