South Africa's presidential security chief accuses Polish officials of racism as he is stranded in Warsaw.

Image source, Ala Kheir/MSF

More than 300 people wounded in brutal fighting in Sudan’s Darfur region have arrived at a hospital over the border in Chad in just three days, says medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

“The situation is frankly overwhelming, but everyone is doing their utmost to cope with it,” said Dr Seybou Diarra, MSF project co-ordinator at the hospital in the Chadian border town of Adré.

At least 242 wounded were received on Thursday alone, with another 50 being brought in on Friday, MSF said in a statement.

About 130 of those are in need of surgical care and some are being referred to other hospitals in Abéché.

“We've had to discharge stable paediatric patients to bring in the paediatrics medical team to help out. Additional staff from the Chadian Ministry of Health are also working with us and some of the off-duty staff were called back to lend a hand. But with only one surgical team in place, we will soon be overwhelmed again in the operating theatre,” said Dr Diarra.

Most of the injured have come from the city of El Geneina, capital of West Darfur state, where it is now estimated at least 1,100 people have been killed since the conflict erupted in mid-April.

West Darfur's governor was killed on Wednesday hours after he was interviewed on television and accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its Arab militia allies of committing genocide against black African communities.

MSF says approximately 6,000 people have fled El Geneina and taken refuge in Adré over the last few days, joining more than 100,000 already seeking safety in Chad.

Earlier, the US State Department said there was a pattern of targeted ethnic violence against non-Arab populations, with credible evidence that the RSF had destroyed entire villages and carried out rapes and murders.

More on the fighting in Darfur:

• Governor killed after genocide claim
• 'Everything civilians can use has been burned or destroyed'

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

The commander of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as "Hemedti", has again denied that his paramilitary group has links to Russia’s Wagner mercenaries.

Hemedti's interview with Italy's Agenzia Nova newspaper comes as fighting between the RSF and the army enters its third month.

The RSF leader also denied reports his force had been receiving “military supplies or training from external parties”, terming the accusations “baseless rumours”.

In April, the Wagner Group said it had not deployed mercenaries to Sudan in over two years.

Read more:

• Wagner in Sudan: What have Russian mercenaries been up to?

Adam Easton
Warsaw correspondent, BBC News

A South African Airlines (SAA) plane carrying President Cyril Ramaphosa’s security detail and media representatives that has been grounded in Poland since Thursday will remain at Warsaw airport until Sunday, an airport spokesman told the BBC.

The SAA chartered flight was part of the delegation of the African peace mission to Ukraine and Russia. President Ramaphosa flew on a separate plane, and then travelled to Ukraine on Friday via train from south-eastern Poland.

The Polish foreign ministry said some of the passengers on board the security and media aircraft were not notified to the Polish authorities ahead of time as being on board.

The Polish Border Guard said some of the president’s security detail did not have permits to carry weapons in Poland and were told they could not disembark while carrying their firearms.

Warsaw Chopin Airport spokesman Piotr Rudzki told the BBC that some of the passengers, including journalists, had now got off the plane and gone to a hotel.

“We’ve received information that they have decided to stay in Warsaw until Sunday. The journalists have disembarked, we don’t know about the other passengers,” Mr Rudzki said.

He said the aircraft had refuelled and had started to move when the cockpit informed airport staff that take-off had been cancelled and the plane would stay in Warsaw.

Earlier a South African official had said the plane would fly to Russia, where President Ramaphosa is due to meet Vladimir Putin on Saturday.

Mr Rudzki said there were passengers on board without the necessary paperwork to carry their firearms in Poland, whilst others had photocopies of their permits.

“We cannot let passengers with illegal firearms into the EU,” he said.

He said he had received information the South African authorities were in the process of sending the necessary paperwork to Warsaw.

“Some of the delegation didn’t want to be separated from their firearms. They were given the chance by the Border Guard to disembark without their firearms," he added.

"The firearms would have remained on the plane, they were not going to be confiscated as some reports in South Africa have said."

Zimbabwe coach Dave Houghton says the country is ready to shake off the "bad press" it still receives globally as it hosts the Cricket World Cup qualifiers.

Aaron Akinyemi
BBC Africa digital

Image source, Reuters

Africans on the continent have been weighing in with their thoughts about their leaders’ peace mission to Ukraine and Russia.

Some on social media have voiced their scepticism about how much influence African leaders could have on the conflict.

"What leverage does the continent have to solve this issue?" said @amisijeampy, external.

Others pointed out that Africa’s “ambiguous” stance on the conflict might not bode well for the mission.

While Ugandan @42Emmagondha believes, external: "African masses are by far on the Russian side. Having seen the current American democracy in Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq and the friendly atmosphere that America has created between Israel, Syria and Palestine; I see no sense in standing by USA (Ukraine)."

In an emergency UN session in March last year, 28 out of 54 African countries represented in the body voted in favour of a resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while 17 countries abstained.

This was a sharp contrast to more than 80% of non-African countries that voted in favour of the resolution.

Africans on social media also questioned whether the peace deal is an effective use of the continent’s resources at a time of widespread economic hardship and a number of conflicts - most notably in Sudan.

"That have not even sorted out a quarter of the problems in Africa and even in their own countries and here they are globe-trotting in the guise of peace-making," tweeted @fellytyzo, external.

A view echoed by @fick_haber, external: "Sudan is burning, Somalia is starving, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea."

However, there was some optimism, with Ugandan policy expert Mathias Ssemanda posting, external about the importance of Africa's input: "You need to understand that the war in Ukraine will not end until African countries take a stand or a position."

The South African delegation has at last disembarked from the plane that landed in Poland's capital, Warsaw, on Thursday afternoon.

The SAA chartered flight was carrying President Cyril Ramaphosa's security details and a media pack invited to cover the African peace mission to Ukraine and Russia.

Journalist Pieter Du Toit from News24 tweeted a few minutes ago: "We’ve disembarked, after another haranguing by Polish authorities.

"A South African SAPS [police] official, clearly frustrated after 26 hours holed up in the plane, telling the Poles: 'Just because we’re from Africa doesn’t mean you can disrespect us.' We’re going to the terminal."

Amanda Khoza from South Africa's Sunday Times posted a video of people leaving the plane and boarding a bus, saying: "There is hope."

The Polish authorities had said the security team did not have the correct paperwork to bring weapons into the country.

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, Reuters

Human rights groups in the Sudanese region of West Darfur are reporting further ethnic-based killings by Arab militias and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

People are continuing to flee into Chad - some with gunshot wounds.

The UN children's agency (Unicef) says more than a quarter of a million children have recently been displaced in Darfur.

People fleeing from Sudan into Chad say they have suffered appalling atrocities when attacked by the RSF and its allied militias.

At checkpoints on the way to the border gunmen are extorting money. Human rights activist say there has been widespread sexual violence and killings based on ethnicity.

Satellite images show that parts of El Geneina city and entire villages in Darfur have been razed to the ground.

The US State Department says, external there is a pattern of targeted ethnic violence against non-Arab populations, with credible evidence that the RSF has destroyed entire villages and carried out rapes and murders.

In many ways the violence is a continuation of what happened in Darfur 20 years ago.

It is being widely condemned but no-one seems to have any idea how to stop it.

More on West Darfur atrocities:

• Governor killed after genocide claim
• 'Everything civilians can use has been burned or destroyed'

Grant Ferrett
BBC World Service newsroom

Image source, Reut

The Ukrainian military says Kyiv has come under missile attack as a delegation of African leaders visits the country to promote dialogue with Russia.

The air force says it shot down more than a dozen projectiles.

It said six of them were hypersonic Kinzhal missiles.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the message was clear: "Russian missiles are a message to Africa: Russia wants more war, not peace."

The African delegation is led by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and also includes the presidents of Senegal, Zambia and the Comoros.

They are expected to stress the importance of unrestricted exports of grain from Ukraine and fertiliser from Russia.

The delegation is due to hold talks with President Putin in Russia on Saturday.

For more on the Africa peace mission, follow our live coverage:

• African leaders tour Kyiv after air raid alert

A top Polish security official has denied that the authorities were being racist for not allowing the South African president’s security detail to disembark in Warsaw.

“Important! The passengers on the plane from South Africa that landed in Warsaw did not have permission to carry weapons in Poland,” tweeted Stanisław Żaryn, external.

“Accusations against Poland of racism are being circulated in this case. This is nonsense,” the director of the National Security Department and spokesman for the minister-special services co-ordinator added.

Earlier, South Africa’s frustrated presidential head of security, Maj Gen Wally Rhoode, said the Polish decision had jeopardised President Cyril Ramaphosa’s safety as they had been unable to accompany him on his peace mission to Ukraine, calling officials racist.

Image source, Reuters

A South African journalist on the plane in Poland with the president's security team has been joking about conditions on board, where food is apparantly running out.

They have been stranded in Warsaw since Thursday afternoon as the authorities say those with weapons did not have the correct paperwork to disembark and continue on their journey with President Cyril Ramaphosa to Ukraine, the first leg of his peace mission.

Pieter Du Toit from News24, part of the media pack invited to cover the story, tweeted a photo of a lone and rather dry-looking chip, saying: "This is the last chip on the SAA A340-300, carrying the president’s security personnel."

He said it had been part a Burger King delivery made to those on board on Thursday night by the South African embassy.

"We are deciding how to chop it up among ourselves."

There are more than 100 people on the chartered plane that looks set to continue on to Russia, where African leaders are due to meet the President Vladimir Putin on Saturday.

The safety of South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has had to travel to Ukraine without some of his security detail as they are stuck on a plane in Poland, has not been compromised, his spokesperson says.

But Vincent Magwenya said the row was “regrettable” and efforts were being made to ensure those on the aircraft could proceed “to cover at least the Russian leg" of the trip.

“The president arrived in Kyiv safely by train along with other heads of state and government who are part of the Africa leaders’ peace emission to Ukraine and Russia,” he said in a video posted on Twitter, external.

“I would like to assure all South Africans that there has been no compromise whatsoever to the president’s safety as a result of the impasse that involved the charter flight with the presidential protection services team and the media.”

More than 100 people are on the flight that landed in the Polish capital, Warsaw, on Thursday afternoon.

Head of the presidential security team Maj Gen Wally Rhoode accused Poland of sabotaging Mr Ramaphosa's security by not allowing them to disembark and proceed to Ukraine.

According to the Polish Border Guard, the South Africans did not have the correct paperwork for their weapons.

“Members of the delegation had weapons for which they did not have permission to bring in, but they could leave the plane themselves,” the agency wrote on Twitter.

“The passengers decided to stay on board the aircraft until the flight continued. The flight crew was briefed by border guards and managed to rest,” it added.

Warsaw Chopin Airport told the BBC in a statement that it had also been a voluntary decision.

“Airport services are in contact with passengers and are ready to provide any support. Soon the plane with its passengers is scheduled to depart.”

Chris Ewokor
BBC News, Abuja

Image source, Getty Images

A top banker and former anti-corruption buster have been picked as key advisers by Nigeria's new President Bola Tinubu.

They are among eight special presidential advisers appointed on Thursday to help bring in reforms in the Africa’s largest economy.

Olawale Edun, an economist with a background in merchant banking and corporate and international finance, will advise on monetary policy while Nuhu Ribadu, former head of anti-graft agency the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), will advise on security.

The speed with which the newly inaugurated president is selecting his team has been greeted with relief by many Nigerians.

His predecessor Muhammadu Buhari was nicknamed “Baba-go-slow” for taking up to six months to make up his mind about appointments when he took office eight years ago.

The special advisers - often technocrats - are part of the president’s cabinet but unlike ministers they do not hold a ministerial portfolio.

Read more:

• The five tests awaiting Nigeria's new president

SA20 commissioner Graeme Smith says the launch of the franchises in South Africa 'exceeded expectations' while boosting local economies.

The influence of K-pop, fuelled by BTS's success, continues to grow across the world including Africa.

Polish radio station Radio Zet says the SAA plane that has been stuck on the tarmac at an airport in Poland's capital, Warsaw, since Thursday afternoon with part of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s delegation on board will not be able to disembark.

“It turns out that some of the delegation do not have the documents to leave the airport. Secondly, unofficially, the president’s additional bodyguards have weapons. They do not have the proper permits for them,” Radio Zet said.

The station’s reporter, Michał Dzienyński, said Polish security said people in the delegation could leave the aircraft as long as they did not carry their weapons with them. The plane is expected to leave Poland this afternoon.

An airport spokeswoman, Anna Dermont, told Radio ZET that food and drinks were being given to the plane’s passengers.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, af

The US has condemned alleged atrocities, including sexual violence and ethnic-based killings, committed by Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and affiliated militias in West Darfur state.

The US State Department said while the atrocities were primarily attributable to the RSF and allied militias, both sides in the conflict were responsible for abuses.

It said the Sudanese army had failed to protect civilians and had stoked conflict there by encouraging mobilisation of ethnic groups.

"The atrocities occurring today in West Darfur and other areas are an ominous reminder of the horrific events that led the US to determine in 2004 that genocide had been committed in Darfur," State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller said in a statement, external.

The statement came after the Sudanese army accused the RSF of "abducting and executing" West Darfur governor Khamis Abdalla. The RSF denies this.

About 1,000 people have been killed in attacks by pro-RSF groups in West Darfur, according to Sudanese activists.

The fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which broke out on 15 April, is estimated to have displaced more than two million people.

More on violence in West Darfur:

• West Darfur governor killed after genocide claim

Image source, South African presidency

The South African president’s security detail have been stuck on a plane in Poland for hours as the authorities are refusing to allow them and accompanying journalists to disembark and continue their journey to Ukraine where Cyril Ramaphosa is leading a peace mission by African heads of states.

The SAA chartered flight with more than 120 people on board reportedly landed in Warsaw's Chopin Airport early on Thursday afternoon.

Mr Ramaphosa’s head of security, Maj Gen Wally Rhoode, said the Polish government was sabotaging the president’s security by not allowing them to disembark.

“They are delaying us, they are putting the life of our president in jeopardy,” he told journalists. "Because we could have been in Kyiv by now and this is all they are doing. I want you guys to see how racist they are.”

The Polish authorities have not commented on impasse that has escalated into a diplomatic row - though it has not stopped Mr Ramaphosa himself heading to Kyiv, where he arrived by train on Friday morning.

He was received in the Ukrainian capital by the South African ambassador and Ukraine’s special envoy for Middle East and Africa, according to the South African presidency. He will later travel to Russia in the African bid to find an end to the conflict.

One of those still on the plane in the Polish capital is News24 journalist Pieter du Toit, who posted a video on Friday morning, external saying they had been stuck on the tarmac for nearly 24 hours.

"SAA staff have been quite brilliant in supporting everyone on the plane. Conditions on the plane are now starting to resemble that of a refugee camp as supplies are running thin," he said.

"The security detail that was supposed to protect the president on his visit to Kyiv is still on the plane."

For more on Africa peace mission:

• LIVE - Ukraine war latest: African leaders 'road to peace' initiative begins
• Why South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa is leading Ukraine peace mission

Youssef Taha
BBC World Service News

Image source, Getty Images

The Greek authorities have arrested nine suspected people smugglers in connection with the deadly sinking of a migrant boat on Tuesday.

The Greek public broadcaster, ERT, said they were all Egyptian nationals.

Relatives of people who were on board have been gathering in the port city of Kalamata, hoping to find family members.

More than 100 people have been rescued but nearly 80 have died and up to 600 are still missing.

There are unconfirmed reports that around 100 children could be among them.

More on the Greece boat disaster:

• Capsized vessel had 100 children in hold, BBC told

South Africa's president is spearheading the mediation effort at a time when he is under US pressure.