A/HRC/39/71 III. Key recent developments 9. During the reporting period, the Government undertook an arms collection campaign in Darfur. The campaign, which started in July 2017, was implemented without major incidents in most areas of the Darfur region. According to information received by the Independent Expert, the campaign appeared to have constrained weapons use by various armed militias and criminals, contributing to improved security, especially in North and South Darfur. Nevertheless, relatively few weapons were collected. In early 2018, the Governor of North Darfur reported that 30,000 weapons (including 9,000 in North Darfur) had been collected out of an estimated 700,000 weapons believed to be in illegal circulation across Darfur. There were also concerns among internally displaced communities that nomadic groups had not been equally disarmed. Several armed militia groups, mostly of Arab ethnicity, continued to pose a threat to civilians in several areas across Darfur. 10. From January to March 2018, several peaceful demonstrations took place in Khartoum and Darfur to protest against high inflation and austerity measures in the country’s 2018 budget, which has resulted in rising prices of essential commodities. 11. Reports refer to an excessive and disproportionate use of force by Sudanese security forces to disperse the demonstrations, including the use of lethal force and tear gas, leaving one person dead and several injured in the Darfur city of El Geneina. It is estimated that the National Intelligence and Security Service arrested at least 200 people throughout the country. The majority of arrests took place on 16 and 17 January 2018 during demonstrations called by political opposition parties supporting the protests. 12. It is also reported that dozens of prominent political activists, human rights defenders and journalists were arrested by the National Intelligence and Security Service from their homes or offices and held incommunicado or taken to undisclosed locations. Some of the detainees were transferred from Khartoum to Darfur. On a positive note, most detainees were released in April 2018, prior to the Independent Expert’s visit to the Sudan. 13. For most of the reporting period, the security situation remained relatively stable in Darfur. However, since March 2018 there has been a notable increase in clashes in Jebel Marra, particularly fighting in east Jebel Marra between the Government of the Sudan and the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid. A series of clashes led to reports of at least 7,300 civilians displaced and the destruction of villages. More than 3,000 new arrivals of internally displaced persons were reported in Otash camp, outside Nyala. Reports indicated that there were also new arrivals of internally displaced in Marshang, Belle El Serief and Kass; these figures are pending verification. Access to many of the affected areas had not been granted to UNAMID or humanitarian actors, which led to temporary disruptions in humanitarian programming in the area. 14. In addition, in April 2018, at least 11,000 people in north Jebel Marra were displaced to Rokero due to clashes involving armed militias. In May 2018, in Central Darfur, clashes between armed Arab groups and internally displaced persons in camps in Zalingei and Garsila reportedly resulted in multiple deaths among the displaced community. In November 2017, internal fighting was also reported among Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid factions, which reportedly resulted in the killing and injury of civilians, destruction of houses and looting of community assets. 15. In October 2017, the United States of America lifted long-standing sanctions against the Sudan, citing the country’s progress in fighting terrorism and easing humanitarian distress. The sanctions had included a trade embargo, a freeze on some government assets, and restrictions on Sudanese banks and the ability of foreign banks to do business with the Sudan. 16. In April 2018, the Chair, Deputy Chair and commissioners of the Sudan National Commission for Human Rights were appointed. The Independent Expert commended the Government of the Sudan for this positive step and reiterated his call on the Sudanese authorities to ensure that the Commission was functioning in compliance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles). 4