May 20
African Centre for Justice & Peace Studies reported that victims of gender-based violence in Darfur have endured unwanted pregnancies due to inadequate access to medical attention. Harrowing testimonies by survivors shed a new light on the realities of GBV at the hands of the RSF. ACJPS previously documented incidents where 14 women and girls in S Darfur were sexually assaulted by men in RSF uniforms. A follow-up indicated 6 of them became pregnant after failing to receive medical attention. 3 survivors obtained abortions. Mona, 24-year-old resident of Kalma Camp, recounted her ordeal. She was raped by armed men in RSF uniforms Dec 25. By Jan, she discovered she was pregnant: I couldn’t control my tears after receiving the news. Her family would not consider an abortion due to social stigma. Shahidah, 33-year-old resident of Otash Camp, was raped Dec 12, alongside other displaced women by armed men in RSF uniforms. She also found out she was pregnant in Jan and, after discussing with her husband, decided to terminate the pregnancy: The stigma from people in the community was affecting me negatively. The actual number of rape victims seeking abortions is very likely underreported due to the associated stigma.
Between April 15, 2023 and March 27, 2024, 81 cases of sexual violence were reported in N Darfur, particularly in El Fasher, Kutum and Tawila. Displaced women and girls aged 12-40 were the most affected, and only 22 of 81 victims were able to receive medical assistance due to severe shortages in medical supplies. Fatima, aged 16, was raped by 2 armed men in RSF uniform while fleeing from Nyala. She ended up getting pregnant because she was unable to access medical assistance. She also faced stigma from society which eventually caused her to attempt to take her own life. Although she was rescued and taken to South Hosp, she unfortunately died as doctors were on strike on that fateful day, the report states.
RSF and allied militias attacked the SAF base in Kutum, N Darfur, June 5….29 women were assaulted amidst the ensuing violence. In Tawila, N Darfur, 32 women and girls were subjected to GBV in a 3-day RSF attack. Victims struggled to find medical help as hospitals were raided and supplies plundered. The fighting disrupted the transport of humanitarian aid, deepening medicine shortages. The attackers were many in number and when they raided a house, neighbours would not come to the victims’ rescue as they feared that they would suffer the same fate, a resident of Tawila recounted. ACJPS reported that June 26-Aug 4, 2023, 30 cases of sexual violence were recorded in El Geneina, W Darfur. Victims included young girls abducted and subjected to sexual slavery by RSF members and allied groups. June 28, 2 women were raped in Libya Mkt and multiple other incidents occurred in other neighbourhoods, often involving armed men in RSF uniforms. I saw a lady approximately 20 years old crossing the road in the company of an elderly man. The 2 were stopped by 2 armed Arab men and under gunpoint, the lady was raped in the presence of the elderly man. I witnessed the incident while in hiding…a witness said. A victim from El Geneina told ACJPS her family home was raided by 3 armed men. 1 was wearing an RSF uniform while the other 2 were dressed in plain clothes: The raiders demanded gold and money but I…told them that we had neither. One of the raiders then grabbed me by the waist and raped me in the presence of my children and the other raiders. They then went to my bedroom, searched and stole 3m Sudanese pounds that belonged to my husband who works as a businessman. They also stole the television set and left. A previous report by ACJPS underscored a distressing pattern of gender-based violence in Sudan, calling it a weapon of war. At the time, women’s organisations documented over 120 confirmed cases of rape as of Oct, with the actual number likely much higher. Dabanga
May 19
For months now RSF have been besieging el-Fasher, N Darfur. If the city falls, this would likely kick off yet another wave of killings. This is happening in total absence of any UN or international or regional presence mandated to protect the civilian population. RSF forces and armed groups have already killed thousands of mostly Massalit people in el-Geneina, W Darfur, forcing ½ million mostly Massalit, to flee. The risk now is that they will take aim at hundreds of thousands of displaced people who, fleeing violence, found refuge in el-Fasher. Reading horrifying new developments draws my mind back to July 2023, when my colleagues and I travelled to eastern Chad to gather evidence of mass killings in el-Geneina. On a hot day, my interpreter and I were walking in the arid outskirts of the small town Adré, where hundreds of thousands, mostly ethnic Massalit women and children, were staying, having fled violence in W Darfur. Men were noticeably absent. Families were living in makeshift shelters consisting of 4 sticks and a piece of tarp, which hardly protected them from the scorching sun or torrential rains. There was almost no access to electricity, running water or regular food provision. My interpreter, a leading member of the Massalit human rights community, knew practically everyone. Every few minutes our walk through this enormous makeshift settlement was punctuated by the chirp of greetings that sounded almost cheerful. But the raw pain that every family was experiencing crystalised when we reached her close friend, Zahra Khamis Ibrahim. When the women saw one another, they each held their hands up, palms up and started whispering prayers for the dead. Then they collapsed into each other and started sobbing. Zahra’s 17-year-old son was brutally executed by armed Arab militiamen as he and friends were trying to escape the horrific mass killings in el-Geneina, the same day tens of thousands of civilians fled to Chad. Despite Zahra’s searing loss, she was still documenting instances of sexual violence, a job she had been doing for years as founder of an organisation supporting survivors. She introduced me to a slim, shy, 28-year-old economics student. In a sweltering tent, she sat across from me on a mattress. Beads of sweat gathered on her forehead as she told me 8 armed men, 2 in RSF uniform and 6 in civilian clothes, entered her family’s home. They beat her relatives, shot her mother in the leg and 1 of them raped the student. When she got to that part of the story, it looked like her whole body was collapsing onto itself, like she was trying to disappear. She physically recoiled when I ask if she thought she might ever return to el-Geneina, and vigorously shook her head. I interviewed her 24-year-old cousin. An armed man raped her when she tried to retrieve her children’s clothing from her home ransacked by RSF and Arab militia forces weeks earlier. Her hands were shaking as she told me she had not gotten her period yet: I can’t be pregnant again, please help me find a solution. When she was able to finally access health services the next day, she was told she was indeed pregnant. A few days later we interviewed the best friend of Zahra’s son. He was with her son when armed men aligned with RSF forced everyone fleeing with them to lie on their chests on the ground. One man said to them, I have 10 bullets. I am ready to shoot whoever I want to. The man killed Zahra’s son with a bullet straight to the head and killed 2 of their teenage friends, the 17-year-old told me, his eyes cast down. I asked him how he was coping. I don’t think I am OK. I am not able to sleep at night, I just keep remembering all the things I saw.
The scale of the pain among the Massalit population in Adré was palpable, and at times almost unbearable. I saw people smiling and laughing with each other and then falling silent and staring off into the distance as if they were remembering a horror they witnessed. I had seen this kind of grief before….From my current base in Ukraine, I also have a front-row seat to the stark contrast between the global outrage at Russian forces’ atrocities here, and the muted response to what is happening in Sudan. The UN fund for the crisis in Sudan has been woefully underfunded even though the victims in this conflict are as vulnerable as one could possibly imagine. In Adré there are limited medical services, and even more limited psychosocial services despite the immense need among the displaced. Attention from foreign governments, the media and nongovernmental organisations is important. It is needed in order to secure life-saving humanitarian support and bring more scrutiny and ultimately justice to those who commit mass atrocities.
Late in the afternoon torrential rain suddenly began but people did not rush off to their tarp and stick shelters worrying about their possessions being washed away, as one might have expected. Most people did not have anything. RSF fighters and their allies had stolen what little people had as they fled Darfur. Zahra sent me a message a few days ago, as people fleeing el-Fasher were surging across the border into Adré. She said the situation in the refugee camp has gotten worse as numbers are swelling, and resources dwindling. …the UN and AU need to send a peacekeeping mission to Darfur, mandated to protect civilians, monitor human rights and humanitarian law violations, and lay the groundwork for the safe returns of those displaced. The real risk is that without forces there to prioritise the protection of civilians, the terrors that Zahra and hundreds of thousands of others have suffered will be repeated not only in el-Fasher, but in other towns and cities in Darfur. Al Jazeera
May 18
The Sudanese Rateena Cultural Cafe has organized a charity musical concert in Cairo for the benefit of war-stranded people in Khartoum. The concert’s earnings, $30,000, will go to voluntary Communal Kitchens which deliver free food supplies to families trapped in war zones in Khartoum State’s neighbourhoods. The concert was performed by Sudanese singer Mazin Hamid. Tickets sold to those who actually attended the show earned $3,088, proceeds of paid tickets reached nearly $12,000 and Sudanese American Physicians Assoc paid $15,000. The Cafe said the show was an attempt to draw attention to the complex and saddening situations of war-stranded Sudanese people indicating that it is the responsibility of all the people to do their best to mitigate suffering in Sudan’s war-stricken areas. Al Taghyeer
Farmers in Sudan’s vast Al-Jazirah Scheme reported a near-total failure of cotton and wheat harvests due to the ongoing conflict and control of the area by RSF. Alaa El Din Al-Bilawi, a farmer, explained the cotton harvest failed because ginning factories, crucial for processing cotton, are closed. This leaves the crop vulnerable to damage in the fields. Cotton and wheat are critical for export and domestic consumption. The failure of these harvests is a significant blow to the nation’s economy and food security. The situation is particularly dire in the south, where 55,000 acres were planted with cotton before the RSF took control. RSF expanded its influence heavily, reaching the borders of neighbouring Sennar.
Fear and displacement hinder harvest efforts. Adam, a farmer in W Al-Hisahisa, spoke of the challenges farmers face due to RSF presence. …the constant fear of harassment and theft, coupled with the displacement of many farmers, has significantly hampered harvest efforts. RSF forces target farmers in their fields, stealing harvested crops. This practice, witnessed with lentil crops, forced some farmers to abandon harvesting altogether. The result: a majority of Al-Jazirah Scheme farmers have lost their primary source of income. A US Food Policy Research Inst study….found 1/3 of Sudanese farmers, considered the crucial backbone of the economy, have been displaced due to the conflict.
RSF confiscates harvests. Al-Din Al-Bilawi described instances where the RSF forced farmers to harvest crops only to confiscate them and transport them out of the state for RSF’s benefit. Similar reports came from Barkat, where RSF deployed harvesters to collect wheat from a 60,000-acre area and confiscated the entire yield. The widespread looting extends beyond crops. Residents in Al-Jazirah face desperate living conditions and severe food shortages due to pillaging household stores. Traditionally, residents relied on seasonal crop storage to ensure food self-sufficiency. Preparation for the upcoming summer season typically begins in May-June. However, farmers paint a bleak picture for the next harvest. F.A. highlighted the displacement of the majority, the lack of essential supplies like fuel and fertilizer, and ongoing security concerns. He summarized the situation as terrifying. US Food Policy Research Inst study reinforces this concern, 40% of farmers nationwide are currently unable to prepare for the next agricultural season. Al-Bilawi echoed this sentiment, stating the season has essentially failed before it even began. He described a deteriorating situation on the ground, prompting many farmers to consider relocating their operations to more secure areas. Sudanese News Agency reported looting 45,000 fertilizer sacks and vehicles, alongside an initial loss of 50b Sudanese pounds for the project. The report confirms RSF control over 80% of the Gezira Scheme. Sudan Tribune
May 17
Hell on Earth as violence escalates in el-Fasher. UN human rights chief expressed horror over the escalating violence in N Darfur. People in el-Fasher said the situation is like hell on Earth, where they could lose their lives at any day. There is active conflict, artillery attacks by the RSF as well as air bombardments by the SAF leading to new displacements. People are trying to flee, get to safer areas but are finding them very very hard to do. The UN human rights office said 58 people have been killed around el-Fasher since last week. UN High Comm Turk had phone calls this week with al Burhan and Dagalo, urging them to de-escalate. 1,000 new refugees cross the border from Darfur every day to neighbouring Chad. When they are asked why they are crossing, they say that they do not have food to survive if they remain inside Darfur. While mediation efforts between the warring sides are continuing, he appealed to donors for the quick release of funding for humanitarian relief. Clementine Nkweta-Salami, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator, said talks to secure the entry of much-needed aid into Sudan are ongoing: We are trying to engage with all those concerned to help us facilitate our access to all parts of the country. Time of course is a key factor. We are racing against the clock – in Darfur, 18m people are in a very dire situation in terms of food security. we are facing obstructions on many levels. Al Jazeera
Why is the US unable to restrain the UAE in Sudan? The Russia-US alliance over Sudan not only shows the waning influence of the US in Africa but also over its traditional Gulf partner. Facing pressure over Israel’s war on Gaza and subsequent regional tensions, to say nothing of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and tensions with China, Sudan’s war has slipped down the pecking order in priorities for Western nations. As Washington’s influence in Africa wanes, while Russia and China’s clout expands, the Biden admin found its capacity and resolve to restrain Abu Dhabi increasingly limited. At this moment in world affairs, it feels like the US needs the UAE far more than they need us. That means on an issue like Sudan, where Washington is trying to get Abu Dhabi to moderate its behaviour, it has very little leverage to use without putting at risks other asks it has of UAE, Cameron Hudson, CSIS told The New Arab. Sudan’s Foreign Min also accused the UK of failing to rein in Abu Dhabi, arguing it was prioritising its commercial interests. A report from The Guardian stated the UK was holding secret talks with the RSF, highlighting risks it was legitimising the group accused of human rights violations. Despite pressure to address Sudan’s crisis, UK’s focus on post-Brexit trade deals with Arab Gulf states including the UAE makes it cautious in criticising the UAE, ultimately weakening any leverage it has over the warring parties. The US has neglected Africa, enabling Russian military clout and Chinese investments to expand, which arguably created the circumstances for Sudan’s war to flourish. Iran, a Russian ally, is increasing influence in Sudan, potentially causing conflicts of interest. Iran has supplied drones to the SAF. Despite the risk of a proxy war between the 2 Russian allies, Moscow may hope to leverage ties with Abu Dhabi and Tehran to prevent such a clash. Given the necessity of Russia’s networks with the UAE, it may be unwilling or unable to challenge Abu Dhabi. Although the US faced pressure to bring an end to Sudan’s crisis, its unwillingness to rein in the UAE or even engage in diplomacy to push for a peace settlement testifies its declining leverage. There are certainly questions over how far Hemedti can go in achieving Abu Dhabi’s geopolitical objectives, given his forces aren’t as self-sustaining as other Emirati client actors like Haftar in Libya or Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council. Despite increasing reputational damage for the UAE in the West, the fractured geopolitical landscape may only spell more bad news for Sudan in the near future. The New Arab
May 16
Residents of conflict-hit Sudan are trapped in an inferno of brutal violence and increasingly at risk of famine due to the rainy season and blocked aid. Tens of thousands of people have died and millions have been displaced. Famine is closing in. Diseases are closing in. The fighting is closing in and there’s no end in sight: Clementine Nkweta-Salami. The grim situation is expected to worsen, with just 6 weeks before the lean season sets in, when food becomes less available, and more expensive. Nkweta-Salami added that the onset of the rainy season means reaching people in need becomes even more difficult. The area’s planting season could fail if we aren’t able to procure and deliver seeds for farmers. The people of Sudan are in the path of a perfect storm growing more lethal by the day…the humanitarian community needs unfettered access to reach people in need, wherever they are. UN has expressed growing concern in recent days over reports of heavy fighting in densely populated areas as RSF seeks control of Al-Fashir, the last major city in western Darfur not under its control. Right now the humanitarian assistance they rely on can’t get through, Nkweta-Salami said. More than a dozen UN trucks loaded with medical equipment and food, which left Pt Sudan April 3, have still not reached Al-Fashir due to insecurity and delays in getting clearances at checkpoints. The New Arab
UN warned it had only received 12% of $2.7b being sought for war-wracked Sudan, adding that famine is closing in. 1.4 million people have fled the country. It is a catastrophically underfunded appeal, Jens Laerke, OCHA. Without more resources coming in fast, humanitarian organizations won’t be able to scale up in time to stave off famine and prevent further deprivation…half of the population need humanitarian aid. Diseases are closing in. The fighting is closing in on civilians, especially in Darfur. UN expressed growing concern in recent days over reports of heavy fighting in densely populated areas as the RSF seeks control of El-Fasher, the last major city in western Darfur not under its control: Now is the time for donors to make good on pledges made, step up and help us help Sudan and be part of changing the current trajectory that’s leading toward the cliff’s edge. Don’t be missing in action. Shible Sahbani, WHO: 13 months of war in Sudan, 9m people displaced which represent around 17% of the population and the largest internal displacement crisis in the world today. This conflict has… nearly destroyed the health system which is almost collapsed now. Close to 16,000 people have died due to this war, 33,000 have been injured. Sahbani said the real toll was probably much higher. RSF and Sudan’s armed forces are seen as both wanting to secure a battleground victory and each side has received support from outside players. Al Arabiya
A new report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre states that conflict and violence in Sudan, Palestine and others have driven the number of internally displaced people around the world to 75.9m, setting a new record. Sudan stands out prominently with 9m displaced, marking the highest number ever recorded in a single country since records began in 2008. Sudan experienced 6m internal displacements due to conflict in 2023 alone, surpassing cumulative figures for the previous 14 years underscoring that 2/3 of the new displacements were a consequence of violence in regions such as Sudan, Congo and across the Middle East. Ivana Hajzmanova expressed deep concern over the plight of Sudanese displaced persons: We are very concerned about their needs and vulnerabilities, because each new displacement reduces their resilience. The report indicates a trend of a 50% increase in internally displaced people worldwide over the past 5 years, nearly doubling over the past decade. Of the total 46.9m cases of displacement, many individuals experienced displacement multiple times. Sub-Saharan Africa bore the brunt of this crisis, with ½ of 75.9m displaced individuals located in the region. Jan Egeland, Norwegian Refugee Council: …we are in a deep global crisis because we have never recorded worse figures for internal displacement due to violence, conflict and persecution. Conflict and violence accounted for 90% of total displacement, with natural disasters contributing to approximately 10%….over 3m displacements occurred within Gaza meaning many individuals were displaced multiple times within an area of 2.2m people, leaving 1.7m displaced in Gaza by year’s end. IDMC Dir Alexandra Bilak described the millions forced to flee in 2023 as the tip of the iceberg, alongside tens of millions displaced by previous and ongoing conflicts, violence, and disasters.
May 15
London for Sudan organised a march in the British capital Sat to protest the lack of media attention on the ongoing war. Participants voiced concerns that British media are neglecting the conflict in Sudan and its impact. The group wants to draw attention to what is happening because the British media does not sufficiently cover the conflict. The march began at the BBC. Abdelrahim…came to show his solidarity with London for Sudan and British media to give greater attention to what is happening in Sudan. Ziad and fellow demonstrators, many non-Sudanese, carried Sudanese flags and chanted freedom for Sudan as they marched to 10 Downing St. Mona Adam, Green Party parliamentary candidate and British politician of Sudanese origin, criticised the insufficient media coverage. This issue is not just in the UK but worldwide….the communication gap between the Sudanese community in Britain and the British media as a contributing factor to the neglect: I believe the Sudanese community in Britain does not know how to send its m essages to the British media, which contributed to its neglect of what is going on in Sudan. The parliamentary candidate emphasised the critical role of media coverage in raising awareness and assisting Sudanese-British people affected by the war, and called for unity among Sudanese communities in the UK, and persistence in bringing awareness to the war in Sudan.
US imposed sanctions against 2 commanders of RSF, as rights groups and the UN warn deadly violence in N Darfur is escalating. US Dept of Treas targeted RSF’s Central Darfur Commander Ali Yagoub Gibril, and Osman Mohamed Hamid Mohamed, a Major-Gen. The RSF has encircled el-Fasher in recent weeks and fighting between the paramilitary and the Armed Forces has surged. A spokesperson for UN Secy-Gen Guterres is alarmed by reports of the use of heavy weaponry in densely populated areas, resulting in dozens of civilian casualties, significant displacement and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. Civilians in the area are already facing a looming famine and the consequences of over a year of war. The RSF has come under a particular spotlight, …accused of killing thousands of people in W Darfur, Human Rights Watch said. Attacks on capital el-Geneina saw RSF and allied militias destroy entire neighbourhoods housing people from the non-Arab Masalit community. Residents, aid agencies and analysts warned the fight for el-Fasher, a historic centre of power, could be protracted and inflame longstanding ethnic tensions. Doctors Without Borders received 454 casualties at South Hosp since May 10. 56 people died of their injuries, Dr Prince Djuma Safari, MSF: But the wounded and death toll are likely far higher, since the fighting continues to be so intense that many people cannot reach the hospital. Until now, N Darfur had been a relatively safe haven….Now, there are snipers in the streets, heavy shelling is taking place, and nowhere in the city is safe at all. The US sanctions the targeted individuals’ assets in the country and prevent any US citizens or entities from doing business with them. Al Jazeera
Use of fire as weapon in Sudan war surged last month. Investigators from Sudan Witness are using open source technology to document the systematic use of fire by combatants ….destroyed or damaged 72 villages and settlements last month, a rights group in the UK found. Investigators from Sudan Witness, an open-source project run by the Center for Information Resilience, said April was the worst month in the number of fires recorded and settlements affected since war broke out. When we see reports of fighting or airstrikes coinciding with clusters of fires it indicates that fire is being used indiscriminately as a weapon of war, Proj Dir Theunissen. The trend is worsening and continues to lead to the mass displacement of Sudanese people. 201 fires have resulted from the fighting since the war began. The RSF has often used fire, setting entire villages ablaze, especially in Darfur. The number of fires surged last month, particularly north and west of el-Fasher, capital of N Darfur which faces imminent attack. El-Fasher saw intense fighting Fri between the military and the RSF and their allies. 27 people were killed and dozens injured, and more than 800 people were displaced. Sudan Witness estimated 31 settlements were affected by fires in April when RSF mounted an offensive on el-Fasher. …fires had a destruction rate of more than 50%. The analysis found that blazes have hit at least 51 settlements for displaced people more than once. The organisation has been mapping fires since the conflict began using satellite imagery, publicly available fire monitoring data from NASA and social media content to investigate and assess patterns of fires, principally in Darfur and Kordofan. According to Theunissen, open source techniques have enabled investigators to shed light on a conflict that has limited coverage from the ground. International journalists find it near impossible to report from Darfur. Open source plays a critical role in showing the world what’s happening there – and in ensuring there’s an archive of verified data to support justice and accountability efforts in the future.
Sudan’s military-led government has approved a new law granting the intelligence service broad powers and immunities, raising concerns about a return to repressive tactics employed under the regime of al-Bashir. The Gen Intelligence Svc Law passed last week…empowers intelligence officers to gather information, summon and interrogate individuals, conduct surveillance and searches, detain suspects and seize assets. It grants extensive immunities, shielding personnel from criminal or civil prosecution. The new powers were first removed by the civilian government of Hamdok in 2019 before it was deposed in a military coup. The Intelligence Svc played a central role in that coup. Critics, including lawyer Moaz Hadra, argue the new law grants even greater powers than under Bashir’s repressive regime. Hadra highlights the near-absolute immunity provided to intelligence officers, stating they cannot be sued and even an agents who commit capital offenses such as murder cannot be held accountable without approval from the military: The law grants intelligence officers complete powers and immunities not even present under Bashir. Even those accused or tried in a crime punishable by death are not executed unless al-Burhan approves. The previous transitional government weakened the security svc’s powers, restricting it to information gathering. The new law…gives the agency powers…to summon persons, interrogate and confirm their statements…and have the role of supervision, investigation and inspection pursuant to an order issued by the competent prosecutor and further seize funds…arresting persons. Since the outbreak of the civil war last year, security agents already engaged in practices reminiscent of the old regime, and the new law codifies the return to that status quo. Security agents reestablished a paramilitary wing of the service, the Operations Authority, which played a role in recent fighting. The council holds the authority to extend the detention period in 1 or more increments, not exceeding 3 months. In practice, detainees may be held for 30 days without even following this procedure. Critics point to the military’s 2021 coup as a key factor in igniting the conflict. The Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces/Taqaddum, Sudan’s civilian anti-war front led by Hamdok, has yet to issue an official response. Sudan War Monitor
May 14
Heart of the revolution. Resistance Committees – nationwide groups of local activists that have been at the heart of Sudan’s revolutionary movement – have, along with affiliated Emergency Response Rms been organising lifesaving wartime support and are actively trying to bring the war to an end. In The Political Vision to End the War in Sudan, Resistance Comms detailed their bottom-up approach to solving the crisis through political pressure and popular organising. This stands in contrast to the approach by technocratic civilian actors like former PM Hamdok’s Taggadum coalition, which is seeking to convince the warring parties to head back to the negotiation table. The Resistance Comms expressed doubts over the commitment of international donors, and hit out at world actors for forgetting the crisis in Sudan. A leading member told MEE the groups’ roadmap called for dismantling of the RSF and creation of a new army that would stay out of Sudan’s politics and allow building of full civil rule. The source said this would not be possible under the SAF’s current leadership, which is against the revolution and against civilian rule: The question of how to build a new army is the main challenge for the war. We are working with retired officers and (dismissed) officers…to formulate creation of a professional army that accords with the process of disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration. We believe junior army officers, who have no interest in continuing the war, will stand with our vision. The leader said they were against the RSF and against leaders of the SAF who failed to protect the people. We warn the elites supporting the militias and foreign countries supporting the militias to stop what they are doing. Our roadmap also includes formation of revolutionary governments from the grassroots in different states after the design of new interim constitutions through a dialogue between the Sudanese people, the source said. Impossible balance. Muzan Alneel, Sudanese scholar, described the Resistance Comms as the only genuine democratic group to face the militarisation of politics in Sudan. The success of the resistance front in advancing its position was captured in the slogan of the 3 Nos – no negotiations, no partnership, no legitimisation, Alneel, Innovation, Science & Technology Think-tank for People Centered Development, told MEE. In the period leading up to the beginning of the war in 2023, this slogan was chanted at protests….However, the argument Resistance Comms made that the latest coup would only encourage further violence and perhaps even a war was ignored by international political and media organisations. For the warring entities which expanded their influence using violence, massacres and coups, and faced no consequences other than further legitimisation – it was only logical to attempt a full takeover via further violence. However, she criticised the Resistance Comms for now supporting the army to protect the state, saying they attempted to strike an impossible balance between calling for an end to the war and supporting the army of the coup government. For months, they attempted to hold together two contradictory goals: the revolution’s goal of protecting and prioritising human life, and the counter-revolution’s goal of protecting the state. The counter-revolution, boosted by decades of bourgeois propaganda promoting patriotism over human life, appears to have defeated the revolution. Facing little real pressure from the outside world, both sides escalated the fighting. For the first time since the war began over a year ago, there is fighting in River Nile State. Former rebel movements from Darfur and Blue Nile are fighting alongside the army and they have shifted the balance of power slightly….The war has devastated Sudan. Mass killing, rape and sexual assault, theft and looting have all been widespread, as the Sudanese people struggle to see an end to the bloodshed.
Leaders of radical revolutionary group Anger Without Borders met with al-Burhan. The group had been fighting alongside the army in its war against the RSF. Its meeting with Burhan started an argument on social media. Burhan, after all, was the man who, with Dagalo orchestrated the military coup of 2021 that blew up Sudan’s transition to full civilian leadership. Anger Without Borders was accused of seeking to legitimise military rule through its meeting with Burhan who…announced his aim was not to return the country to any kind of civilian government. What really happened, according to Nuha Abdul Gadir, was an ambush. The revolutionaries had been set up as part of a piece of propaganda. The members were summoned for a normal meeting, then suddenly found themselves in a room with Burhan. Our leaders tried to leave but soldiers prevented them. They were lured there so Burhan could be photographed with them. We can’t put our hands on the hands of Burhan, which have been dirtied by the blood of the revolutionaries. Our leaders joined the army to defend our people from violations of the RSF, specifying that fighting the RSF was not the same as fighting for the army, and referring particularly to the army and RSF-led operations against protesters in 2019, which left hundreds of civilians dead. With Sudan’s war more than a year old, the revolutionary movement, as well as its technocratic civilian leaders, has been trying to forge a pathway to peace that does not end up solidifying military rule. Sometimes this has meant taking difficult decisions, with different civilian actors seeming to offer support to one or other of the warring parties. The army now is made up of a constellation of different groups representing wildly diverging ideologies, from radical revolutionaries to ultra-conservative Islamists. Many of those groups see the army as a means to an end: defeating the RSF.
May 12
SAF launched air strikes targeting civilians in al-Mraikib east of N Kordofan capital killing 4 civilians, including 11 children. SAF antonov aircraft dropped 2 explosive barrels on a group gathering at a water station killing and injuring scores of people including women and children. The attack left many injured, 7 in critical condition. There was no presence of the RSF in the area or neighbouring areas when the planes dropped the bombs.
13 people killed and dozens injured when paramilitary RSF swept through one of al-Gezira villages east of Wad Madani. RSF took control of Wad Madani 18 Dec after withdrawal of the SAF. Since then the paramilitary started to invade cities and villages and expanded to neighbouring states killing, looting and terrorizing residents. The militia continued its brutal violations against al-Gezira citizens committing a new massacre in al-Hurga village said Wad Madani Resistance Comm. Sudanese Congress political party condemned the RSF brutal attack during which columns of armed men wreaked havoc in al-Hurga killing innocent people, robbing their properties and burning their houses and livestok barns in continuation of the series of crimes it used to commit in al-Gezira State. Al Taghyeer
Clashes ignited between the Army and rival paramilitaries in El-Fasher killing at least 27 people in 1 day. Eyewitnesses reported air strikes, artillery fire and machine gun clashes battering the city since Fri, when an hours-long battle left 850 people displaced….as the city suffers near-total communications blackout, with medics and human rights defenders barely able to get news to the world. The fighting has continued air strikes and artillery shelling that left houses on fire. According to Doctors Without Borders 2 children and a caregiver were killed in an intensive care unit Sat following a nearby military air strike. RSF seized 4 of 5 capitals in Darfur. The international community, including the UN and US, have for weeks warned against a looming offensive on the city. MSF said an air strike carried out by the Army…landed 164’ from Babiker Nahar Paediatric Hosp. It caused the roof of the ICU to collapse, resulting in the death of 2 children receiving treatment there, as well as the death of at least 1 caregiver. The children were in a critical condition in our ICU, but their lives could have been saved. 70% of hospitals have been forced out of service during the war, compounding multiple health crises. Fighters targeted medical personnel, turned hospitals into barracks and routinely looted and prevented medical supplies from getting through. 115 children were receiving treatment in this hospital – now no one is, after many patients fled the fighting to nearby El-Fasher Southern Hosp, the city’s only remaining facility. A medical source told AFP the morgue had become completely full of bodies. MSF said 160 wounded people including 31 women and 19 children had arrived at the hospital. During the fighting, the hospital did not have an ambulance to transport the injured and it has limited medical equipment and medicines needed to treat the injured and no surgical supplies. For weeks, fear has mounted over what the US has called a disaster of epic proportions if the warring parties descend on the city in full force. El-Fasher’s erstwhile fragile peace had made it a key hub for displaced people and aid, serving the rest of Darfur, where 1.7m people are on the brink of famine, according to the UN. Time is running out, said WHO spokesperson Lindmeier warning the humanitarian tragedy will only worsen in the coming months. Without a stop to the fighting and unhindered access for the delivery of humanitarian aid, Sudan’s crisis will dramatically worsen in months to come and could impact the whole region. With the dramatic increase in the number of refugees and the unaddressed issue of disease spread, coupled with well-known food insecurity, neighboring nations could also suffer alongside Sudan. We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg, and the situation could be much more dire in reality. The New Arab
May 11
Clementine Nkweta-Salami, Humanitarian Coordinator, expressed deep concern over the recent surge of violence in Al Fasher, of severe implications for the civilian population. Clashes intensified despite numerous pleas to conflicting parties to avoid combat in the city: The violence threatens the lives of 800,000 civilians in Al Fasher. Reports from the city indicate heavy weaponry has been employed in densely populated areas in city centre and the outskirts, leading to multiple casualties….many civilians attempting to escape are trapped in the crossfire, unable to reach safety. The Al Fasher conflict is a grim escalation in Sudan’s wider violence. This unfolding nightmare is heartbreaking. The conflict engulfs ever-larger parts of the country, and civilians – men, women and children – pay the ultimate price. The UN official’s statement underscores the urgent need for a ceasefire and a return to peaceful dialogue….calls the international community to take action to protect civilians and facilitate delivery of humanitarian aid. Al Mayadeen
A new wave of unjustified detentions of unarmed Sudanese who are not a party to the conflict is taking place these days. Obituaries posted on social media and statements condemning the torturing and killing of activists and volunteers by elements of the RSF and SAF MI increased last week. The detention of lawyers, members of Resistance Comms and Emergency Rms, other activists and volunteers who were helping out shelter centres is continuing. SCP condemned the torturing to death of Salah El Tayeb, lawyer and one of its cadres in El Gezira, last week. El Tayeb was detained last month by Islamists who have the armed forces in their grip*. El Tayeb was held from his house after blindfolding him and thrown into a vehicle loaded with men equipped with weapons and pointed sticks. A number of El Azazi youth were detained together with him. Some of them were later released and said Salah was beaten up until his clothes were soaked in blood and he lost consciousness.
SAF and security officers conveyed to his family that he died as a result of being exposed to insect bites and was buried outside El Azazi. The Joint Emergency Rm of Halfayat El Mulouk mourned the death of Gais Younes and Talab Hammad inside RSF detention centres. Democratic Lawyers Front and Southern Khartoum Resistance Comms reported that RSF paramilitaries detained Muawya Abdelrahman, member of the El Ashara neighbourhood Resistance Comms and took him to an unknown location. Thousands of people are still languishing in RSF detention centres. Several have died as a result of torture, diseases and hunger in Khartoum, El Gezira and Darfur, for no particular clear reason. The practices of MI and GIS concentrate more on preventive detentions. These are done in a systematic manner, as the MI officers are usually well informed about their targets, mostly activists and politicians. Authorities in El Fao, El Gedaref detained Mumin Mubarak and Omar Ali, members of the Emergency Rms and the Emergency St initiative before releasing them. Activists reported that all Emergency Rm members in the area are subject to surveillance and prosecution by the security apparatus. En Nehoud, W Kordofan, joint forces consisting of army troops, policemen, GIS agents and Central Reserve Police launched a massive detention campaign this month. A political activist told Sudan War Monitor forces are detaining anyone they suspect of being connected to the RSF. In Nile R State, Northern State, El Gedaref and N Kordofan, authorities have been and are still carrying out detention campaign on an ethnic basis. Youngsters from the western parts of the country are suspected to be pro-RSF. Hundreds of people rejecting the war and refuse to side with the Army, face charges of spying for the RSF or being sleeper cells. These charges are punishable by death, Radio Dabanga reporter Suleiman Siri explains. MI in Berber, R Nile State, last week held Khaled El Farjabi and Ahmed Hasan on charges of supporting the RSF, though it is well-known they are against the paramilitary group, like the rest of the revolution’s youth. In April, a joint force from MI and GIS held 6 members of El Gedaref Resistance Comm. Some were released and others are still being detained at SAF Gen Command in El Fao. Emergency Lawyers reported at least 48 so-called sleeper cells were detained in Sennar after RSF took control of El Gezira, and the illegal detention by MI and GIS were continuing. In March 8 human rights and civil society organisations, operating under the banner Wadeitum wein/Where did you take them? provided vital data on enforced disappearances to the UNHCR in Geneva. *Media is quoted as it appears, descriptions like ‘Islamist’ are not necessarily accurate and can be used as a slur.
WFP warned of impending starvation in El Fasher and other parts of Darfur. The recent surge in violence in El Fasher is exacerbating critical humanitarian needs…El Fasher had been a relative safe-haven for families, hosting many IDP camps that pre-date the current conflict. Yet conditions were already critical with reports of children dying of malnutrition. Yesterday’s fighting resulted in dozens of injuries. El Fasher South Hosp received dozens of casualties hit by shells and stray bullets. A lack of ambulances to bring the wounded to the hospital put at risk the lives of the wounded. Sudan War Monitor
Médecins Sans Frontières suspended work and withdrew staff from Madani Teaching Hosp the only functioning hospital in the capital of Al Jazira State, due to harassment, repeated security incidents and obstruction by both warring parties. This difficult decision comes after more than 3 months of relentless challenges trying to provide care at the hospital. We have been unable to bring new staff and medical supplies into the area due to the denial of travel permits, and faced repeated security incidents, such as looting and harassment, affecting our ability to provide medical care. MSF blamed the RSF, which control Wad Madani: Our team and the supported Min of Health staff have faced repeated security incidents that have been either carried out or tolerated by the RSF, including looting of the hospital, stolen vehicles and staff being detained, among multiple other incidents. It also faulted the SAF for imposing deliberate administrative blockages to prevent the entry of medical supplies and new staff into the area. MSF was the only international aid group working in Wad Madani. MSF provided 10,000
outpatient consultations, treating thousands of malaria cases, providing more than 2,000 antenatal consultations, and giving care to 16 survivors of sexual assault. MSF treated gunshot and shrapnel victims, who represented a large proportion of the 3,000 admissions to the emergency room. MSF worked alongside 240 Min of Health workers, whom it supported with salary incentives, while also providing food for patients.
May 9
Attacks by paramilitary forces in W Darfur against Massalit people and non-Arab communities constitute ethnic cleansing and possible genocide, RW. RSF and allied militias are accused of killing thousands of people and displacing hundreds of thousands during their onslaught on el-Geneina, W Darfur, April-Nov 2023. HRW documented relentless attacks by the RSF including 3rd-Front Tamazuj against predominantly Massalit areas of el-Geneina. The rights group said the assailants committed other major abuses including torture, rape and looting….targeting the Masalit and other non-Arab populations with the aim of at least displacing them permanently from their region amounts to ethnic cleansing. The atrocities, if committed with the intent to destroy in whole or in part the Massalit in at least W Darfur, would indicate a genocide has also taken place there. In 1 large-scale massacre committed 15 June, RSF and allied militants opened fire on a convoy of civilians trying to flee the city escorted by Massalit fighters. RSF and militias pursued, rounded up and shot men, women and children who ran through the streets or tried to swim across the fast-flowing Kajja R. Many drowned.
older people and injured people were not spared. The report cited testimony of a 17-year-old boy describing the killing of 12 children and 5 adults from several families: 2 RSF forces…grabbed the children from their parents and, as the parents started screamin g, 2 other RSF forces shot the parents. Then they piled up the children and shot them. They threw their bodies into the river and their belongings after them. A Massalit local leader said the atrocities in W Darfur are more brutal in type and scale than those committed in 2004-05 in Darfur. There is huge evidence that what has happened is an intentional genocide based on our colour and race as Massalit. This includes the way of killing, mutation of corpses, torture, killing of children, verbal assaults among others.
HRW named RSF leader Dagalo, his brother, and W Darfur Cmdr Barakallah as individuals with command responsibility over the militias that perpetrated the crimes, along with a commander of Tamazuj armed group and 2 Arab tribal leaders. The report called on the UN and AU to deploy a new mission to protect vulnerable civilians. It called on the UN Sec Council to impose sanctions on suspects, including individuals and companies that violated the arms embargo on Darfur in place since 2004. The rights group added the arms embargo should be extended to cover all of Sudan. The hostilities, which began over plans to fold the RSF into the regular military, killed thousands of people, with 10,000-15,000 killed in el-Geneina alone. June and Nov, MEE reported mass killings by the RSF and allied Arab militias targeting members of the Black African Massalit community in el-Geneina and el-Fasher cities. An investigation by the Raoul Wallenberg Centre concluded there is clear and convincing evidence the RSF and its allied militias have committed and are committing genocide against the Masalit. Looming disaster in el-Fasher. RSF has seized all areas of Darfur except for el-Fasher, state capital of N Darfur. An estimated 1 million civilians are blockaded in the city as Sudanese and international observers warned of an imminent massacre. As the UN Sec Council and governments wake up to the looming disaster in El Fasher, the large-scale atrocities committed in El Geneina should be seen as a reminder of atrocities that could come in the absence of concerted action, Tirana Hassan, HRW. Governments, the AU and UN need to act now to protect civilians. The ICC is currently investigating the atrocities in W Darfur. HRW called on state parties to support the investigation. The Massalit leader in Chad, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said he was dismayed by the inaction of the international community towards the abuses against his community. ICC should start the procedures to bring the perpetrators to justice and issue an arrest warrant against RSF leaders. Sudanese human rights defender Jamal Abdullah Khamis called on activists and journalists to continue documenting the abuses to shed light on the Darfur case: We have to see the killers behind bars in order to begin any steps towards real peace. Before the war, Hemeti and Burhan were allies. In 2019, they ousted longtime president al-Bashir after mass protests against him, then jointly led a military coup against an interim civilian-military government. Middle East Eye