July 17
UN SAYS THE NUMBER OF DISPLACED SUDANESE HAS REACHED NEARLY 13 MILLION at risk of hunger, diseases, and epidemics, with over 10 million dispersed within Sudan and more seeking shelter in neighboring countries, where they continue to face severe constraints in accessing humanitarian aid, including healthcare. “It is difficult to see this level of suffering among the refugees. They shared stories of violence, loss and hunger,” WHO’s Rep in Sudan. Al Mayadeen
July 16
TALKS BETWEEN UN ENVOY AND BOTH WARRING PARTIES CONTINUING in Geneva, focused on humanitarian aid and protecting civilians. Envoy Lamamra is meeting separately with each delegation at a time, in different rooms. The delegations are not scheduled to meet each other. Lamamra: “The teams engaged intensively on the 2 key items discussed: humanitarian assistance and protection of civilians. “The discussions are continuing.” No end date has been scheduled. The delegations are comprised of senior representatives of the warring parties and include humanitarian, security and military experts. “With each delegation he has engaged during the weekend, several times,” Shible Sahbani, WHO in Sudan said there were “a few promising signs. … if we don’t get a ceasefire, at least we can get the protection of civilians and opening of humanitarian corridors. ” He said the protection of civilians should incorporate respect for international humanitarian law, including access to basic services and protection of health care. Sahbani visited the border between Sudan and Chad and said many refugees explained the main reason they were fleeing was now hunger. “It’s not insecurity, it’s not lack of access to basic services but because they have nothing to eat,” with people reporting that whatever food was produced locally was being taken by fighters. “If we don’t take action now, the rapidly deteriorating situation could spiral out of hand, permitting the unchecked reign of diseases, malnutrition and trauma with transgenerational impact on Sudan’s people.” Lamamra is former Dep PM of Algeria and Foreign Min. He was the AU’s commissioner for peace and security. The New Arab
WADI HAWAR GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN SVCS IS DELIVERING AID TO DISPLACED PERSONS AND WAR REFUGEES in Zamzam Camp and sheltering houses in Al-Fasher, N Darfur. Engineer Anwar Khatir said they stepped in to fill the gap left by the withdrawal of international, regional and national organizations. Khatir noted that the primary effort is now directed towards supplying clean drinking water to the displaced, distributing 80 barrels daily across various locations and neighborhoods. Wadi Haar is the only organization remaining after the departure of other groups, and the doubled number of displaced persons. He acknowledged the difficulty with the continuous influx of displaced people, expressing the immense suffering and numerous needs of these individuals. Khatir urged international, regional and national organizations, as well as philanthropists, to support the displaced. Tayseer Abdallah Al-Tahir, a displaced woman, expressed gratitude for the water … but that it is insufficient for a large number of displaced people. Radio Tamazuj
July 15
EMERGENCY ROOM SAID OMBADDA EL HARA 5 IN OMDURMAN IS UNINHABITABLE due to a complete lack of services, and the presence of
decomposing corpses in streets and homes. … there are no remaining functional markets, hospitals or medical centres. Kitchens and hospices have been relocated. “Waste is widespread, and plundered homes have become breeding grounds for dirt, filth and rodents and insects. Several corpses have left waste traces after decomposition, making the environment unsanitary.” Parts of pipes and water connections have been stolen or broken, resulting in stagnant water, a breeding ground for water-borne illnesses. Kala-azar* disease was widespread in the neighbourhood when it was populated. There are only 2 families remaining in Ombadda El Hara 5. The Emergency Rm warned that all residents should be evacuated…. The neighbourhood is divided: northern and northeastern sections under control of the SAF, the middle section a friction zone between SAF and RSF. SAF and RSF imposed sieges on parts of Ombadda controlled by their rival since Oct, severely hindering the flow of aid and goods into the area. Ombadda, primarily inhabited by people who fled previous wars and poverty in Kordofan and Darfur, witnessed heavy fighting since the outbreak of war. Already in March, 240,000 families in Khartoum State were threatened with severe hunger. Sudan has been highlighted as one of the highest concern hunger hotspots in reports published by UNHCR, Clingendael Inst of Intl Relations, and joint FAO and WFP. Hunger is deepening in Sudan and neighbouring countries to which millions have fled, creating a hunger crisis that could become the world’s largest. *Visceral leishmaniasis, kala-azar, is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites transmitted by sandflies. … causes fever, weight loss, spleen and liver enlargement, and if left untreated, a certain death. It is the world’s 2nd-largest parasitic after malaria.
SUDAN IS GRAPPLING WITH THE WORLD’S MOST SEVERE HUNGER AND DISPLACEMENT CRISIS. The war has led to widespread destruction and death, with 16,000 dead and millions displaced internally and externally. IOM reports 7.7 million people internally displaced. 2 million people sought refuge in neighboring countries, with children under 18 making up 55% of displaced persons. UNICEF identified Sudan as having the highest number of displaced children globally, with 5 million affected. IOM highlighted that the majority of displacements come from Khartoum (36%), S Darfur (20%) and N Darfur (14%), the areas most affected by the war. UN OCHA painted a grim picture. Women, children and entire families are being forced to flee, abandoning their homes and possessions, with OCHA reporting that Sudan is currently facing its worst food insecurity in 2 decades. WHO Chief Ghebreyesus stressed the severity of the crisis, that 1 in 5 people is experiencing emergency-level food insecurity. 755,000 people are facing catastrophic hunger, with 25.6 million dealing with acute food shortages. 8.9 million children are suffering from acute food insecurity and disease, UNICEF Rep O’Brien said, while Exec Dir Russell described Sudan as “one of the worst places in the world” for children. UN human rights experts cautioned famine was imminent, as humanitarian aid has been blocked and the harvest season disrupted by the war. 25 million civilians in Sudan, along with those who fled the country, are being starved and urgently need humanitarian aid. A report by Clingendael Inst estimated that 2.5 million people could die from hunger by the end of Sept with 15% of the population in the Darfur and Kordofan regions likely being the hardest hit. The independent experts emphasized that local efforts to respond to Sudan’s hunger crisis have been hindered by unprecedented violence and targeted attacks on civil society and local responders, dozens of activists and local volunteers have been arrested, threatened and prosecuted in recent weeks. … “deliberate targeting of humanitarian workers and local volunteers has undermined aid operations, putting millions of people at further risk of starvation, local responders are risking their health and lives and working across battle lines.” The experts accused Sudan’s warring factions of weaponizing starvation against the civilian populations.
July 14
RSF PERPETRATED MASSACRE IN N KORDOFAN, OPENING FIRE ON A COMMERCIAL CONVOY AND KILLING 23 CIVILIANS. RSF has held control over most of N Kordofan since the early stages of the war and faces accusations of numerous violations and crimes against civilians including killings, looting, detention and forced displacement. Sudanese Doctors Network … reported the RSF “carried out a new massacre against a group of civilians from the village Fanquqa, opening fire on them as they were travelling to a market.” The statement condemned the heinous crime against unarmed civilians, interpreting it as an attempt by the RSF to restrict citizens’ freedoms and impose unjustified sieges, further evidencing the RSF’s ongoing violations and attacks on civilian populations. Sudan Tribune
SUDAN MILITARY WARPLANES LAUNCHED AIRSTRIKES TARGETING NYALA, S DARFUR, AND EL GENEINA, W DARFUR. The attacks resulted in civilian casualties including deaths and injuries. …a girl was killed and 10 other individuals were wounded. The sites were residential areas in Al-Nasim neighbourhoods and the western part of El Geneina, with no apparent military objectives. Since Nov W Darfur has been under control of the RSF, who ousted the army from the state. El Geneina has been repeatedly targeted by airstrikes. In Nyala, eyewitnesses reported a warplane circled the city for an extended period before dropping several unguided bombs. Nyala Hosp for Women & Childbirth sustained damage, along with a gas storage facility. Residential areas were hit. The city has faced frequent aerial bombardment since the RSF took control late last year. The military claims the airstrikes are aimed at destroying military supplies being delivered to the RSF by Emirati aircraft, including ammunition, rocket launchers, drones, and communications equipment. Sudan Tribune
Al-DINDER EMERGENCY ROOM IN SENNAR STATE REPORTED THE RSF SEIZED AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT, SEEDS AND FERTILIZERS from villages, raising concerns about potential failure of the upcoming agricultural season. The Rm accused the RSF of using “intimidation, beatings and killings” to confiscate tractors and equipment. 200 tractors have been seized and are reportedly being stored in villages Al-Farish and Kamrab …. primarily inhabited by members of the Rizeigat tribe, the same tribe from which many RSF leaders and soldiers hail. The Rm further alleges the RSF looted agricultural seeds, fertilizers and pesticides from villages and storage facilities, jeopardizing the upcoming harvest. They claim Kamrab and Al-Farish have become operational bases for the RSF, used for launching raids and storing stolen goods from Al-Dinder and surrounding villages. Al-Dinder is home to 200 villages that rely on herding, trade and agriculture. However, many residents fled due to RSF violence, including killings, looting, sexual violence and forced displacement. The ongoing lack of electricity, water and communication services, combined with soaring prices for essential goods, are exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. The Emergency Rm warned of a rising death toll among vulnerable populations, including those with chronic illnesses, the elderly and children, due to the closure of hospitals and health centres damaged in the conflict. Sudan Tribune July 13 EMERGENCY ROOM FOR KHARTOUM’S SOUTH BELT ANNOUNCED CLOSURES OF ALL FREE KITCHENS due to lack of funding and food supplies. The room warned that this dire situation threatens to cause widespread famine among residents already grappling with the ongoing conflict and severe lack of humanitarian aid. The encompassing Al-Inqaz, Al-Azhari, Al-Salama and Mayo has been under control of the RSF. These neighbourhoods have been sites of intense military operations, resulting in civilian casualties, destruction of homes and displacement. In June, volunteers reported a mass exodus of residents from southern Khartoum due to the lack of security and deteriorating living conditions. Now, the closure of the free kitchens/Takaya further exacerbates the crisis. Mohamed Kindasha, South Belt Emergency Rm, told Sudan Tribune kitchens have been forced to shut down due to depleted food stocks and no financial resources. … the room relies on intermittent donations and grants. The closure affects 25 kitchens that served as a lifeline for many, providing essential meals amid lost income and scarce resources. Kindasha warned that lack of food aid and cessation of these vital services could quickly lead to a devastating famine.
Many residents are already suffering from malnutrition due to reliance on low-quality food throughout the war. The dire situation is compounded by the actions of authorities in army-controlled states, who restricted delivery of goods to RSF-controlled a reas in Khartoum and imposed strict security measures on roads hindering access to essential supplies.
July 12
EGYPT DEPORTS THOUSANDS OF SUDANESE HELD IN SECRET MILITARY CAMPS TO WAR-RAVAGED SUDAN. “We want safety, we want stability, and Egypt is closing its door on us.” Thousands of refugees are being unlawfully detained in secret detention camps near the border, then deported back into the conflict without a chance to claim asylum. 500,000 Sudanese have fled to Egypt, but Egypt’s government cancelled a visa exemption policy, making it near impossible for them to enter the country through legal avenues. We spoke to 2 people who attempted to enter through Aswan with the hopes of applying for asylum. 1 was deported immediately. The other was arrested and detained for 31 days. Middle East Eye
SUDANESE REFUGEES IN ETHIOPIA FACING DIRE SITUATION, with an outbreak of fever among children, lack of medical facilities and violence plaguing the camps in Amhara. 6,000 Sudanese refugees, including 2,300 women and children, are enduring harsh conditions in the Olala forest. Tragically, 45 children died in recent months. 2,000 children aged 3 months to 17 years are suffering from malnutrition, diarrhoea and colds due to limited food options. Refugees confirmed to Sudan Tribune that the unsanitary environment has worsened the health situation, particularly for children, with a rise in fever and malaria cases. Last week alone, 154 children fell ill with fever, adding to 210 already suffering. A video … reveals a displaced person pleading for help. He states refugees have endured 71 days of dire conditions without any assistance from international humanitarian organisations. He accuses the international community of ignoring their plight. He reiterates the spread of fever among children, lack of essential medicines, and absence of healthcare facilities. He calls for urgent international intervention, emphasising the refugees’ despair and their desire to be relocated to a 3rd country. Their mobility has been limited due to the rainy season, making their situation even more precarious. Adding to their woes, a proposed relocation to a new area was rejected after a UNHCR team preparing the camp was attacked by Ethiopian militias. Andrew Mbogori, UNHCR, recently visited the new site for refugees. 2,000 refugees have been transferred there, with plans to accommodate more than 12,000 in coming months. Unfortunately, violence persists. The camps for Sudanese refugees in Al Koma Olala have seen 1,700 attacks. Last week, a Sudanese refugee was kidnapped, with a militia demanding $3,000 ransom.
July 11
LARGE PARTS OF WAR-TORN SUDAN ARE INACCESSIBLE TO AID WORKERS a Red Cross official said: “There are plenty of areas we cannot access, sometimes because they are very dangerous, and sometimes we do not receive permission,” Pierre Dorbes. A recent UN-backed report said 26 million people, ½ the population, were facing high levels of acute food insecurity. Volunteer groups in some areas have set up communal kitchens, supported by international organisations. “We provide 2,000 meals a day, and this number is increasing daily,” Esmat Mohamed, who supervises one in Khartoum told AFP. But international groups face logistical hurdles in transferring funds to volunteers on the ground. In the town of Dilling, Kinda Komi is one of the volunteers providing meals to those in need: “Since the start of the war, no food aid has reached the town, and the roads have been cut due to the clashes, half of those in need leave without receiving meals.” The New Arab
Al-BURHAN LINKED ENGAGEMENT IN JEDDAH NEGOTIATION WITH THE WITHDRAWAL OF RSF. Al-Burhan stressed: “We will not negotiate with the rebel terrorist militia. We will not go to Jeddah’s negotiating platform until after it withdraws and exits cities and citizens’ homes in all the cities of Sudan that they have invaded. Al-Burhan’s statements come days after he met with Saudi Dep Foreign Min Al-Khuraiji and discussed resuming the Jeddah negotiations to stop the war. However, the lack of progress in the talks undermined hopes for a solution to the conflict…. The situation in Sudan is heading towards more complicated courses of the armed conflict that the country has been witnessing for over a year, amid fears of a new secession scenario after the faltering of the Saudi and American-brokered talks…. Middle East Monitor
July 10
Médecins Sans Frontières decided to evacuate from Turkish Hosp in an area controlled by the RSF south of Khartoum due to increasing violations against its staff. The conflict has caused 70-80% of medical facilities to cease operations due to bombing, occupation, lack of supplies, water and electricity outages and a shortage of personnel. “After more than a year of violent incidents inside and outside Turkish Hosp including threats to the lives of our staff, we have decided to evacuate the hospital.” It was able to provide direct life-saving treatment at the hospital for 14 months, despite deliberate obstacles from the warring parties. Its staff were subjected to repeated harassment inside the facility and on the street while commuting to and from work, with many threatened with arrest. One of its employees was arrested by armed men who took him to an unknown location and severely beat him. The suspension of MSF’s work is the 5th this year. The organisation suspended its work at Bashair Hosp, Wad Madani Hosp in Al Jazirah, Southern Hosp, and Babiker Nahar Paediatric Centre in El Fasher, N Darfur. Claire Nicolet, MSF Emergency Response Mgr reported multiple violent incidents inside and outside the hospital, and the lives of MSF staff were repeatedly threatened: “…dozens of wounded fighters were brought to the Turkish Hosp and our team was violently awakened by Kalashnikov rifles fired at their bedrooms. Hospitals and health facilities should be protected and respected by the warring parties as sanctuaries for the sick and wounded where health workers can safely deliver medical care. They cannot have their lives put at-risk as they try to save the lives of other people.” The team is suffering from physical and psychological exhaustion due to the blockade imposed by the authorities since Sept preventing the transfer of medical supplies and humanitarian workers to areas controlled by the RSF. The withdrawal of the MSF will halt surgical operations, care for pregnant women before and after childbirth, therapeutic feeding for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition and neonatal unit, the only one operating in Khartoum State. Sudan Tribune
ARMY-ALIGNED GOVT REFUSED TO MEET WITH KEY CIVILIAN POLITICIANS IN CAIRO TO DISCUSS AN END TO THE WAR. The conference was meant to initiate a Sudanese-Sudanese national dialogue to unify perspectives for an end to the war. But government officials, including deputy chairman of the transitional council Agar, finance min Ibrahim and Darfur gov Minawi refused to sit down with former PM Hamdok and his Taqadum civilian bloc. They accused the politicians of being a front for the RSF. The … former premier remains Sudan’s foremost civilian politician, but has been accused of cozying up to the paramilitaries, which is accused of atrocities including crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing. Hamdok and Daglo signed a joint declaration to work towards an end to the war. The pro-army camp demanded Taqadum “condemn RSF atrocities and dissolve their partnership.” Spokesperson Eljack denied Taqadum is the political wing of the RSF. Attempts at mediation between the sides – including by Saudi Arabia, the US and AU – have repeatedly floundered. The US signaled the potential resumption of talks in Jeddah, but the fighting shows no signs of abating as the RSF gains ground and pushes further into the country’s army-controlled east.
GEN INTELLIGENCE SVC AND SPECIAL FORCES DETAINED HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN SENNAR AND WHITE NILE STATE. Mohamed Jawda, Sudanese Bar Assoc, told Radio Dabanga they are closely following developments in Sennar and White Nile State: “It is clear both parties to the war are targeting human rights defenders.” Information about the fate of human rights defenders in Sennar is difficult to obtain, as communication … was lost since the first day of the RSF attack. “We know several lawyers in Singa were detained by the SAF and RSF. Together with members of local Emergency Rms, we are trying to follow up on the missing lawyers. In Rabak, White Nile State, there is a fierce campaign taking place against them. A joint force of MI agents and Gen Intelligence Svc has been raiding offices of lawyers this week. The detention of 4 lawyers has been confirmed. The families of those who managed to flee are being terrorised and intimidated to provide information about their whereabouts.” According to El Hadaf newspaper, GIS agents held Adam El Degnawi, prominent lawyer, White Nile Bar Assoc, Democratic Lawyers Assoc and mainstream Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party. The same force raided lawyers’ offices at Rabak Mkt and took 3 of them blindfolded to an unknown location. Darfur Bar Assoc reported that 2 young brothers of Darfuri origin are being held in Atbara Prison since April. MI officers and policemen stormed the home of teacher El Tahir Dawelbeit in El Hurra, and took his sons Adel and El Sadig to Atbara, where they were charged of undermining the constitution. Dawelbeit is a prominent figure in the Darfur region and Sudan. Adel and El Sadig were held with other volunteers. After checking ID cards, people originally from the north were released, while the Darfuri remained detained. DBA strongly denounces these practices of social and regional discrimination and warn of the use of suspicion … to target those from western Sudan and hold them under crimes against the state and the undermining of the constitutional order. Dawelbeit told Radio Dabanga he did not want to complicate the situation: “I have not made a statement to any party, but what forced me now to break the silence is that my sons have spent 75 days in army cells without their case having been investigated, and without them being brought to trial or released.” After 2 days incommunicado, his sons were taken to Zaidab Prison and from there to the Artillery Intelligence in Atbara, transferred to Atbara Police Central Investigations Dept. The young men were held with 120 others. “They were released, except for 30 people who are almost all from western Sudan.” It is clear these detentions come within the regional and racist framework sweeping through Sudan since the start of the war.” RSF often detain them arbitrarily on the spot, but … MI and GIS concentrate on preventive detentions. Detainees are tortured to death. In May, lawyer and politician Salah Tayeb was beaten to death by MI agents in El Gezira. Sudanese Congress Party said he was detained by “Islamists who have the armed forces in their grip.” Natl Comm for War Crimes & Violations by the RSF filed criminal charges with Pt Sudan Prosecution against 17 leaders of Tagadom Coordination Comm.
ETHIOPIAN PM MET AL-BURHAN. Ahmed’s visit to the Red Sea town of Pt Sudan, where the army-aligned government is based, is the highest-level state visit since the start of the conflict. Ahmed’s press secy told Al Jazeera the purpose of the visit was to achieve peace and security in Sudan. Al Jazeera’s Mohamed Vall said “it’s not clear” what Ahmed’s proposals are. In a closed-door meeting, al-Burhan briefed Ahmed on crimes and atrocities committed by the RSF as part of its “rebellion against the state and its institutions.” Both sides have been accused of committing war crimes by UN officials and international rights groups. The visit comes amid reports of potential talks to be hosted in Uganda. Al-Burhan’s camp has so far largely shunned E African mediation attempts to end the war, accusing regional leaders of siding with the RSF. UNHCR said an estimated 10 million people have been forcibly displaced since the war broke out. 7.7 million people are displaced internally, 2 million have fled to neighbouring Egypt, Chad, CAR and Ethiopia. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, the UN hunger monitoring system, said Sudan is facing the worst food crisis in its history, with 755,000 people facing catastrophe in 10 out of 18 states, the most severe level of extreme hunger.
July 8
REPORTS INDICATE THE RSF BOMBED SAUDI HOSP causing partial destruction to the facility in N Darfur capital El Fasher. Dabanga
JOURNALIST THREATENED BY SECURITY FORCES IN OMDURMAN. Abdallah recounted the events to Radio Dabanga: “I was having a cup of tea at 8.00 in a café. 3 security forces members arrived. They smoked a cigarette. I felt suffocated from the smoke, so I left the room and went into the space in front of the café. I started browsing my mobile phone and writing in my diary. I was surprised by a soldier carrying a Kalashnikov rifle, wearing a military uniform with a civilian shirt, and 2 heavily armed soldiers next to him. He asked me what I was writing about. He asked for my ID and if I was employed and where I worked. I told him I did not work.” The men took him to a building … where he was interrogated for more than 4 hours. Once they found out he is a journalist, he was forced to unlock his mobile phone. After hours of interrogation, an official told Abdallah the pictures on his phone constituted conclusive evidence he was cooperating with FFC-CC and Civil Democratic Alliance Tagadom, which they accused of being the political arm of the RSF. Abdallah was released after officials evaluated the evidence and statements and reviewed his diary. They warned if they found him again, they would “smash [his] head with a gun.” According to Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, at least 10 journalists have been killed since the start of the war. In a symposium for Sudanese journalists in Uganda, Mohamed Abdelaziz said the Syndicate investigated these incidents. SJS reviewed the violations suffered by journalists including detention, intimidation, loss of shelter and displacement, noting “90% of media institutions stopped working”. He applauded SJS’s efforts to help and protect its members, including psychological support and an emergency fund for journalists stranded in high-risk areas. During the symposium Sudan Journalists Under the Line of Fire: Searching for Protection in accordance with International Humanitarian Law and UN Resolutions, former Min of Info Saleh discussed the challenges: “The application of international laws and documents requires a democratic environment committed to human rights, and pressure from the trade union movement, to enforce these documents. Sudan deeply lacks such an environment.” Dozens of human rights violations against journalists and press workers have been reported since April 15. Most newspapers and radio stations have been forced to close because of the fighting and repression. Media Forum lamented that the war has claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions and urged the global community “to rally behind the Sudanese people and demand an immediate end to the war through negotiations. This conflict has caused enough suffering and democratic regression.” Targeted murders of journalists have plunged Sudan into a total media blackout. Millions are suffering, our nation is fractured, and foreign intervention looms.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE FOR WOMEN IN THE HORN OF AFRICA NETWORK REPORT A SURGE IN SEXUAL AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE including rape against women in Sennar and Singa. The report indicates a large number of missing people, with estimates suggesting that 1,000 people, including 91 children, have disappeared since RSF seized control of Singa last week. SIHA reported that 55,440 people have fled, that assistance is very limited, if not non-existent. Recent clashes have displaced people from Abu Hajar, El Dinder and other areas in the state. Civilians are fleeing towards El Gedaref and eastern states, but many remain unable to travel due to the continuous advance of the RSF. “As we have learnt from previous eruptions of violence, especially on El Gezira, host communities are already extremely overwhelmed with displaced people in addition to the fact that due to the dire economic circumstances’ assistance is extremely limited if not non-existent.” Sudanese Missing People Comm counted 1,029 missing people since the RSF attack on Sennar. SIHA described the conditions of women who fled as horrific. Sennar, previously a centre for humanitarian aid and sexual and reproductive health care, had been a designated safe zone ever since the RSF attacks on El Gezira. The network lost contact with service providers, including caseworkers who were supporting pregnant women and survivors. This means the cessation of emergency humanitarian assistance to women. There is an urgent need for decisive support, including humanitarian aid, to save lives, alleviate suffering and preserve human dignity. This includes food, water, feminine hygiene supplies and access to sexual and reproductive health care, including emergency services. … fighting in Sennar is creating a serious humanitarian crisis with dire effects, especially women and vulnerable populations. Sennar, an important commercial centre and a route between Pt Sudan and the rest of the country, played a decisive role in distributing humanitarian aid. The network called for establishment of an international criminal court akin to the Rwandan model to address war crimes and crimes against humanity, promote accountability and prevent future violence. It urged pressure on the RSF and SAF to stop the violence and ensure “they have no role in Sudan’s governance”.
July 7
THE WAR IS APPROACHING ITS 16TH MONTH WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE KILLED AND MILLIONS DISPLACED in what international organisations say is the world’s worst displacement crisis. The RSF began attacking towns in the southeastern state of Sennar last month, sending 136,000 people fleeing since June 24, according to the UN. Civilians fled fighting in Sinja and al-Dinder, mainly to neighbouring al-Gedaref and Blue Nile states, UN OCHA said. There were already 286,000 displaced people sheltering in Sinja and al-Dinder before the recent clashes broke out. “People displaced from Sennar may be experiencing secondary or tertiary displacement.” Meanwhile, fighting continues in N Darfur’s el-Fasher, the last capital the army holds in the Darfur region. An attack on a market resulted in 15 civilians being killed, Health Min Khater told AFP news. UNHCR said it was expanding its Sudan refugee response plan for the year to Libya and Uganda, where it is expecting 149,000 and 55,000 refugees. “It just speaks to the desperate situation and desperate decisions that people are making, that they end up in a place like Libya which is of course extremely, extremely difficult for refugees right now,” Ewan Watson, UNHCR. Libya has already received 20,000 registered refugees from Sudan since the war began. UNHCR got only 19% of the funds it needs for its refugee response, adding that had forced them to “drastically cut” food rations. UN hunger monitoring system, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification said Sudan is facing the worst food crisis in its history. 755,000 people are facing catastrophe in 10 out of 18 states,
the the most severe level of extreme hunger, according to the IPC. 18% of the population, or 8.5 million people, struggle with food shortages that could lead to severe malnutrition and potentially death. “There is a risk of famine in 14 areas […Greater Darfur, Greater Kordofan, Al Jazirah states and hotspots in Khartoum] if the conflict escalates further, [Conflict escalation] would contribute to ongoing restrictions on humanitarian access to the besieged population in critical areas and restrict people’s ability to engage in farming and casual labour activities during the upcoming agricultural season.”
THE WARS HAVE IMPACTED THE ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE IN THE COUNTRY, particularly in Darfur, according to leading Sudanese environmental activist Iman Seifeldin, who asks whether these can be considered climate crimes to be brought before the ICC: “Displacement due to war…affects the suitability of lands for agriculture, causes damage and has consequences for the population’s return post-conflict. Agricultural lands are left uncultivated for many years, the soil is exposed to erosion, making it extremely difficult to restore its productive capacity.”
July 3
RSF BOMBED JEBEL MARRA HOSP IN EL FASHER GRAND MKT. The source reported that the northern section of the hospital’s 3rd fl was destroyed, though medical equipment remained largely undamaged. Dabanga
June 30
PARAMILITARY FORCES CAPTURED KEY STATE CAPITAL IN SOUTHEAST. What we can definitely confirm is civilians have witnessed clashes and many have started leaving the city since Sat and more people are leaving the city Sun morning. The latest RSF breakthrough means they are closing in on Pt Sudan on the Red Sea where the army, government and UN agencies are now based. RSF controls most of Khartoum, Gezira in the centre of the country, the vast western region of Darfur and much of Kordofan to the south. Sennar is already home to 1 million displaced Sudanese. Posts on social media showed thousands of people fleeing in vehicles and on foot, and witnesses told AFP thousands of people have taken refuge on the east bank of the Blue Nile R east of Singa. RSF forces are besieging and seeking to capture el-Fasher, N Darfur. Al Jazeera
June 28 AID GROUPS WARNING MAN-MADE FAMINE COULD BE EVEN WORSE THAN FEARED, WITH THE MOST CATASTROPHIC DEATH TOLL THE WORLD HAS SEEN IN DECADES. A UN-backed study said 755,000 people are on the brink of starvation in Sudan, a death toll not seen since the 1980s when famine in Ethiopia shocked the world. Barrett Alexander, Mercy Corps, said even that figure could be an underestimate as the conflict displaced farmers in the country’s agricultural areas, raising fears for the next harvest. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it were a little bit higher than that number,” he said of the projection by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative. The IPC said nearly 26 million people – half of Sudan’s population – were facing acute food insecurity with the 755,000 in catastrophic conditions, including around Khartoum and Darfur. Alexander said both sides imposed cumbersome levels of bureaucracy, including requiring permits of aid workers. “Getting across the frontlines is nearly impossible.” Eatizaz Yousif, Intl Rescue Comm, said there have already been accounts of people resorting to eating grass in S Kordofan: “Definitely we will be seeing very soon people dying from a lack of food in different parts of the country … belligerents have looted food warehouses and harassed or killed humanitarian workers. It’s definitely a man-made hunger crisis because we don’t have a problem with the level of grain at this time.” The US has been seeking to bring the warring sides back to the negotiating table but has seen little interest, with diplomats saying both sides believe they can win on the battlefield. The paramilitaries allegedly received support from Russia’s Wagner mercenaries, while Egypt, Turkey and reportedly Iran have backed the army. With multiple conflicts in the world, donors have provided only 17% of the $2.7 billion sought by the UN. “Compare Sudan with crises like Gaza and Ukraine – maybe they are more important in the geopolitical arena. If you see the number of displaced and the number of humans suffering, Sudan should be on the top of humanitarian attention.” Al Arabiya
CIVILIAN GROUPS IN AL HASAHEISA, AL JAZIRAH ACCUSED RSF OF CARRYING OUT EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS, INCLUDING ASSASSINATION OF A PROMINENT DOCTOR. According to Sudan Doctors Network, the RSF executed Dr Farouk Yahya Mohamed Abdel Rahim, Dir of Al-Hasaheisa Hosp, in front of his family. Al-Hasaheisa Resistance Comms corroborated the incident, stating Dr Yahya, an anesthesiologist, was assassinated while travelling. They accused the RSF of killing a young man named Farid Noureddine, whose body was found in Al-Taif. These latest incidents highlight the escalating violence and human rights abuses in Al Jazirah under RSF control for several months. RSF’s presence has led to severe communication and internet outages across the region, further isolating residents and hindering the flow of information. RSF’s grip on the majority of the state continues to fuel concerns about the safety and well-being of civilians. Sudan Tribune
June 27
UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERTS ACCUSED WARRING FACTIONS OF WEAPONIZING STARVATION amid rising fears of imminent famine. “Both the SAF and RSF are using food as a weapon and starving civilians,” UN Human Rights Council. … the extent of hunger and displacement we see in Sudan today is unprecedented and never witnessed before.” The experts cautioned that famine was imminent, as humanitarian aid has been blocked and the harvest season disrupted by the war. 25 million civilians in Sudan, along with those who have fled the country, are being starved and urgently need humanitarian aid. … local efforts to respond to Sudan’s hunger crisis have been hindered by unprecedented violence and targeted attacks on civil society and local responders, … dozens of activists and local volunteers have been arrested, threatened and prosecuted in recent weeks. …“deliberate targeting of humanitarian workers and local volunteers has undermined aid operations, putting millions of people at further risk of starvation, … local responders are risking their health and lives and working across battle lines. … foreign governments providing financial and military support to both parties in the conflict are complicit in starvation, crimes against humanity and war crimes,” urging warring factions to “stop blocking, looting, and exploiting humanitarian assistance.” Elsewhere, they called on the international community to “accelerate humanitarian action, … it is imperative that the UN, international donors, and states accelerate efforts to alleviate the suffering of millions of Sudanese facing famine.”
SUDAN FACES WORST LEVELS OF FOOD INSECURITY EVER RECORDED. According to the latest UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification 1/2 the population – 25.6 million people – face crisis or worse conditions between now and Sept, coinciding with the lean season. 755,000 people face catastrophic conditions in 10 states including Greater Darfur, S and N Kordofan, Blue Nile, Al Jazira and Khartoum. 8.5 million, 18% of the population, now suffer emergency levels of food insecurity. UN repeatedly called for a ceasefire as Khartoum became a battleground and amid fears of atrocities in the Darfurs. Despite multiple calls for a ceasefire to Burhan and Dagalo, UN humanitarians warned the situation is only getting worse. “We received news of people eating leaves from trees; one mother cooked up dirt just to put something in her children’s stomach,” Justin Brady, OCHA. UN agency heads warned the looming hunger catastrophe was “on a scale not seen since the Darfur crisis in the early 2000s,” a reference to years of brutal fighting and atrocities that left 300,000 people dead and millions displaced. Today’s emergency spans the whole country with catastrophic levels of hunger even reaching Khartoum and Gezira, once Sudan’s breadbasket. UN Food & Agriculture Org, UN Children’s Fund and UN World Food Programme: “for half of Sudan’s war-battered population, every single day is a struggle to feed themselves and their families.” This is the first time catastrophic phase 5 conditions have been confirmed in Sudan since 2004, while children bear the brunt of rapid deterioration in food security. The agencies repeatedly warned about the crisis and already mobilised a large-scale humanitarian response inside Sudan and neighbouring countries, where 2m refugees sought safety. “An immediate ceasefire and renewed international efforts as well as unhindered and sustained humanitarian access are urgently needed to enable the humanitarian response and allow agencies to deliver at the speed needed.” This new data shows a stark deterioration in food security compared with the last IPC report in 2023, which showed 17.7m people facing acute hunger. “The new IPC analysis revealed a deepening and rapid deterioration of the food security situation with millions of people’s lives at risk,” FAO Dir Gen Qu Dongyu. “We are now delivering lifesaving seeds for the main planting season. The clock is ticking for Sudan’s farmers.” FAO urgently requires $60m to meet its famine prevention plan to ensure that people, especially in inaccessible areas, are able to produce food locally and avert food shortages in the next 6 months. We must act collectively, with unimpeded access, for the sake of millions of innocent lives hanging in the balance.” Al Taghyeer
Al-JERAIF OF SHURG AL-NEEL, KHARTOUM STATE, REGISTERED 100 CASES OF NIGHT BLINDNESS FROM STARVATION-RELATED VIT A DEFICIENCY,
Emergency Rm Hind al-Taayf. … cases are expected to be higher as communication outage hampers reporting in many areas. Al-Taayf told Radio Tamazuj that al-Ban Jadeed and Omdawan Ban Hospitals receive 800-1000 and 50-80 malnourished children per month. The hospitals in addition to 7 health centres are the only operating medical facilities in Shurg al-Neel which spans 8188 sq k. She indicated that medicines are provided by importers at high prices due to transport difficulties. There is only one NGO working in al-Ban Jadeed Hosp and it provides logistical support only, indicating the hospitals are in need of vitamins, nutritional supplements and pediatric scales.
EU IMPOSED RESTRICTIVE MEASURES ON 6 ENTITIES ACCUSED OF DESTABILISING SUDAN’S POLITICAL LANDSCAPE. Among those sanctioned are companies manufacturing weapons and vehicles for the SAF: Defense Industries Sys and SMT Engineering. SAF-controlled Zadna Intl Co for Investment has been listed, alongside companies that procure military equipment for the RSF: Al Junaid Multi Activities Co, Tradive Gen Trading and GSK Advance Co. These entities have previously been the target of sanctions by US Dept of State and UK’s former Foreign Secy. US Dept of the Treasury imposed visa restrictions on Ali Karti, head of the Islamic Movement in Sudan, as well as RSF Sector Comm in W Darfur Gen Juma for his role in killing Gov Abakar. These entities will face asset freezes, and the provision of funds or economic resources to them, directly or indirectly, is prohibited.
IN A NEW ACT OF BRUTALITY, MEMBERS OF SAF KILLED 3 PRISONERS CAPTURED FROM RSF AND DUMPED IN A CANAL. The prisoners were RSF scouts traveling on motorcycles west of Sennar, when they were ambushed and captured. We identified several details in this video that enabled us to match it with later videos showing the men’s blood-soaked corpses, verifying that the RSF soldiers who were initially captured alive were later shot to death. The killers stood over the bodies, bragging and denigrating the dead, calling them Ethiopians and Chadians. Such racial rhetoric is common among SAF soldiers who characterize the RSF as foreign mercenaries, though the majority of RSF soldiers were born in W Darfur. One prominent SAF influencer, Kamal Goga, bragged that the victims would be “food for the crocodiles,” before his tweet was deleted. Desecrating enemy war dead is considered a war crime under international law, the Hague Conv, Geneva Conv and Rome Statute. … this could be considered a “war crime of outrage upon personal dignity.” Sudanese military law prohibits maiming dead bodies of the enemy and killing prisoners of war. Islamic jurists likewise generally prohibit the desecration a body of combatants after they die, requiring they be buried with dignity. This is not the first time SAF-affiliated soldiers executed prisoners. The practices of the RSF are pretty much the same. They recently perpetrated massacres against prisoners of war in W Kordofan. The RSF regularly beat prisoners and humiliate them. Sudan War Monitor
June 24
DEAR WORLD, SUDAN NEEDS YOUR HELP. WHY ARE YOU IGNORING US? I sometimes wonder about the futility in continuing to write about the deteriorating situation in Sudan. We write and we write and we brief and we report and we relay and we repackage and we try to find as many ways as possible to say the same thing: the situation in Sudan is urgent, and the Sudanese people need help now. Yet, the violence continues. Every time I sit down to write a piece about the conflict, the numbers are worse, and I wonder what difference these words make. Almost 2 weeks have passed since the UN Sec Council adopted resolution 2736, demanding the RSF end the siege of Al-Fashir and immediate cessation of fighting. The intense violence continues. Hospitals and pharmacies remain targets. Healthcare personnel on the frontline are being killed, drastically limiting the options for civilians who require medical attention. The ongoing violence means no outside help can reach them, according to MSF, one of the few international organisations still operating in the city. 260 have been killed since the fighting began 6 weeks ago. Only 22 aid trucks have reached Al-Fashir in 3 months due to restrictions enforced by both RSF and SAF leaving the civilian population malnourished, sick and facing a slow, painful death. “The noose of war is tightening its stronghold on a civilian population that is under attack from all sides,” Clementine Nkweta-Salami, UN Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator. “Sudan continues to spiral into chaos,” Edem Wosornu, OCHA Dir of Operations & Advocacy to UNSC. UN News Khaled Mohamed: “We’re in a race against time, but the time is running out. It’s difficult to know what more can be said, but as long as the situation does not improve, we will keep saying it.” Now, there are 10 million forced from their homes, 55% children under 18, and 1/4 under 5 according to the Intl Org for Migration. Famine, the kind Sudanese people have not seen for decades, is looming frighteningly on the horizon, despite the efforts of WFP and others doing the best they can with limited resources. 18 million people are acutely food insecure and 5 million are facing starvation, the highest number ever recorded during the harvest season. The US is on record that famine has likely descended. MSF reported in Zamzam Camp 1 child dies from hunger every 2 hours. It does not have to be this way. The numbers can be difficult to comprehend, our brains are unable to imagine the scale. The displacement of a group 5 times the population of Paris? The number of people needing humanitarian assistance equal to the entire population of Australia? As many as the population of New Zealand facing literal starvation? What would we do if the entire population of New Zealand was dying of starvation? If every Swede was forced to flee their home? Almost $1 billion were pledged to restore Notre Dame after the fire. Less than1/2 of that has been received for Sudan, only 16% of the $2.7b ask. While there have been some welcome announcements, like an additional $315m from the US, this is not nearly enough. There are no excuses for inaction, for the lack of prioritisation this war has received. Millions of innocent civilians who have gallantly and peacefully fought for their own freedom, deserve better from their leaders and the international community. There is no future for Sudan if we do our talking with guns. We must lay down our weapons, and only then can the future of Sudan begin. Until then, we need all the help we can get. Without help, there won’t be a Sudanese people to save. Yassmin Abdel-Magied, The New Arab
June 25
RSF STORMED INTO YAHIYA ADAM’S HOMEYAND SHOT HIS BROTHER AND FATHER DEAD. They sprayed him with bullets and tossed his body out on the road in el-Geneina. Adam, 27, was semi-conscious and bleeding from his neck, shoulder and arms. He lay on the ground as blood draining from his body mixed with the hot sand. His eyes fixed on the doorway of his home, where he saw RSF fighters take turns raping his 3 sisters. He heard them cry for help, but could not do anything to save them: “They were all raped … I could see it happening with my own eyes. I saw it all. There were about 20 RSF fighters in my home.” Hundreds of thousands of civilians from the Masalit farming tribe (often referred to as non-Arabs) saw their families murdered and their community expelled to eastern Chad a year ago. The exodus unfolded after W Darfur’s Gov Abakar accused the RSF and allied nomadic fighters (often referred to as Arabs) of committing genocide against the Masalit. Abakar was detained and assassinated right after the interview. Hours later, footage circling on social media showed an RSF truck driving over his corpse, while women threw rocks at his battered body. RSF fighters began raiding and burning homes, terrifying Masalit families into fleeing across the porous border into Chad. 10,000-15,000 people were killed in el-Geniena alone RSF killed the gov and then ambushed and killed their friends and loved ones as they tried to escape, while they limped and staggered over the border after being shot in the back, legs or arms. Those who survived still cope with mental and physical scars from that terrifying day. After his sisters were raped, he vaguely recalls RSF fighters loading his body on the back of a pick-up truck and dumping him over the border. “They left me there to die. I had blood everywhere on my body.” Adam woke up in a nearby clinic run by Doctors Without Borders. “Friends saw me in the hospital and told my sisters and mother where I was. I was so happy when I saw them. I thought I had lost them all.” When the gov was killed, Ahmad Ababakr Bakhit hid at home with his older sister. RSF fighters stormed in and shot him in his leg and stabbed him in the stomach with a stick. His older sister acted quickly to save his life, wrapping clothes tightly around his wounds to stop the bleeding and getting him to a doctor who cleaned his wounds and amputated his leg. “The doctor didn’t have all the tools. The doctor went above and beyond to save me.” Bakhit’s sister loaded him onto a donkey cart and took him over the border to Chad. He was taken to a clinic where doctors cleaned his wounds and gave him medicine for the pain. Bakhit’s sister is now working in a market to support him, his brother and mother. He wants to help, but is waiting for a prosthetic leg Humanity & Inclusion promised. He plans to go to work once he can walk again without assistance. Mohamad Isaac is waiting patiently to be examined for a prosthetic leg. Like countless Masalit men, he barely survived the mass killing in el-Geneina. The 37-year-old said RSF fighters invaded his home, killed his father and nephew and shot him in the leg. Isaac was losing consciousness as he lay in a pool of blood and he remembers RSF fighters telling him “the Masalit are finished. They attacked all of us after they killed the gov. They were searching everywhere for Masalit.”
Isaac’s brothers found him alive. They quickly bandaged his leg and drove him to Chad where doctors amputated his leg and treated his wounds to save his life. Isaac began coping with depression. One of his 2 wives left him because he could no longer support her or her children. His other wife was patient and chose to stay. “I remember thinking, how will I live?” Al Jazeera
June 23
RSF ATTACKS ON ID BABIKER IN SHURG AL NEEL FOR 3 DAYS KILLING 7 while several were missing according to the local Human Rights Monitor. The Monitor said the RSF raided the area and continued attacks randomly shooting citizens, looting stores and houses, abducting some people and torturing others. Due to the assault food supplies, medicines, livestock fodder and other essentials were vanished. Looting of citizens’ mobile phones and Starlink devices deprived residents from receiving money transfers. Al Taghyeer
PEACE & SECURITY COUNCIL OF AU PROPOSED EXTRAORDINARY SUMMIT BE CONVENED TO CONSIDER THE SITUATION IN SUDAN, and the need to ensure protection of civilians. A communiqué … strongly condemns the ongoing war and its adverse impact on the Sudanese people and the region and its attendant violations of human rights, international human rights law and international humanitarian law. PSC demands the warring parties immediately stop the fighting and prioritise the interests of Sudan and its people, and calls upon El Burhan and Dagalo to meet under the auspices of AU and IGAD without further delay. The Council expresses grave concern over the unprecedented catastrophic humanitarian situation, indiscriminate killings of innocent civilians and wanton destruction of infrastructure including hospitals, schools, water purification and electricity generation plants, … diplomatic missions, in clear violation of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and Vienna Conv on Diplomatic Relations. …there is no viable and sustainable military solution to the conflict, and only a genuine inclusive dialogue can lead to a sustainable solution. Dabanga
RSF ATTACKED ASEER VILLAGE OF AL GEZIRA DURING MUSLIM PRAYER, KILLING 15 and injured dozens in a new massacre. RSF entered the village first for looting but was repelled by the village’s youth killing some of the attackers, explaining that the force came again same day for revenge. Aseer is the last populated village in the area as neighbouring villages witnessed large-scale displacement in fear of paramilitary assaults. Al Taghyeer
June 22
ICC REQUESTED FROM THE SUDANESE GOVT INFORMATION ON THE LOCATIONS OF THOSE ACCUSED OF COMMITTING CRIMES IN DARFUR, headed by former pres Al-Bashir, NCP leader Haroun, and former defense min Hussein. The court has not received any response from the Sudanese government so far regarding the whereabouts of its wanted. Al Arabiya
60 CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS (INCLUDING PAX CHRISTY) VOICED GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT THE DIRE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION, and appeal to the world community to take necessary measures to protect millions of vulnerable civilian populations and avert a looming humanitarian tragedy. In a joint statement from Uganda the organisations call on the international community to urgently meet the financial pledges they made in Paris in April, and encourage the donor community to consider additional funding for humanitarian work: “The Sudanese people, victims of many years of tyranny and atrocious acts inside Sudan and abroad, deserve the generous support of all peace-loving people. The undersigned organisations lament that the internal armed conflict engulfs 80% of Sudan’s territory as fighting continues unabated, and violence or threats reported in hitherto safe states. The organisations cite the statement by Principals of the UN Inter-Agency Standing Comm: No time to lose as famine stalks millions amid intense fighting and access denials, time is running out for millions of people who are at imminent risk of famine, displaced from their lands, living under bombardments, and cut off from humanitarian assistance. Evidence in our possession suggests a deadly famine is already affecting millions especially in the isolated parts of the greater Darfur region, Kordofan, El Gezira and Khartoum. …we salute the heroic efforts of humanitarian workers and demand they do more because of the growing need for their valuable work and life-saving services. …we are extremely concerned by the limited support to the humanitarian work by the donor community, notably affecting the work of the UN High Comm for Refugees. It is disheartening that 2 months after the Intl Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and its neighbours in Paris on April 15, UN relief agencies received far less than 20% of the US $2.7b they urgently need. We call upon the international donor community and countries to urgently meet the financial pledges they made. The Sudanese people, victims of many years of tyranny and atrocious acts inside Sudan and abroad, deserve the generous support of all peace-loving people. Dabanga
UGANDAN PRES BLAMED THE CONFLICT IN SUDAN ON IDEOLOGICAL MISTAKES BY THE COUNTRY’S LEADERS. Museveni expressed the sentiments when he chaired a meeting of AU Council’s Heads of State & Govt. The leaders explored ways to enhance coordinated efforts among regional and international partners to achieve peace and stability for the Sudanese people: “It is now 70 years since our neighboring country has been in war more or less continuously and this has been because of some mistakes which, we many times, talk about with the Sudanese leaders. The first mistake was the politics of identity of Africans Vs Arabs or vice versa. Identity of religions; Muslims Vs Christians, and this is the problem also in other parts of Africa. Even in Uganda here, we had the same problem; people who were pushing the politics of identity instead of the politics of interest of the people.” Museveni highlighted the other mistake as the use of force and arms instead of dialogue: “When you use force, you deploy unprepared people who are not disciplined and hold a wrong ideology. That is how you get this catastrophe …. A war need not affect the whole population unless there is something wrong with the managers of that conflict. The protection of human rights and International Humanitarian law will only be possible if national reconciliation is realized. It is for this reason I call for the strengthening international solidarity to ensure the democratic transition in Sudan, to avoid all sorts of crises that could create further chaos.” Chair of AU High Level Panel on Sudan said the conflict was worse than Ukraine and Gaza. … the situation had reached a degree of urgency that required bold action by the Peace & Security Council for the protection of the civilians. Radio Tamazuj