September 14
URGENT HUMANITARIAN APPEAL FOR RESCUING BAHRI’S RESIDENTS. Sudanese activists launched an urgent humanitarian appeal to the Armed Forces and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces to facilitate delivery of badly needed food and medical assistance to Bahri. Bahri residents have been immensely suffering since the outbreak of conflict where civilians became a target for the RSF’s indiscriminate artillery shelling and SAF’s air bombardments. Bahri’s neighbourhood committees said the city has been suffering…“we are living through difficult times marked by poverty and disease due to this damned war.” The committees appealed to both warring parties to put an end to the fighting “that brings only pain and suffering.” They further called on all entities, parties, organizations, Sufi sects and prominent figures in Bahri “to unite and join hands to save those in need and what can be saved.” Al Taghyeer
UN SEC COUNCIL EXTENDED ARMS EMBARGO ON DARFUR ANOTHER YEAR, after experts said it had been regularly violated, including by the UAE. That includes individual sanctions – asset freezes and a travel ban – on 3 people, and an arms embargo. “People of Darfur continue to live in danger and desperation and despair … .This sends an important signal that the international community remains focused on their plight,” dep US Amb Robert Wood. The UN and humanitarian organisations fear the war could degenerate into new ethnic violence, particularly in Darfur, already ravaged more than 20 years ago by the scorched-earth policy pursued by Janjaweed – Arab militiamen who joined the RSF. Jean-Baptiste Gallopin, Human Rights Watch, said the decision was a “missed opportunity” to extend the embargo to the whole of Sudan. In their annual report, experts…said the arms embargo had been violated multiple times. They pointed the finger at several countries, including UAE, accused of sending arms to the RSF. Amb Al-Harith Idriss al-Harith Mohamed said it was “no secret” UAE has a “key role” in the fighting, and argued that maintaining the embargo creates “an imbalance between the different forces in Darfur.” The New Arab
September 13
MSF ASKS FOR END OF BLOCKADE ON ZAM ZAM CAMP. Doctors Without Borders is urging UN and international stakeholders…negotiating humanitarian access to consider all options to quickly deliver food and essential supplies in Zamzam displaced peoples’ camp in N Darfur, including by airdrops. Zamzam Camp has been besieged by RSF who blockaded essential supplies, exacerbating the suffering of thousands….the results of a nutrition screening…indicate a catastrophic nutritional situation that is only getting worse. “Not only do the results confirm the disaster…every day things are getting worse. We are talking about thousands of children who will die over the next few weeks without access to adequate treatment and urgent solutions to allow humanitarian aid and essential goods to reach Zamzam.” Despite announcements
gave hope following the Geneva peace talks, no significant amount of humanitarian relief has reached the population in the camp and nearby, war-stricken El-Fasher. “Most supply roads are controlled by RSF who have made it impossible to bring therapeutic food, medicines, and essential supplies into the camp…. There’s no more time to waste if thousands of preventable deaths are to be avoided.”
Among 29,000 children under 5 screened last week during a vaccination campaign, 10.1% suffer from severe acute malnutrition, a life-threatening condition, while 34.8% suffer from global acute malnutrition. “The malnutrition rates…are massive and likely some of the worst ones in the world currently. The only food available is from pre-existing stocks, which is not sufficient, and food prices are at least 3 times as high as the rest of Darfur…fuel prices are soaring making it very difficult to pump water and run clinics that rely on generators for electricity and staff on-site report that for many, “we should be scaling up our response: instead, running critically low on supplies, we are reaching breaking point and were recently forced to reduce our activity to focus solely on children in the most severe conditions, …we had to suspend treatment for the less severe forms of malnutrition, 2.700 children, and put an end to consultations provided to adults and children over 5…thousands of consultations every month”. Zamzam Camp is estimated to host 300.000-500.000 people, many displaced many times over, trying to flee the war that has been tearing up their country. In El Fasher, where many of the displaced used to live, only 1 hospital remains partially standing after the others were damaged or destroyed in the conflict…,the UN should look at every available option. Delaying these supplies means causing more deaths – thousands of them, among the most vulnerable.” Radio Tamzuj
THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN WILL DIE. A catastrophic malnutrition crisis at a camp for displaced people in N Darfur State is deteriorating….Results from a mass nutrition screening carried out by Doctors Without Borders and Sudanese health authorities indicate the situation at Zamzam Camp is getting worse for 500,000 people seeking safety there. MSF urges the UN and international organisations…to consider all options that will quickly deliver food and essential supplies in the area, including airdrops. “Not only do the results confirm the disaster that we have been observing and alerting on for months,…every day things are getting worse and we’re running out of time,” Michel Olivier Lacharité, Emergency Operations. “We are talking about thousands of children who will die over the next few weeks without access to adequate treatment and urgent solutions to allow humanitarian aid and essential goods to reach Zamzam”. “The malnutrition rates found during the screening are massive and likely some of the worst ones in the world currently,” Claudine Mayer, MSF medical adviser. A MSF mass screening revealed an 8.2% severe rate and a 29.4 % global rate, twice as high as the 15% ‘alert threshold’ set by the WHO. “In such a dire situation, we should be scaling up our response,” says Mayer. In El Fasher, where many displaced people used to live, only 1 hospital remains partially standing after the others were damaged or destroyed in the conflict. “Due to these unconscionable blockages on supplies, we feel like we are leaving behind an increasing number of patients who already have very few options for getting lifesaving medical care,” Michel Olivier Lacharité. “If the roads are not an option for getting massive quantities of urgent supplies into the camp, the UN should look at every available option. “Delaying these supplies means causing more deaths – thousands of them, among the most vulnerable.” The New Humanitarian
AS PEACE TALKS FALTER, PEOPLE FACE DAILY MASSACRES PERPETRATED BY THE RSF PARAMILITARY,…The massacres are taking place every day across the country, particularly in Gezira and Sennar States. During RSF attacks, fighters attempted to abduct young women and girls and raped and sexually assaulted them. …looted property and burned down buildings. The civilian massacres have been carried out in White Nile State, while RSF is besieging major cities in Blue Nile, N Kordofan and, more prominently, el-Fasher. On the same day the RSF delegation arrived in Geneva, RSF soldiers massacred 80 people in Sennar State. The paramilitary has been charged with genocide and ethnic cleansing in Darfur but continues to deny the most serious accusations….RSF, with the help of international public relations firms based in UAE, has been trying to bolster its public image…that show its provision of services to civilians in the areas it controls. The army continues to bomb RSF’s supply routes, as Sudanese civilians fear that it cannot properly protect them.
Across several states, the army has intensified air strikes on RSF positions, including Khartoum, E Darfur, N Darfur, Gezira and Sennar. These air strikes have resulted in civilian casualties. Amid widespread fighting and increasing loss of life, the Geneva talks faltered. The army refused to send a delegation to Switzerland, partly due to the involvement of the UAE, the RSF’s main patron, as a moderator. After 10 days, no clear breakthrough was achieved, despite the announcement of the opening of 2 humanitarian corridors intended to save civilians from famine and the ongoing war. “The RSF wants to pass the rainy season [March-Oct with most rain falling June-Sept which obstructs movement due to the inaccessibility of roads and difficulties to sustain the supply, then it will carry out wide attacks.” Sudanese political analyst Elwathig Kameir said the army had made significant gains from the last round of talks, including US recognition of al Burhan as president of Sudan’s sovereign council and de facto head of state, as well as clear US condemnation of RSF atrocities. However, he criticised the army’s leadership for boycotting the Geneva talks, arguing that they risked losing credibility and missing the chance to represent their position. Middle East Eye
September 12
SUDANESE CULTURE BEING LOOTED, SOLD ONLINE AS CONFLICT RAGES. Sudan’s National Museum has suffered major looting amid the ongoing conflict…with UNESCO highlighting an unprecedented threat to cultural heritage. Sudan’s invaluable ancient artifacts and archaeological treasures are being looted from museums, with smugglers transporting out of the war-torn country and selling them online. Over a year of conflict left the nation’s antiquities vulnerable….”The Museum has been the subject of major looting,” Ikhlas Abdel Latif, Natl Antiquities Authority. Archaeological objects stored there have been taken in big lorries and transferred to the west and to border areas, particularly near So Sudan.”
UNESCO explained the “threat to culture appears to have reached an unprecedented level, with reports of looting of museums, heritage and archaeological sites and private collections.” UNESCO urged “the public and the art market…in the region and worldwide to refrain” from trading in Sudanese artifacts. Hassan Hussein, a researcher and former director of the Natl Antiquities Authority, explained “because of the war, the museum and the artifacts are not being monitored.” A Sudanese archaeologist speaking anonymously informed AFP that pottery, gold items and paintings being sold online seem to originate from the Natl Museum in Khartoum. Al Mayadeen
September 10
194 NEW CHOLERA CASES, BRINGING TOTAL TO 7,296 WITH 252 FATALITIES SINCE LAST MONTH. The epidemic has now spread to 8 states including Kassala, River Nile, Northern and Khartoum. The outbreak coincides with heavy rains and floods that have swept across Sudan, raising concerns that stagnant water could become a breeding ground for disease vectors. The health min said it carried out various activities to combat cholera in the affected states and support teams would be deployed to River Nile, Northern and Gedaref states. MSF was supporting the health min’s response in Khartoum, River Nile, Kassala and Gedaref states by setting up and running
treatment centres and supporting existing facilities. The cholera outbreak is adding to the strain on Sudan’s health system, already struggling to cope with other epidemics such as dengue fever, malaria and conjunctivitis, treating war wounded and combating child malnutrition. 80% of healthcare facilities have ceased operations due to the ongoing conflict. Sudan Tribune
September 10
THE CONFLICT IN SUDAN SPIRALS OUT OF CONTROL.
The first report by the UN Independent Intl Fact-Finding Mission accuses warring parties of “an appalling range of harrowing human rights violations and international crimes…” calls for “an independent and impartial force with a mandate to safeguard civilians be deployed without delay”. The government has completely rejected the report, and reiterated its refusal to cooperate. “Sudan’s warring parties have committed an appalling range of harrowing human rights violations and international crimes, including many which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity…” Both SAF and RSF, as well as their respective allies, were found responsible for patterns of large-scale violations, indiscriminate and direct attacks through airstrikes and shelling against civilians. The warring parties targeted civilians – as well as those assisting survivors or documenting violations – through rape and other forms of sexual violence, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and ill-treatment. These violations may amount to war crimes….Mohamed Chande Othman, Chair. “Given the failure of the warring parties to spare civilians, it is imperative that an independent and impartial force with a mandate to safeguard civilians be deployed without delay. The protection of the civilian population is paramount, and all parties must comply with their obligations under international law and immediately and unconditionally cease all attacks on the civilian population.” Nazar Abdelgadir, human rights lawyer and exec dir of Geneva Inst for Human Rights told Radio Dabanga one of the most important recommendations is to send a peacekeeping force to protect civilians. Abdelgadir expects 2 decisions to be taken in the upcoming conference of the Human Rights Council: “The first will be the extension of the fact-finding mission’s mandate, and the second will refer the file to the secy-gen, who…will refer it to the Sec Council. This is not the first time a UN mission is investigating the human rights situation in Sudan,” and recalled the war in Darfur where a fact-finding mission recommended referring to the ICC in 2005. He expects the Sec Council will pass a resolution concerning the protection of civilians….Understandings will be reached with the AU to make it a hybrid mission between the UN and AU, also confirmed by historical evidence, given the AU is primarily concerned with the situation in Sudan. Secy-Gen Guterres…lays the blame for the ongoing war and humanitarian catastrophe squarely at the feet of “2 generals.’
September 9
SUDAN FORESTS AT RISK FROM RISING CHARCOAL DEMAND. Environmentalists are warning if the rapid destruction of ancient forests in El Gezira
Gum Arabic as conflict continues to drive people towards charcoal production as a source of income. This widespread logging, which targets vital trees such as acacia, threatens the country’s gum arabic industry, a critical export. Environmental Expert Abdelrahman Eisa states that over 300 trees, many more than 200 years old, have been felled in key areas. The destruction has particularly affected forest reserves near state capital Wad Madani. Sudan is the world’s largest exporter of gum arabic*, a resin produced by acacia trees widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. These trees have a dual purpose, they produce gum arabic, a long-term renewable resource, but are also sought after for charcoal production. Acacia trees take years to mature and produce gum arabic. With conflict devastating the economy, locals are increasingly turning to charcoal production for quick income, sacrificing long-term sustainability for short-term financial gain. The price of charcoal has skyrocketed, with the average bag selling for SDG 50,000, driving people to cut down trees at an alarming rate. The environmental expert explained that this not only accelerates deforestation but poses a direct threat to Sudan’s struggling gum arabic trade with severe economic consequences for the many communities that depend on this valuable resource.
The conflict has exacerbated a pattern of environmental degradation in El Gezira that dates back decades. Logging operations began in the 1990s, often with government approval. While some trees managed to regenerate in recent years, the renewed demand for charcoal reversed these environmental gains. Prior to the war, efforts were underway to rehabilitate Baroness Forest Reserve. …resettlement of wildlife and restoration of the forest, which attracted increased tourism. These initiatives have now been abandoned as the focus shifts to short-term survival. The loss of trees will not only lead to environmental collapse but also cripple the country’s gum arabic industry, which provides a critical source of income for millions of Sudanese. *Gum arabic is an emulsifier and stabiliser made from resin from acacia Senegal tree. Apart from shoe polish and ink, the food industry uses the stabiliser in chocolate, sweets and soft drinks, as it binds sugar to the drink. Sudan is the world’s foremost producer at 88,000 tons a year. Sudan, Chad and Nigeria, produce 95% of gum Arabic exported to the world market. The gum arabic belt covers 1/5 of the country. N Kordofan and N Darfur are the largest producers, followed by Blue Nile, White Nile and El Gedaref. Dabanga
September 8
MORE THAN 20,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED…WHO. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said 10 million people have been internally displaced in addition to 2 million refugees in neighboring countries. “The scale of the emergency is shocking, as is the insufficient action being taken to curtail the conflict and respond to the suffering it is causing,” He said almost half of Sudan’s 25 million population needs urgent intervention while 70% of the country’s health sector is no longer operational. The WHO chief called on the “world to wake up and help Sudan out of the nightmare it is living through.”
UN SEC COUNCIL EXTENDED ARMS EMBARGO ON DARFUR ANOTHER YEAR, after experts said it had been regularly violated, including by the UAE. That includes individual sanctions – asset freezes and a travel ban – on 3 people, and an arms embargo. “People of Darfur continue to live in danger and desperation and despair ….This sends an important signal that the international community remains focused on their plight,” dep US Amb Robert Wood. Though sanctions do not apply to the whole country, their renewal “will restrict the movement of arms into Darfur and sanction individuals and entities contributing to or complicit in destabilizing activities in Sudan,” The UN and humanitarian organisations fear that the war could degenerate into new ethnic violence, particularly in Darfur, already ravaged more than 20 years ago by the scorched-earth policy pursued by the Janjaweed – Arab militiamen who have since joined the RSF. Jean-Baptiste Gallopin, a researcher for Human Rights Watch, said the decision was a “missed opportunity” by the Council to extend the embargo to the whole of Sudan.
In their annual report, experts…said the arms embargo had been violated multiple times. They pointed the finger at several countries, including UAE, accused of sending arms to the RSF. Amb Al-Harith Idriss al-Harith Mohamed said it was “no secret” UAE has a “key role” in the fighting, and argued that maintaining the embargo creates “an imbalance between the different forces in Darfur.” The New Arab
September 6
NO MEDICAL MONITORING POSSIBLE…UNDER RSF AREAS. Many diseases have been gripping Sudan for months. A new variant of Mpox has been reported. The Min of Health considers the areas controlled by RSF ‘unreachable’ and has neither provided medical aid nor financial support to these areas. Other diseases gripping Sudan for months are cholera, conjunctivitis, bacterial dermatitis, scabies, haemorrhagic fevers, tuberculosis, hepatitis, polio, measles and other children’s diseases. Famine is reported in several regions. RSF…took full or partial control of 10 of the 18 Sudanese states. This means that health authorities are unable to access and monitor the situation. The Emergency Dept of Min of Health in Pt Sudan classifies the states of Sudan into 3 levels: accessible, difficult to reach and unreachable. RSF took control of 4 of the 5 Darfur states….RSF occupies several parts of N Darfur. RSF controls all N Kordofan localities except Sheikan. In W Kordofan, En Nehoud and Wad Banda are still in the hands of the army. RSF occupies large parts of Khartoum, Khartoum N/Bahri and Omdurman. In El Gezira RSF occupy all localities except El Managil and El Gurashi. RSF seized neighbouring Sennar. Min of Health Ibrahim attributed the emergence of polio to the decrease in vaccination campaigns especially in areas controlled by the RSF. In Aug the Min of Health conducted a polio immunisation campaign in Red Sea State, Kassala, El Gedaref Northern State and Nile R State, and reported “difficulties” in delivery of vaccines to the areas controlled by the RSF. The health ministries of Darfur all complain about the inability to communicate with the Min of Health in Pt Sudan to coordinate efforts to confront infectious diseases. “We are ready to provide the ministry with medical reports, if they ask us. We have no problem cooperating with any party, as long as we receive support for the people’s health care in W Darfur. Health care should not be linked to a political, security, regional, ethnic or other situation, Medical assistance is part of humanitarian aid that should be available even during wars.” He hopes the opening of the Adré border crossing with Chad “will allow humanitarian organisations to intervene and improve the health situation.
Abdelsalam Mustafa, W Darfur Min of Health….noted 144 medical facilities closed their doors due to the total or partial collapse. “We were able to restore 40% but this is far from enough, in particular with the absence of new supplies for 16 months. If we suspect an infectious disease in an area, we only take basic precautions, as we do not have any technical equipment to determine the type of the disease. We only have instantaneous reagents for the water testing lab in Nyala in which water pollution is confirmed or denied. But we cannot determine the type of pollution due to the damage done by the fighting to the Pub Health Lab. Before the war, we used to take samples and send them to the Natl Stack Lab in Khartoum, or the regional lab in Johannesburg. Central Darfur Health Min, Zalingei adopted “traditional mechanisms in following up and investigating diseases, as the entire medical infrastructure, including laboratories, completely collapsed. …Many medical staff members fled the state. What complicates the situation is the lack of coordination between the state and federal ministries of health, which also means that we do not have a budget anymore.” Rizgallah reported the emergence of diseases such as ophthalmia and watery diarrhoea and tuberculosis, in addition to the growing number of malnourished people. “We are facing all these problems in the absence of the Fed Min of Health,” and expressed his gratitude to MSF and the World Relief Org “that work with the min in some areas of emergency….the min, in coordination with MSF-Spain, has been able to rehabilitate the Zalingei Teaching Hosp by 70% after it “entirely collapsed” due to fierce fighting. 9 other hospitals need urgent repair as well. Fed Min of Health Ibrahim: “50% of Sudan does not receive humanitarian aid because of insecurity” and accused the RSF of intercepting routes to Darfur, Kordofan, El Gezira, Sennar and Blue Nile and White Nile States.