January 7
SUDAN LIFTED FORCE MAJEURE ON TRANSPORTATION OF CRUDE OIL FROM SO SUDAN to a port on the Red Sea after security conditions improved. Khartoum declared force majeure last year after the main pipeline carrying oil from So Sudan through Sudan for export suffered stoppages linked to problems spurred by the war….based on new security arrangements it reached with Juba and BAPCO, the Sudanese company that runs the pipeline, to ensure safe flow of oil. The Petrodar pipeline, set up by a consortium including China’s CNPC and Sinopec as well as Malaysia’s Petronas runs 932 mi from So Sudan’s Upper Nile to Pt Sudan on Sudan’s Red Sea coast. Another pipeline carries oil from So Sudan’s Unity State to Pt Sudan. So Sudan had been pumping 150,000 bbl per day of crude through Sudan for export under a formula established when So Sudan gained independence from Khartoum in 2011. The New Arab/Reuters
January 6
NUMBER OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS INCREASED 27%, FROM 9,052,822 IN DEC 2023, TO 11,532,822 IN DEC 2024, Intl Migration Org reported. The states that witnessed the largest increase are Gedaref, N Darfur, River Nile, S Darfur and Blue Nile while it decreased in al-Gezira and Sennar states. IMO said 389 incidents triggered sudden displacement in Sudan during 2024, as reported by DTM Early Warning Flash Alerts: “These incidents included attacks and conflict (226), floods (132) and fire (31).” IDPs are faced with huge challenges including blockage of humanitarian assistance and vulnerable hosting communities. International organizations complain that calls for opening safe corridors for aid delivery have mostly gone unheeded by the 2 parties to the war. Al Jazeera
DISEASE, HUNGER RAVAGE SUDAN AS WAR CRIPPLES HEALTHCARE. A newborn in Mayerno, Sennar, died from anaemia linked to his mother’s own untreated condition, who tragically succumbed to the illness just 3 days later, according to Sultan Talal, a volunteer: “This mother leaves behind 3 daughters, all now suffering from anaemia, hunger, malaria and cholera widespread….” Deaths among pregnant women, children and those afflicted with malaria and typhoid are alarmingly common, exacerbated by severe shortages of medicine and the inability of many to afford treatment. “I have orphaned children aged 13, 12 and 8,” one woman told Al Tagheer “Our circumstances are dire; my husband is deceased. We desperately need help; my children are anaemic.”
Its original population is estimated at 62,000 people, with 20 neighbourhoods. With the return of displaced people, the population reached 70,000. Residents and displaced people are facing a severe humanitarian crisis, worsened by the closure of community kitchens, medicine shortages and a cholera outbreak that killed 300. Mayerno’s only hospital…is under control of the Emergency Rm due to the war. After the RSF entered Sennar, the hospital was forced to close. Residents complain about the high cost of medicines and lack of free treatment. Due to scarce supplies and liquidity shortages, the Emergency Rm is forced to prioritise providing meals for hospital staff and covering operational expenses. “The Min of Health has abandoned its responsibilities,” Omar Arabi, Mayerno Emergency Rm. This led the Emergency Rm to establish a cholera isolation centre with its own limited resources: “Cholera patients are treating themselves. The cost of 1 treatment course has risen to 7,000 Sudanese Pounds. In our area, there have been many deaths among the elderly. In less than a month, most of those aged 60 or older have died, as well as deaths among children.” Mayerno is also battling a malaria outbreak. People contract malaria multiple times due to insufficient vaccine doses. He warned that the southern part of Mayerno has only 2 sacks of lentil porridge in the community kitchen to feed 5 neighbourhoods, “an impossible task, as each neighbourhood has 3 community kitchens. Mayerno as a whole has not received any relief convoy since the war entered Sennar.” Several factors contributed to the closure of community kitchens, including high costs for food, fuel, transportation and cooking. The price of a sack (around 100kgs) of lentil porridge, a staple food, reached over SDG300,000. The price of wheat reached SDG50,000 per kilo, while a sack of sorghum costs SDG140,000. …most of Sennar’s agricultural agricultural projects ceased. Other factors contributing to the failure of the agricultural season include fuel shortages, forcing farmers into manual labour. Most residents have been unable to leave since the RSF entered the area. Those who fled to El Gedaref returned, putting further strain on community kitchens. Dabanga/Sudan Media Forum
January 5
17 AREAS INHABITED BY VARIOUS TRIBAL GROUPS, BARGAD, ZAGHAWA AND PASTORALISTS FROM RIZEIGAT AND DAJO, AGREED TO PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE across the interconnected villages during a peace forum in Tardaan….The areas witnessed armed conflicts between pastoralists and farmers at the beginning of the harvest which claimed the lives of 25 people in Yassin and Shaeria, E Darfur and Bilel and Gereida, S Darfur. Abdul-Baqi Musa, Zaghawa tribe, said they gathered people in the contact villages…to strengthen the social fabric among all the citizens in the presence of all tribal components: “Our citizens have no connection to the war between the army and the RSF and their only concern is stability….” Adam Hamid, Bargad tribe, said they gathered the citizens to inform them of the agreement of leaders who discussed and agreed to coexist peacefully: “it was agreed that anyone who commits a crime will be held accountable for it individually, not his tribe. This is what we have agreed upon and we do not want to talk too much, our focus should be peaceful coexistence.” Siddiq Mohammed Juda, Rizaigat tribe, acknowledged there were many problems…between cattle keepers and farmers and the leaders met to address all conflicts: “We want all of you to be conscious of a peaceful coexistence among our people.” Radio Tamazuj
FARMERS IN EL GEDAREF WARNED OF DISASTROUS HARVEST due to crippling cash shortages and logistical barriers. The currency replacement process exacerbated liquidity, leaving agricultural workers unable to pay labourers and sustain operations. Former Member of Parliament El Nour: “Farmers were unable to harvest crops due to the lack of liquidity.” He explained that agricultural workers rely heavily on labourers from neighbouring countries, particularly Ethiopia and So Sudan, who are unable to open bank accounts under stringent directives from the Central Bank. …farmers cannot meet workers’ demands for cash payments because banks impose a daily withdrawal limit….failure to pay workers could result in failure of the harvest season, sale of projects to shepherds and security tensions between workers and farmers. Adding that unresolved tensions could lead to protests, crop destruction, and even assaults on farmers. The former MP revealed that a delegation of farmers met with authorities responsible for currency replacement but found no support. El Nour held the Sup Committee for the Replacement of Currency responsible for these failures. While farmers harvested sesame and peanuts from 3 million acres, heavy rainfall and pest infestations caused poor yields. …unharvested crops such as corn, millet and cotton covering 7 million acres remains at risk. The success of the harvest…is contingent on the availability of liquidity. In Kassala, the cash crisis is equally dire. …banks sometimes reduce daily withdrawal limits, crippling markets and forcing essential institutions to demand cash payments instead of bank transfers. In Pt Sudan, an agricultural workshop organised by Beja leadersaddressed key challenges in Red Sea State. Discussions focused on agricultural research, livestock, fisheries and the Toker Delta Agricultural Scheme. Engineer Ali Mohammed Othman noted the invasive mesquite tree as a major problem, saying it “covers about 50% of cultivated areas and pastures.” Dabanga
January 4
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS REPORTED RSF SHELLED ZAMZAM CAMP for displaced people, where famine is widespread. This escalation comes amid efforts by RSF to tighten its grip on Darfur. Michel-Olivier Lacharite, head of emergency operations: “Not only have people been starving, but they are also now being bombarded and forced to flee again.” The statement described the situation as beyond chaotic, with casualties, injuries, widespread panic and mass displacement. MSF “received 8 injured people, including women and children as young as 4 with severe injuries such as chest trauma and fractures….“shelling resumed…and struck near an MSF field hospital and a market.” According to El Fasher Resistance Comm, at least 6 people were killed and 13 injured after 20 shells were fired at Zamzam Camp. Middle East Monitor
January 3
GENERAL ACCUSES UAE OF BRINGING IN MERCENARIES, demands compensation. Asst SAF Commander-in-Chief said the war is drawing to a close…. He ruled out negotiations with the RSF unless a number of conditions were met: “In preparing for negotiations, contacts will be made with field commanders only, not with the mercenaries who have been brought by the UAE.” Al-Atta demanded UAE should pay compensations for all properties destroyed or looted by the RSF. He called on youth to continue supporting SAF and participate in providing services for all neighbourhoods in Khartoum State. He commended the people in areas under RSF control for their patience and tolerance of the RSF abuses affirming that victory over the RSF will be attained soon in all Sudan. Al Taghyeer
EL BURHAN’S DENIAL OF FAMINE. Adam Rijal, Gen Coordination for Displaced Persons & Refugees, stressed that famine in…N Darfur, has been a reality since Aug, 2023. …affecting 71 camps across Darfur. Rijal described harrowing conditions, with residents…resorting to eating animal feed and tree leaves due to a lack of food. He criticised El Burhan’s comments, who dismissed reports of famine as “pure fabrication”….His denial contradicts recent findings on famine conditions…classified Integ
January 2
JUSTICE & EQUALITY MOVEMENT WARNED THAT ANY POLITICAL SETTLEMENT EXCLUDING DISARMAMENT OF RSF AND REMOVAL FROM THE POLITICAL AND MILITARY LANDSCAPE WILL PERPETUATE SUDAN’S CRISIS. Dr Mohamed Zakaria urged the international community to sanction RSF leaders and their foreign arms suppliers, calling for RSF’s designation as a terrorist organisation. Zakaria condemned efforts to arm the RSF under the guise of humanitarian relief, cautioning that some international actors might exploit such assistance to intensify the conflict. He attributed food scarcity to RSF-controlled areas, accusing the paramilitary of attacking commercial convoys and imposing blockades on civilians. Dabanga
January 1, 2025
AL BURHAN DECLARED RETURN TO PRE-CONFLICT STATUS WITH RSF IS OFF THE TABLE: “There is no going back to the situation before April 15, 2023, nor can we accept the presence of these criminals among Sudanese people.” While rejecting reconciliation, al-Burhan expressed willingness to engage in peace initiatives aimed at ending the conflict and ensuring safe return of civilians displaced by the war. The violence has claimed nearly 25,000 lives…engulfed 13 of Sudan’s 18 states, triggering massive destruction, famine and violations against civilians. Mediation efforts led by the US and Saudi Arabia have failed to secure a lasting ceasefire, with both parties accusing each other of sabotaging peace negotiations. AfricaNews
December 31, 2024
CHANCES OF REACHING PEACE AGREEMENT DIMINISH AS TRIBAL NATURE OF FIGHTING BECOMES INCREASINGLY COMPLEX, moving from a confrontation between 2 military forces…that could spread across the country. Recently, political forces have put forward proposals to form a government parallel to the government of Pt Sudan, which many interpreted as the beginning of the actual division of Sudan and closure of the window of hope for peace with complicity of the armed forces managing the scene….all local, regional and international attempts to open the horizons for peace failed, with the intransigence of the parties in sitting down to the negotiations…. Wajdi Saleh, Arab Socialist Baath Party, ….stressed that peace in Sudan has always been one of the most prominent headlines of national crisis, since political independence in the last century, and the emergence of regional social and economic development imbalances, in…regional blocs and armed rebellions against the central authority. …has become more complicated after the war spread throughout the country, the collapse of the central authority and resulting weakness of security and military institutions, politicization of its decisions in favour of the remnants of the former regime, and emergence of multiple new armed groups based on polarizing both sides and promoting hate speech and war….Wajdi explained that the 2 parties to the war …bear the burdens of this war and its consequences, and this requires pressuring them and stripping them of any popular incubator and any future political role. Sudan’s tragedy seems lost with the absence of any national project since independence, as wars, disputes, intersections and interests over the country’s future crystallized during the military’s rule of the country through coups for many years.
Ms. Doria Mohammed Babiker, Sudanese Teachers’ Comm told Sudan Tribune. …it is not possible to search for solutions without returning to the roots of the protracted crisis which all solutions have failed, and once their impact subsides, the symptoms and effects return more severe than before. Doria believes solutions lie in the search for the roots of conflicts, the first step towards a solution,…that the absence of a national project that meets the desires and aspirations of all Sudanese, and political, economic, social and cultural marginalization and poor development led to the outbreak of wars and continuation of the struggle for power and wealth. …all these causes must be taken through…sound political governance that takes into account tribal, ethnic and geographical diversity and established through its institutions to provide sustainable development that provides basic social services including health, education and infrastructure, and ensures participation of all in decision-making, equitable representation at all levels of governance and justice through promotion of the rule of law and redress of historical grievances.
Shihab Ibrahim, Taqaddum, told Sudan Tribune one of the most important reasons why there may be chances for peace and a comprehensive settlement is the increase in international pressure on the parties…to sit at the negotiating table and reach a peaceful solution….continued human suffering would increase popular pressure on the parties to end the war. The change in the military balance on the ground…may push the parties to negotiate….
Anas Adam, SPLM-N, told Sudan Tribune the issue of turning the page on wars requires courage to address the roots of the Sudanese problem, such as the relationship between religion and the state, identity crisis, Islamophobia, Arab holding, forced unity and other fateful issues. Anas believes Sudanese elites, whether ruling or opposed, always evaded fundamental issues that generated grinding and racist wars against marginalized peoples. .…talking about addressing the country’s deepening crises and ending wars in the absence of political will and desire of political forces is nothing more than a leap into the dark, that this is what the movement sensed during the Juba negotiations…and in many consultative platforms with political forces. “Islamist Pt Sudan cartels” insist on the distorted religious state as a Trojan horse to smuggle the ethnic and religious agenda, despite the fact that the Sudanese state is full of ethnic and religious pluralism and diversity, and Sudan is almost the only country where dual racism is practiced “racism on the basis of race and religion.”…the issue of democratic transition cannot be addressed without dismantling and destroying the state of divine mandate and putting a logical end to the wars, otherwise Sudan remains threatened with fragmentation again…. Sudan Media Forum/Dabanga
December 30
25% OF REGISTERED CANDIDATES FOR CERTIFICATE EXAMS WERE ABSENT….Images on social media highlighted the stark emptiness of exam halls in Ed Damer, River Nile State. One centre designed for 126 students saw just 4 candidates seated across 2 classrooms. Another centre meant to accommodate 270, hosted only 10 female students. These centres catered to students displaced from El Gezira State unable to travel. Min of Education accused…RSF of blocking numerous students from reaching safer areas to take their exams. Images surfaced online showing students navigating the treacherous waters of the White Nile by boat…to attend the first day of exams. The Min alleged SPLM-N El Hilu barred students in S Kordofan’s Delling from sitting the exams. The Wali of S Kordofan declared that holding exams in Delling was impossible due to the deteriorating security situation. Authorities confirmed exams could not take place in several neighbourhoods affected by violence.
Chad was accused…of preventing 10,000 Sudanese students from taking exams, maintaining its decision to prohibit exams within its territory despite repeated mediation efforts. The Teachers’ Comm criticised the Min’s handling of the exams, noting that while 83% of candidates were registered, actual attendance suggested less than 1/2 were sitting the tests: “Those who insisted on holding this year’s exams under these conditions ensured their failure,” pointing to poor timing and inadequate arrangements. Many condemned the government’s decision to cut internet services during exam hours, arguing that it failed to address external centres where many students are based.
7 CIVILIANS KILLED BY AIRSTRIKE IN S KHARTOUM. A number of areas in Khartoum State witnessed escalating violent fighting between the SAF and paramilitary RSF with both parties resorting to heavy weapons, artillery shells and drones strikes. SAF intensified airstrikes in the State resulting in death and injury of dozens of civilians. Al Taghyeer
December 29
RESIDENTS IN SUDAN GRAPPLE WITH EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AS WELL AS CONFLICT. Among them is peace and climate activist Nisreen Elsaim, driven from her home in an area affected by violence as well as flooding: “The morning…was a very normal morning until we heard a very big explosion to the point that our whole house was shaking. And then,…these explosions and sounds never stopped. And basically, until now, it’s over 600 days since the war started in Sudan. We stayed in our house for 3 weeks, and then we started running out of food and water and electricity. Those hit hardest by climate change were the most vulnerable, including millions displaced by fighting. The total area flooded is bigger than Germany and definitely had a lot of the camps inside of it. Sudan is living the biggest humanitarian crisis ever.” She’s calling for more humanitarian aid…to withstand the effects of extreme weather: “We must consider climate change when…planning for humanitarian interventions. Making climate sensitive humanitarian is not a privilege right now. Otherwise, all of our humanitarian efforts will just flood with the water.” With regular droughts and significant variations in rainfall, Sudan is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, according to the UN. AfricaNews
“THE UAE WELCOMES THE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS OF THE BROTHERLY REP OF TURKIYE TO RESOLVE THE ONGOING CRISIS IN SUDAN, which also represents a priority for the UAE. …fully prepared to cooperate and coordinate with Turkish efforts and all diplomatic initiatives to end the conflict in Sudan and find a comprehensive solution….” Sudan accuses the UAE of supporting the paramilitary RSF in its war with the regular army…. Al Taghyeer
TAGADOM CONDEMNS SUDAN’S WITHDRAWAL FROM GLOBAL HUNGER MONITORING SYSTEM. Min of Agriculture announced that the government halted its participation in the IPC, accusing the system’s committee of unreliable reports which undermine Sudan’s sovereignty and dignity. Tagadom considered the move a dangerous policy of denying the escalating humanitarian crisis in the country: “The decision to withdraw came at a sensitive time when the Sudanese people are suffering repercussions of a war…that severely affected food security in many parts of the country.” The drop out from IPC will lead to a shrink in assistance to Sudan based on lack of internationally credited and accurate data. Al Taghyeer
December 27
FIRST AID CONVOY REACHES KHARTOUM SINCE OUTBREAK OF WAR.The convoy, organised by the UN and humanitarian agencies, brought 22 trucks from WFP with 750 tonnes of food supplies, 5 trucks from UNICEF carrying medicines, and 1 truck from MSF and CARE,…the Emergency Rm confirmed 28 of 34 trucks successfully reached their destination, although some faced delays during the journey. It called the arrival “a dream coming true” and noted the overwhelming relief and joy expressed by residents in Jebel Aulia and across Khartoum and sister cities. Mohamed Kandasha, Southern Belt Emergency Rm, reported 26 trucks arrived after coordination between the Emergency Rm, WFP and Nidaa. Southern Belt Emergency Rm highlighted a growing malnutrition crisis, saying 1 in 4 children seeking treatment suffer from severe malnutrition. Dabanga
DECISION TO POSTPONE CERTIFICATE EXAMS IN S AND W KORDOFAN, citing logistical setbacks and securityconcerns. …The news sparked disappointment in Delling where community members had been preparing for the exams. In W Kordofan, Secy-Gen…cited security issues. Local committees worked tirelessly to support the exams, but instability thwarted these efforts. Min of Education announced in Oct that the postponed 2022/23 Sudanese Certificate exams would be held only in areas controlled by SAF. No exam centres have been set up in Darfur, and reports suggest the paramilitary RSF is preventing students from travelling to SAF-held areas. Chad refused to allow 6,000 Sudanese refugee students, primarily from Darfur, to sit for the exams. The Sudanese government condemned the decision yesterday, labelling it a violation of human rights and accusing Chad of pursuing hostile policies. Min of Foreign Affairs engaged with Chadian authorities and UNHCR to secure exam access but to no avail. The min described Chad’s actions as a “black mark” on its record and highlighted the significance of exams in enabling refugee students to continue their education amidst the challenges of conflict and displacement. Dabanga
December 23
CAN UAE’S PROMISE TO STOP SENDING RSF WEAPONS BE BELIEVED? As Sudan’s army struggles to bring the rebel RSF under control, the UAE statement that “it is not now transferring any weapons to the RSF and will not do so going forward,” is a major development if the small Gulf state is to be believed. US would “monitor for indicators of the credibility of these assurances,” Biden’s coordinator for Middle East and N Africa McGurk wrote. Understanding why the UAE has been destabilising Sudan is to misunderstand Sudan’s geopolitical importance in the region. Having signed the Abraham Accords, analysts believe the UAE is now free to pursue neo-colonial policies which would ensure the tiny state is able to control and conquer large corners of the world. Sudan is at a critical nexus bordering the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and E Africa, but Sudan’s coveted Red Sea coast adds another layer of complexity. The Red Sea has become a pivotal theatre for geopolitical rivalries as foreign powers compete for influence in the strategically vital region. Saudi Arabia and UAE worked closely with Dagalo during the conflict in Yemen, seek to exploit the Red Sea for tourism and commerce. Red Sea tourism is part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and UAE is preparing to construct $6b Abu Amama port complex.
For Russia, the prize is revival of the agreement…on establishment of a Russian naval base in Pt Sudan. … Agar, Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council, commented…that Sudan is very interested in reviving the agreement…. Although Russia supported the RSF initially, it has to hedge its bets on the SAF which still controls the Red Sea coast. Iran requested to set up a naval base on Sudan’s Red Sea coast. Although the request was rejected, Gulf countries’ concerns remain high over Iran supplying the SAF with military equipment. The outcome of the war could be a strategic game changer in which international players emerge dominant in the Middle East, with regional neighbours and foreign sponsors all looking to protect their interest. Concern for the Sudanese suffering from the carnage unfortunately is not part of the equation.
Few countries in Africa can boast the abundance of natural resources in Sudan. Oil, gas, iron ore, silver, copper, manganese, gypsum, tungsten and a host of other natural resources make Sudan attractive to world powers….one resource at the core of the conflict is gold. Gold is financing this war and making each faction a beneficiary…. gold trade is buzzing with both sides having protected gold mines…. Africa’s 3rd-largest producer of gold, Sudan’s gold reserves have been estimated at 1,550 tonnes. Its gold production surpasses pre-war levels. According to traders, this is an underestimate. Billions of dollars in gold are flowing out of Sudan in every direction when prices are at record highs. Motorcycles, cars, trucks and private planes shuttle gold across the borders, nearly all ending up in the UAE, according to the State Dept. Since 2019, annual gold exports to UAE have been estimated at $16b. Gold mines in Sengo, S Darfur, owned by the Hemeti family, produce 150k of gold a day. Sudanese journalists …recently visited the mining area and reported RSF militiamen patrolling Al-Junaid gold mine and Russian employees of Wagner Group.
Hundreds of miles north of RSF gold mines in S Darfur sits the SAF gold mine, the largest gold mine in Sudan named after ancient Nubian Kingdom Kush. Unlike the Al-Junaid mine that uses local near-slave labour, the Kush mine is equipped with massive excavators and expensive machinery. Kush churns out tonnes of the precious commodity and supplies SAF with hard-needed cash to continue the fight against RSF. …the Kush gold mine received heavy investment from Sheikh Bin Zayed, brother of Mohammed Bin Zayed, pres of UAE who is providing logistical and military support to the RSF. Analysts…say even if the war’s foreign sponsors ceased support, the gold trade is so lucrative the warring parties could finance the conflict themselves. With BRICS nations seeking alternatives to the $US and avoidance of sanctions, gold is expected to be the go-to commodity. “Gold is destroying Sudan and it’s destroying the Sudanese,” Suliman Baldo, Sudanese expert on the nation’s resources. “Sudan’s geopolitical locality and its gold are at the beginning and end of this horrific war, displacing millions and claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands. The question remains whether UAE is prepared to pursue geopolitical goals at any cost. Sadly, it is clear in any case that Sudanese blood is not worth its weight in gold.” Middle East Monitor