March 13
OCHA WARNS OF EXTREMELY DIRE HEALTH SITUATION IN N DARFUR. 200 health facilities…are not functioning, and there is severe shortage in medical staff, essential medicines and life-saving supplies. …continued hostilities caused waves of displacement, overwhelming an already fragile healthcare system struggling to meet basic needs. Humanitarian partners have been trying to provide supplies, but their efforts continue to be impeded by insecurity and access constraints. WHO reported 70% of hospitals and health facilities no longer operational, leaving millions without healthcare. WHO recorded 150 attacks on health care but the real figure could be far higher. Al Taghyeer
RSF SHELLING AL-OBIED 4 DAYS KILLING AND INJURING SCORES OF CIVILIANS. Sun, 6 people were killed and 24 injured. Sat, 5 people were killed and 4 injured in RSF indiscriminate shelling on the city, Sudanese Doctors Network reported. Al-Obied, capital of N Kordofan, has been caught in the crossfire between SAF and RSF…RSF trying to capture the strategic city which hosts SAF 5th Infantry. Hundreds of civilians have been killed and injured in reciprocal shelling between the warring parties. Last month, SAF succeeded in breaking the RSF siege. RSF attacked al-Khoway, W Kordofan, killing 7 civilians and injuring 13, Sudanese Doctors Network. Al Taghyeer
March 12
S KORDOFAN BOMBING DEATH TOLL RISES TO 70, MOSTLY WOMEN AND GIRLS. Sudanese Human Rights & Development Org accused SPLM-N El Hilu of bombarding Kadugli in response to an SAF attack. 44 people died, 28 injured…in an artillery bombardment. …health services have collapsed, which resulted in more deaths than necessary. SAF attacked SPLA-N El Hilu positions at Jebel Hajar Almac, which they used as a military post. “After pushing SPLM-N soldiers away from their military post and replacing it with SAF soldiers, SAF moved down from the hill…. As they marched towards the hospital, many people (mostly children) marched with them in celebrating manner. SPLA-N made a counter attack by artillery shelling.” One of the bombs/missiles landed on the marching group near Kadugli church. 44 people died immediately. All these people were civilians. Another bomb dropped at Umbatah killed 1 girl and injured 2 others. By Feb 4, the death toll increased to 54 “…partly due to lack of life saving drugs, blood supplies, Oxygen, anaesthesia and pain killers at Kadugli Hosp. This led some of the injured dying from neurogenic shock.” The death toll is assessed at 70. 60 of the dead are females, 51 under 18, 5 younger than 5. For 5 months, the dialysis unit closed down and 5 patients died. These were patients of renal failure served by the closed unit and don’t have enough resources to travel out of the town since the cost is high…. Dabanga
March 10
IN WAREHOUSES ACROSS AFRICA, FOOD SHIPPED FROM US INTENDED FOR STARVING PEOPLE OF WAR-TORN SUDAN IS SITTING ROTTING, ITS FATE UNKNOWN. In Cameroon, Djibouti and elsewhere, rice, wheat, lentils, flour and beans on their way to Sudan are being air conditioned to keep from spoiling and sprayed to guard against bugs. Since the administration announced immediate suspension of all foreign assistance, humanitarian workers around the world have been trying to work out what this means for millions of vulnerable people they are trying to keep alive. Rubio said Trump’s purge of USAID was complete, and 5,200 of 6,200 programmes had been eliminated. For international organisations providing life-saving humanitarian assistance with US funding, the situation is complicated by “waivers” allowed for commodities already paid for. This is why food supplies are sitting dormant in warehouses: commodities have been paid for, but organisations do not have money to distribute them because that was supposed to come from the US. So instead of paying for trucks and staff to deliver life-saving food, they are paying to keep the food from going bad while they scramble to find Funds. Banks…are not willing to put up cash to cover costs.
The war’s impact on agricultural production in key states like al-Jazira, Sennar and S Kordofan has been devastating for a country that relied on farming to feed 2/3 of its people. Even the ability to predict and measure this famine will be severely hampered by the funding freeze. Famine Early Warning Systems Network, a data analysis tool created by USAID and State Dept, provided guidance on how to deliver food aid. It is now offline. Since the beginning of 2024, US funding has broken from traditional norms. A chunk of financial assistance goes…to a collection of mutual aid groups -Emergency Response Rms which grew out of Resistance Comms at the heart of Sudan’s democratic revolutionary movement. ERRs, which have been nominated for the Nobel peace prize this year, find themselves with 77% funding gap, according to Esraa Omer, Khartoum ERR. ERRs exist at the neighbourhood, district and state level, coordinating across Sudan, based on geography: “We fill the gap created by the exit of almost all aid workers and providers.” Volunteers in neighbourhoods provide medical care by running hospitals and health centres, and food supply through community kitchens and distribution of packages. Water supply, sanitary equipment, women’s “dignity kits” and protection against gender-based violence are provided. And when civilians are wounded and trapped by the fighting, ERR volunteers perform evacuations. 4 million people had been reached by ERRs. While the groups get funding from their communities and the diaspora, “many of the projects are funded by USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.” The immediate funding freeze means ERRs are operating 324 of 1,460 kitchens across Sudan….this left 1.8 million famine-affected people without access to food. “That is huge,” Gaasbeek told MEE. “If a kitchen serves 500 households, losing 1,100 means 3 million people. It will lead to displacement and surging mortality in a few weeks.” A separate ERR source, who set up Old Omdurman ERR and advocates for ERRs in the US, told MEE the work of the mutual aid groups stopped completely in al-Jazira and in Darfur cities el-Geneina and el-Fasher. She said a community kitchen was attacked by RSF, whose fighters raped and killed one of the women volunteering there: “Usually, we would have been able to evacuate our volunteers, but we can’t do that right now,” citing the drastic loss of funding. In Khartoum state, another volunteer had been raped and thrown from the 3rd floor of a building. “It’s difficult to overstate how devastating the USAID cut will be, not just because Sudan is the world’s largest humanitarian crisis but also because the US was Sudan’s largest humanitarian donor,” Kholood Khair, Confluence Advisory. Without predictable, sustainable US funding, mutual aid groups will only be able to rely on Sudanese abroad, a system “already stretched, because…the diaspora is supporting more families than they ever have done”.
A Congressional source told MEE there are plenty of Republican lawmakers who want to see funding for Sudan restored, and American civil servants are at odds with Musk and Trump’s agenda. There is local economic incentive for humanitarian support: in Kansas, farmers were selling wheat bound for Sudan. Trump’s acting dep admin for USAID even insisted in a behind-closed-doors meeting last week that Rubio individually reviewed every single one of thousands of aid contracts….he and his staff are considering bringing criminal referrals against employees of USAID.
The wider global picture will make finding other sources of funding difficult. Khair noted EU and UK were cutting aid budgets to spend more on defence in response to Washington refusing to keep supplying Ukraine: “We are seeing a double whammy, where countries that could step in are diverting their money to defence because of Trump policy in Ukraine. Millions of people in Sudan will be bearing the brunt of these changes….very valid concerns about how the aid system works, how prolific it is, how much it is propping up different sectors, particularly health, in different countries and letting the state off the hook”. It is a way for the US to exert control over large swathes of the world. “The USAID freeze exposed this dependency.” Gaasbeek said recent SAF gains “could lead to some economic recovery….If it is possible to get the big wheat mills in Bahri working, that may lower bread prices and encourage larger commercial food imports.” Tess Ingram, UNICEF: “our work was severely underfunded already and these cuts will be making it even harder to provide vulnerable children in Sudan lifesaving supplies and services….we keep going, like previous years when we were underfunded, we must be able to explore alternative funding opportunities, new partners and support of the public has never been more critical.”…there is the impact the cuts will have on the social cohesion of a country torn apart by war. Khair said US funding for ERRs allowed the mutual aid groups to “sew back the social fabric the war has been ripping apart”. Middle East Eye
March 8
MASS GRAVE DISCOVERED NEAR RSF DETENTION CENTRE NORTH OF KHARTOUM. 500 people may have been tortured or starved to death and buried in a secret mass grave, according to The Guardian. … A visit to the base…shortly after it was retaken by SAF “found a previously unknown detention centre with manacles hanging from doors, apparent punishment chambers and bloodstains on the floor. Accounts from people held at the centre describe being repeatedly tortured.” The Guardian found a nearby large burial site with 550 unmarked graves, many freshly dug and a number containing multiple bodies. The site is the biggest makeshift burial ground found during its civil war and would make this one of the worst war crimes of Sudan’s brutal conflict.
Examination of survivors…found myriad signs of torture and concluded they were being starved. Dr Hosham al-Shekh, who examined 135 men found after SAF recaptured the site, said clinical evidence of torture and chronic malnutrition was widespread….the men, all civilians, were so traumatised…that many could not speak. Military sources told the Guardian RSF never expected the detention centre and burial ground to be found. …the group occupied so much territory in the region that it may have believed the site was secure from attack. Al Tagger
GUM ARABIC TRADE PLUMMETED AS RSF TAKES OVER HARVEST FIELDS, FORCING PRODUCERS TO RESORT TO SMUGGLING. Gum arabic, a vital ingredient in a range of global products from Coca-Cola to MandM’s and L’Oreal lipsticks, is being trafficked from conflict zones severely disrupting global supply chain. Sudan, which produces 80% of the world’s gum arabic, has been a dominant supplier for decades due to vast acacia groves. The war led to seizing control of key gum-harvesting regions, including Kordofan and Darfur, causing significant upheaval with traders forced to pay protection fees to the RSF to access the gum, leading to a sharp rise in smuggling. Gum arabic, which plays a critical role in stabilizing and thickening ingredients in food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, is being exported through informal border markets…
…bypassing certifications that ensure the gum is ethically sourced. Countries with little to no gum arabic production including Chad, Senegal and Egypt are emerging as key hubs. In some cases, gum arabic is being offered at discounted prices without proof it is conflict-free, leading to concerns that the supply chains of global ingredients could be infiltrated with smuggled products. Major players who rely on certified legitimate suppliers, scrambling to ensure legitimacy of their supply chains…have taken proactive measures to mitigate impact, diversifying sourcing from Sudan to other countries like Cameroon, …industry leaders are calling for increased transparency and monitoring the gum arabic trade, stressing the importance of ethical sourcing and need for certification systems to prevent smuggled goods from infiltrating global markets. RSF continues to control key production areas, complicating efforts to stabilize the industry and ensure reliable, conflict-free supply to the world. Al Madden
March 7
4 CHILDREN DIED WITHIN A WEEK FROM MALNUTRITION IN AL-JIREIF W. Several areas of Khartoum state controlled by RSF are facing severe food and medicine shortages. …most volunteer-run kitchens providing free meals to those stranded have shut down due to insecurity and lack of supplies. The…area is experiencing a critical lack of food, Emergency Rm volunteers faced arrests and threats. Retaliatory attacks by RSF fighters have increased in…Khartoum, leading to widespread abuses against civilians. The attacks coincide with significant advances by the army, which has retaken control of large parts of the capital. Sudan Tribune
March 6
UN SEC COUNCIL VOICED GRAVE CONCERN OVER A CHARTER SIGNED BY PARAMILITARY FORCES, WARNING IT COULD DEEPEN THE WAR AND WORSEN THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS. …such a move would “risk exacerbating the ongoing conflict, fragmenting the country…”. They urged warring factions to immediately cease hostilities and engage in “political dialogue and diplomatic efforts towards a durable ceasefire”. The war has torn the country in two, with the army controlling the north and east, while RSF holds nearly all of western Darfur and swathes of the south. In recent weeks, army forces made gains in Khartoum and central Sudan, retaking key areas swiftly seized by paramilitaries when the war began. Al Arabiya SUDAN LAUNCHES CASE AGAINST UAE AT ICJ OVER COMPLICITY IN GENOCIDE. Khartoum accuses Emiratis of violating Genocide Conv by enabling RSF militia to commit atrocities against the Masalit group. The application concerns “acts adopted, condoned, taken and being taken by Govt of UAE in connection with the genocide against the Masalit group in the Rep of Sudan since at least 2023.” Khartoum brought the proceedings over violations by UAE obligations under the Conv on Prevention & Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. It said RSF and allied militias perpetrated genocide, murder, theft, rape and forcible displacement, and was enabled by direct support from UAE. Sudan contended the Emiratis were “complicit in genocide on the Masalit through its direction of and provision of extensive financial, political and military support for the rebel RSF militia”. Last year, an independent inquiry by Raoul Wallenberg Centre found “clear and convincing evidence” RSF and allied militias committed and are committing genocide against the Masalit,” a Black African group. W Darfur was the site of intense ethnic-based attacks by RSF and Arab militias against the Masalit in 2023. The report found “reasonable grounds to believe RSF and allied militias are responsible for genocide against non-Arab groups other than the Masalit, including the Fur and Zaghawa”. It named UAE among other countries as “complicit in the genocide”. Middle East Eye CANADA ANNOUNCED NEW SANCTIONS on 7 individuals and 3 entities. Min of Foreign Affairs Joly announced sanctions…after nearly 2 years of fighting, in which “the situation is deteriorating, with growing violence and atrocities against civilians, propelled by the supply of arms and military equipment…this situation merits further restrictive measures against El Burhan and Dagalo for their refusal to negotiate in good faith and adhere to a permanent ceasefire. El Burhan and Dagalo should be held accountable for overseeing gross and systematic human rights abuses, which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Canada stands firmly in solidarity with the people of Sudan. An immediate end to the fighting and all violence against civilians is essential… We cannot, and will not, remain silent in the face of a dire humanitarian crisis…” Dabanga
March 4
200 CHILDREN RAPED, UNICEF SAYS…some as young as a year old, have been raped since the beginning of 2024. 221 children, including boys, were raped by armed men….66% of survivors were girls and the rest were boys. 16 survivors below age 5, including 4 as young as 1. …atrocities, including sexual violence and forced child marriages have been committed by both sides. 61,800 children have been internally displaced….The agency reported documented cases involving children who were raped during attacks on cities. Exec Dir Russell said sexual violence…is “used as a tactic of war” in violation of international law and laws protecting children. The cases were in Gadarif, Kassala, Gezeira, Khartoum, River Nile, Northern State, S Kordofan, N and W Darfur. S Kordofan, a boy was raped and several children, including a 6-year-old, were raped. They were all out picking fruit. “In a culture of serious social stigma and services severely hampered, that this group came forward tells us it is only a small sample. It is only the tip of the iceberg of…undoubtedly hundreds more children who have been raped.” …victims who “endured horrors no person would want to experience in their lifetime, and in the aftermath, their suffering doesn’t stop”. Many dealt with physical injuries and “serious psychological scars”, some attempted suicide. Survivors are often reluctant to report that they were subjected to sexual violence due to social stigma and fear of retribution from armed groups and rejection from family. Al Jazeera QATAR, SAUDI ARABIA AND KUWAIT REJECT ILLEGAL MEASURES TAKEN OUTSIDE SUDAN OFFICIAL INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING ESTABLISHMENT OF PARALLEL GOVERNMENT….Qatar expressed full support for Sudan’s unity, independence, sovereignty and territorial safety. It called on parties to prioritize national interest and avoid partition of the country. Saudi Arabia’s Min of Foreign Affairs emphasized that establishment of such government “does not reflect the will of Sudanese people and could undermine the country’s unity.” The Kingdom reaffirmed unwavering support for Sudan’s security, stability and territorial integrity. Kuwait emphasized the need for protection of Sudan’s official institutions and it’s unwavering support to Sudan’s sovereignty. Al Taghyeer
March 3
RSF AND ALLIED GROUPS SIGNED TRANSITIONAL CONSTITUTION. The new constitution brings RSF closer to setting up parallel government. The document formally establishes a government and maps out…a federal, secular state, split into 8 regions. At the end of Feb, the armed forces made progress for the first time edging closer towards retaking control of Khartoum. Although the war is unlikely to end any time soon, the battle for Khartoum could open up a new chapter in the conflict. AfricaNews
SAF AND RSF-ALIGNED JOINT FORCE ACCUSED OF TURNING CAMPS FOR DISPLACED INTO BATTLEFIELDS. Zamzam Camp witnessed fierce battles, resulting in…deaths and injuries. This largest camp in Darfur is home to 1 million. In June, “famine thresholds were exceeded” Adam Rijal, spokesman for coordination of camps “turning places of refuge into arenas for settling scores was disgraceful and unacceptable.” Intense fighting forced WFP to temporarily pause distribution of life-saving food and nutrition assistance. The suspension of MSF, with suspension of many other organizations, portends imminent danger. Rijal appealed to the warring parties: “Stop messing with the lives of civilians, stay away from populated areas, abandon selfishness and stop this crazy war through which you are committing grave violations against unarmed civilians.” A large number of civilians were displaced from Dar es Salaam to the camp following an attack by RSF on 52 villages. The administration called on the displaced not to light fires, prevent movement of vehicles at night and not use their telephone flashlight in open squares to avoid being targeted. Dabanga DISPLACED FAMILIES RETURNING TO OMDURMAN TO OBSERVE… RAMADAN AS CITY SEES SIGNS OF RECOVERY… Omdurman was recently reclaimed from paramilitary forces, allowing residents to come back to their homes. However, many returnees, like Awad Zayed, found their houses unrecognizable, marked by bullet holes, debris and destruction. Despite these challenges, daily life is gradually improving. Local resident Yousef Abdul Qader noted food prices were initially high, but with roads reopening and supply routes stabilizing, markets are regaining normalcy: “Every day, people return to their homes, and life is gradually returning to normal.” Charities are stepping in to support returning families. Gaith Abdul Qader, who runs a community kitchen, said last year Omdurman was nearly empty, but now his team is feeding dozens of people daily. AfricaNews
March 2
EGYPT REJECTED ESTABLISHING A RIVAL GOVERNMENT IN SUDAN, that such moves jeopardized the “unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity” of the war-torn country. “…such actions complicate the situation, hinder ongoing efforts to unify political visions and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis. Sudan’s territorial integrity is a red line for Egypt.” Saudi Arabia which previously mediated ceasefire talks rejected RSF’s move. Riyadh’s foreign min warned against “any step or illegal measure taken outside the framework of official institutions.” Kuwait echoed that position saying it rejected “any unlawful actions taken outside the framework of legitimate state institutions” calling them “a threat to its territorial unity.” Qatar offered its support for “Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity.” Al Arabiya
March 1
MILITARY INTENSIFYING EFFORTS TO RECLAIM CAPITAL FROM RSF, BUT BATTLE IS COMING AT A DEVASTATING COST FOR CHILDREN….young lives are being torn apart by violence, hunger and injury. In the hospital in Omdurman, a heart breaking scene unfolds as a young girl screams in pain from severe burns caused by an explosion. Her mother is badly burned after pulling her to safety. The family managed to survive the shelling, but they lost everything, and struggles to afford even basic care, unable to pay for her daughter’s bandages. The hospital is overflowing with child patients, many suffering from war-related injuries, malnutrition, and sickness. Dr. Maha Hussein: “the war…has led to a flood of children in need of urgent medical attention. As the conflict deepens, the trauma extends beyond physical wounds. Girls are learning self-defence drills, preparing themselves for the threat of sexual violence and enslavement at the hands of RSF. In another devastating incident, shelling killed an entire family—8 people, including 4 children, were killed in a single strike. Hussam, volunteer mortician, is left to process the grim aftermath: “We’re grown-ups. We’ve found all we need in the world, but why were they involved? They were innocent” Rédaction Africanews/AP/Africanews
February 27
600,000 ON BRINK OF STARVATION AS FAMINE STALKS THE WAR-TORN COUNTRY. UN Human Rights Chief Turk said…famine had taken hold in 5 areas , including Zamzam Refugee Camp in N Darfur, where WFP and Doctors Without Borders were forced to suspend operations amid escalating violence. …Sudan was “looking into the abyss” that famine could hit 5 more areas in the next 3 months, with a further 17 considered at risk in… the “world’s largest humanitarian catastrophe. Sudan is a powder keg, on the verge of a further explosion into chaos, and at increasing risk of atrocity crimes and mass deaths from famine,”urging immediate action to “end the war, deliver emergency aid, and get agriculture back on its feet”. MSF suspended operations in and around Zamzam, where 1/2 million people sought refuge, with WFP following suit as fighting intensified….WFP had been feeding 300,000 of Zamzam’s residents, but reached only about 60,000 people this month amid intensified shelling, with 1 attack destroying the camp’s central open market. Edem Wosornu, UN humanitarian operations dir, told UN Sec Council satellite imagery showed heavy weapons were used…. Zamzam Camp is 6.5 mi south of el-Fasher, N Darfur, which RSF has been trying to take for months.
Turk said recent moves by the RSF towards establishing governing authority in areas it controls were likely to “further entrench divisions and the risk of continued hostilities”. Sudan’s health system is under severe stress, with 30% of hospitals and clinics still working and disease spreading in displacement camps. Cholera is surging in White Nile, Save the Children….The outbreak followed a reported drone strike on the Um Dabakar power station, which disrupted access to clean water. The country recorded 55,000 cholera cases and 1,400 deaths since the outbreak began in Aug last year. “Children in Sudan are caught in an endless cycle of violence, disease and hunger, with devastating impact,” Save the Children. Al Jazeera
February 26
RSF PARALLEL GOVERNMENT COULD DIVIDE SUDAN AND AFRICA. While SAF continues to make inroads against its enemy,…both sides are working hard to establish legitimacy as governing bodies. The result is the so-called “Libya situation” where Sudan is split into 2 or more different entities, looms larger than ever. As the army broke an almost 2-year long siege on strategically vital city el-Obeid, RSF said it would sign a charter with allied political and armed groups to establish a government… The announcement and meeting in Kenya, where the government of Pres Ruto is known to be close to RSF main sponsor UAE, has caused controversy across the continent. AU is divided on whether Sudan will split, and whether any political entity connected to the RSF, accused of genocide, can be condoned. The potential Libya scenario is complicated by 2 existing autonomous rebel administrations in Nuba Mts and Marra Mtns. Having already experienced a split when So Sudan was created in 2011, there are widespread fears that Sudan, already facing a deep humanitarian crisis, will degenerate into a collection of failed states. Sudan’s army-aligned government based in Pt Sudan condemned the RSF announcements and threatened to cut diplomatic ties with Kenya.…described Kenya’s move as a violation of diplomatic norms and AU charter. Agar, dep chair of the army’s sovereignty council, said the “actions taken by Pres Ruto represents an alarming trend of external interference that threatens to divide Sudan…Why is Kenya intervening in Sudan’s internal matters while simultaneously expecting no repercussions?” Kenyan activists, opposition groups and media joined the criticism, pointing out Ruto’s connections to UAE and alleged commercial ties to the RSF. Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya’s former dep pres, claimed Ruto is involved in the hugely lucrative gold trade run by Dagalo, leader of RSF: “They are doing gold business with the RSF chief, which is taken from that area, brought to Nairobi then taken to Dubai.” US Treasury imposed sanctions on AZ Gold, a UAE-based gold purchasing company. … one of Hemeti’s brothers “maintained access to AZ Gold’s bank account in UAE, which held millions of dollars.” Sudan’s army-aligned government accused Ruto of dealing commercially with the RSF. A former Sudanese diplomat told MEE many African countries expressed solidarity with Sudan in the face of aggression. “Solidarity has come from N and W African countries including Egypt, Algeria, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Mauritania and others who stand against the Kenyan move”. In countries like Uganda and Chad, part of a network of supply lines providing RSF with Emirati-bought weapons, offered assurances of recognition for any RSF-led government. An AU diplomat said any split in an African country was of concern to the union because it went against the rules of its charter and threatened instability. The majority of African countries are fragile. The blessing of such a move might attract other counter-attacks and lead to wider proxy wars between neighbours, and the ignition of further instability. The paramilitary recently suffered a number of battlefield defeats in central and southern Sudan, as well as Khartoum, but still controls almost all Darfur and Cordovan in the sprawling west of the country. At the ceremony in Nairobi, RSF and allied groups declared they’d put an end to what they described as the injustice and discrimination of the old Sudan, which marginalised parts of the country. this camp includes SPLM-N and leader al-Hilu, SLM led by Alnur, factions from NUP, DUP and other rebel movements and political parties. “This is a historical moment of ending the discrimination in Sudan and the birth of a new Sudan. We have to build a new constitution and a new era of this country,” al-Hilu, who fought Bashir’s men for decades, said amid cheers. Political analyst Salah Aldoma told MEE the new RSF authority is expected to gain widespread recognition from neighbouring countries. “Political change normally happens gradually through democratic means, or radical change….I expected the 3rd option to be more probable as the majority of rebel groups are in the RSF camp, and many countries assured them they will get recognition.” another political analyst said the RSF camp is full of groups with contradictory aims. It contains traditional groups, tribal leaders, RSF and rebel movements…that have different backgrounds and ideologies. “These groups have chosen to ally with RSF and other political groups that are brutally oppressing the Sudanese people while claiming to stand for ending of discrimination.… This is a deep contradiction I expect to lead to the collapse of the coalition.” Tagadum, the civilian coalition, split into 2 groups over the issue of a new government. While civilian parties rejected formation of a parallel government in RSF-controlled areas and split off to form a new bloc led by former PM Hamdok, Darfur rebel groups and politicians remained. Army is taking steps towards the formation of new executive government. Army-aligned government in Pt Sudan declared it changed the constitutional declaration to announce imminent formation of a civilian government. Minawi, former warlord now allied with the army, said the announcement was a hostile action. The army’s political camp is full of contradictory movements, from hardline Islamist groups like Al-Bara bin Malik brigade to radical grassroots groupings like Anger Without Borders. Add to these former rebels like Minnawi and Ibrahim and you have another puzzle that will be hard to fit together. Middle East Eye
MUTUAL AID GROUPS FACE SURVIVAL BATTLE AMID ARMY ABUSE AND US AID FREEZE. US aid freeze is forcing mutual aid groups fighting famine to halt lifesaving work just as volunteers grapple with increasing attacks by an emboldened army clawing back territory from the paramilitary RSF. Local volunteers are the main lifeline for millions living in conflict-affected areas where international aid groups and UN agencies struggled to access. Yet in the past few weeks hundreds of volunteer-run communal kitchens have shut down as a result of Trump’s freezing of assistance by USAID, which accounted for a major chunk of the budget groups depend upon. Volunteers are having to grapple with a new crackdown by the army and allied militias falsely accusing them of collaborating with RSF forces, even writing their names on hit lists…. “I have been contacted by intelligence agents that I will be arrested and sentenced to death on the charge of treason and collaboration with the RSF,” said Nafisa, volunteer. Nafisa said volunteers in the city who had to communicate with the RSF, given they were in control, fear they will be killed once the army advances, and some started saying goodbye to their friends and families. Volunteer solidarity networks emergency response rms formed at the outset of the conflict. …are operated by thousands of neighbourhood-based activists, make daily meals and keep services like power and water running. In the first months of the war, emergency response rms relied on the Sudanese diaspora and philanthropists for funding. …while exemptions have been issued for some emergency aid, they have been difficult to interpret and cumbersome amid attempt to shut down USAID, which provided 44% of $1.8 b humanitarian funding to Sudan last year. Aid officials and a dozen volunteers told The New Humanitarian the groups have been severely impacted, and the freeze escalated the possibility of famine spreading. Babiker which works as an intermediary between international aid groups and emergency response rooms, said hundreds of communal kitchens have gone out of service due to a lack of food supplies. Babiker said her organisation has a major financial deficit, and the volunteers it works with are struggling psychologically. “They receive many needs from citizens and are unable to meet them.” Hind Al Tayef said her group doesn’t have enough funds to purchase gasoline to operate a water pump, and closed 300 kitchens. 111 kitchens have been shut in Jabal Awliya. …civilians and volunteers are “facing the risk of death”…. volunteers are feeling dejected because they cannot help people, and because their painstaking efforts to build up community resilience by creating safe spaces for women and education centres for children are imperiled. The situation is dire for ERRs in Darfur – traditional stronghold of RSF – several volunteers from the western region The number of communal kitchens operating in E Darfur state dropped from 48 to just 2, offering only 1 meal a day. Volunteers are trying to fundraise to plug the gaps. Some are running online crowdfunding campaigns, while others hope a dedicated website Mutual Aid Sudan Coalition can bring in more public support. Volunteers are speaking with new institutional donors, including Gulf states and regional organisations, as well as established international NGO partners for more support. “We have potential international NGO donors who promised to work on this aid gap, but due to their bureaucracy, we did not receive anything yet”. Omer, activist and volunteer in Al-Hasahisa, Gezira, said the ERRs are having to rethink the model of providing emergency aid. His group is discussing setting up sustainable, agricultural income-generating projects to reduce its reliance on donor-dependent initiatives like the community kitchens. Volunteers said the US freeze has come at an especially dangerous time, as ERRs face widespread reprisals from the army and allied militias. Several volunteers described …threatening phone calls and messages to their WhatsApp and Facebook from army intelligence officers and pro-army militias. Others described army officials drawing up lists of people who they spuriously accuse of being enemy collaborators –many of them volunteers or people of ethnic minorities from peripheral parts of Sudan. These hit lists have been made public in some Facebook groups, and used by army-aligned militias to arrest, torture, and kill scores of perceived opponents when they gain control of new areas. While volunteers in Khartoum received death threats as the army advances, those from central Sudan recently retaken by the military described facing an array of abuses. Omer said there was a period of indiscriminate violence carried out by the army following its recapture of Wad Madani. “In the early days, there were random killings by the army under the pretext of people being collaborators with RSF,” explaining ERR volunteers were among targeted. Omer said the killings stopped after pressure from civil society, but arbitrary arrests continue. “The security situation is now more stable, and there are no more assassinations, but there are still arrests of suspected collaborators.” Salma, volunteer from Gezira, was verbally harassed by army intelligence officials at a checkpoint while travelling back to Wad Madani after RSF was pushed out. Salma was profiled because her national ID card was issued in E Nile, an RSF stronghold. “I decided to carry on working at the neighbouring health centre, because the people need us.” When the army took over Wad Madani, they arrested a volunteer who endured 3 months of detention by RSF. MI admitted they have no evidence…but continue to detain him because his ID card was issued in a place held by the RSF for 18 months: “He has no connection to either RSF or army. He is an ambitious young man who selflessly helps others and works to serve the community without expecting anything in return.” Similar cases of profiling have taken place in Pt Sudan, a city the army has fully controlled. Ibrahim… providing meals for displaced people in Pt Sudan, was detained because he has relatives from E African states where a few nationals joined the RSF: “Although I am a Sudanese citizen by descent, I was imprisoned and subjected to insults and violence without being brought to trial. Even after my release, I receive threats from security forces in public places or over the phone”. Khalid, activist and volunteer detained and given an overseas travel ban for his anti-war efforts, said it isn’t justERRs in the army’s crosshairs: “The security situation is unstable, with heightened security measures at the entrances to the city and state. Youth are being targeted; not only volunteers but any young people who are active and working to help others.” The New Humanitarian
February 25
AID FREEZES LEAVE SUDAN’S NEEDY BATTLING FAMINE ALONE….shuts food kitchens, deepening famine as millions face acute hunger and displacement. growing humanitarian crisis as relief organisations delivering vital humanitarian aid withdraw. In the last few days, the freezing of US humanitarian assistance resulted in…closure of 80% of Sudan’s emergency food kitchens, while dramatic scaling down of Doctors Without Borders led to some of the worst hit parts of the country having no emergency medical cover as violence levels increase. There appears to be no letup in the fighting, with the army advancing in the capital and RSF announcing formation of a rival government. Trump’s executive order to place a 90-day freeze on USAID payments has come at a time of immense instability for Sudan, where its facilities were a lifeline for millions. BBC reported 1,100 communal kitchens shut down as a result of the suspension, and a volunteer at one of the shuttered kitchens said people had resorted to “knocking on volunteers’ doors”, desperate for help. US Dept of State claimed to have issued a waiver for “life-saving” food and humanitarian assistance programmes. However, those waivers do not appear to have translated into resumption of humanitarian assistance to Sudan and many other countries, with the Reuters news agency reporting only $100m of exemptions had been approved for USAID programmes, compared with roughly $40b previously spent annually. Reuters reported that most of $5.3b in foreign aid released under the waivers were for arms sales, military assistance and anti-drug smuggling….WFP said Sudan risks becoming the “world’s largest hunger crisis in recent history”, with its brutal civil war destroying livelihoods, infrastructure, trade routes and supply chains across the country. Al Jazeera
February 24
ARMY HAD BROKEN SIEGE BY RSF ON KEY STATE CAPITAL….forces in N Cordovan State “managed to reopen the road to El-Obeid and merge” with soldiers east of the city. El-Obeid, heart of Cordovan, sits at a crucial crossroads connecting Khartoum to the country’s west of Darfur, which RSF has all but conquered. “El-Obeid’s strategic importance, especially its airport and position linking west Sudan with the centre and south, makes today’s operation one of the most critical”….Finance Min described breaking the siege as a turning point: “This strategic victory represents a qualitative shift in the path of a larger triumph….”a significant step towards lifting the siege” on N Darfur’s besieged capital El-Fashir under RSF siege since May. Reopening the routes would allow delivery of essential food and medicine to the Kordofan region. …thousands took to the streets of El-Obeid to celebrate. Famine has been declared in 3 displacement camps in…Darfur as well as Nuba Mtns. It is expected to spread to 5 more areas by May, according to UN assessment. The New Arab
February 22
OUT OF CONTROL WATERBORNE DISEASE OUTBREAK IN SOUTHERN SUDAN KILLED 2 DOZEN AND LEFT 800 IN HOSPITAL, Doctors Without Borders. The outbreak in White Nile State followed a drone strike on Um Dabakar power station, 170 mi south of Khartoum, which disrupted access to clean water in Kosti. “The most likely source of infection is the river, where many families have been collecting water using donkey carts after a major power outage.” Officials banned the practice and urged stronger chlorination. The outbreak overwhelmed the cholera treatment centre at Kosti Teaching Hosp with patients suffering from “acute diarrhoea, dehydration, vomiting and sunken eyes. The situation is really alarming and is about to get out of control,” Dr Ocan, MSF. “We’ve run out of space, and are now admitting patients in an open area and treating them on the floor because there are not enough beds.” MSF reported a sharp rise in admissions…. “The numbers continue to rise, and keeping a detailed tally has become difficult.” The fighting has taken a toll on health infrastructure with 80% of health facilities in conflict-affected areas no longer functioning. Sudan declared a cholera epidemic last year, with 25,000 cases and 699 deaths recorded by Oct. WHO warns cholera can kill within hours if untreated, though most cases can be managed with oral rehydration and antibiotics. Intl Comm of Red Cross highlighted a “disturbing pattern of attacks” on civilian infrastructure, including power stations, worsening living conditions for millions. Al Arabiya
February 21
GEN SECRETARIAT ARAB LEAGUE EXPRESSED DEEP CONCERN OF ACTIONS THAT COULD UNDERMINE SUDAN’S UNITY OF LEAD TO ITS DIVISION….reaffirmed efforts to help resolve the crisis, based on established Arab principles that prioritise the preservation of Sudan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national institutions. SUNA reported Min of Foreign Affairs recalled its Amb to Kenya….This move came in protest against Kenya’s hosting meetings involving the RSF militia and its allies an act Sudan described as “hostile”. UN warned that formation of a parallel government in Sudan risks worsening the ongoing crisis. Middle East Monitor
AIRSTRIKES IN DARFUR, RSF SHELLS EL FASHER, ARMY ADVANCES IN CENTRAL SUDAN. Air Force bombed various places in Darfur in the past few days. 10,000 families fled neighbouring Zamzam Camp for displaced people last week. 10 were killed, and dozens wounded in an aerial bombardment on El Khazan Jadeed E Darfur. Residents said the air raid was the first in the area. The blasts led to burning of several houses. El Shaeiriya hosts tens of thousands of displaced people who fled fighting… in N Darfur. They urgently appealed to “the international community…to take immediate action to protect civilians, provide urgent support to those affected, and ensure areas sheltering displaced people are not targeted”. In S Darfur, warplanes resumed bombing state capital Nyala yesterday morning, after a calm of a week. Air Force targeted Nyala Airport and neighbourhoods in the eastern part of the city with 8+ barrel bombs. The bombardments continued, killing and injuring….It was ‘105th’ air raid on the town since the outbreak of the war. El Koma, mainly inhabited byArab Zeyadiya tribe is hosting 45,000 displaced families who fled violence in El Fasher, Darfur and Khartoum. The area is not under RSF control. Warplanes continued airstrikes on RSF-controlled areas, witnessing heavy fighting for months. RSF targeted air defence base, airport and other areas.
N Darfur Min of Social Welfare, Bodour Adam, described the humanitarian conditions in camps in and around El Fasher as “disastrous”. …teams monitored displacement from villages west of El Fasher after their areas were invaded and properties stolen and burned by RSF. Large numbers of displaced people are living rough, under trees in the open. They urgently need drinking water, food, shelter and clothing: “They are suffering from complete exhaustion and complete fatigue. They have wounds due to walking long distances and are suffering from the cold.” N Darfur Comm for Humanitarian Aid Abbas Yousef, called on relief and charity organisations to intervene urgently to provide aid. UN IOM reported 10,000 families fled Zamzam Camp. The people fled the camp, hosting far more than 500,000 displaced, due to the intensification of clashes between SAF assisted by Darfur Joint Force, and RSF. 1,500 families fled villages in Dar El Salam because of increasing insecurity throughout the area. Families were displaced from 15 villages. SAF announced they had taken control of El Hurriya Bridge in central Khartoum. Violent SAF-RSF battles continue in El Haj Yousef in Sharg El Nil in Khartoum N/Bahri. In White Nile State, Maj Gen Juma said his forces would soon take control of El Geteina, and the Jebel Aulia dam in White Nile. The army announced its forces were able to seize control of Sidra and a number of villages in Jebel El Dayer in efforts to retake Jebel Kordofan, 10k from El Obeid, N Kordofan, and open the road to the city. Dabanga
February 20
SUDAN’S LARGEST ANTIWAR COALITION, TAQADDUM, FINALLY SPLINTERED. The disagreement was over whether to participate in a new parallel government being set up by the RSF. Formed in 2023, the Taqaddum coalition included armed movements, political parties and civil society activists… headed by Hamdok, former PM…. Now, Taqaddum has split into 2. The members taking positions in RSF’s parallel administration….are mostly armed movements…who wagered on turning their weapons into leadership roles in the new government. “Armed groups don’t have a constituency, so they rely on a big, armed actor as a guarantor for a political seat,” Kholood Khair, Confluence Advisory think tank. Traditional political leaders who chose not to join the RSF formed a smaller antiwar coalition, Somoud/Resilience, trying to preserve their neutrality and reputations. “Political parties…don’t want to be seen as forming a government with genociders.” Taqaddum was originally an antiwar coalition mediating an end to the conflict….struggling for relevance with many of its civilian politicians perceived as too close to RSF during mediation talks.
Taqaddum’s reputation took a much bigger blow when it signed a Declaration of Principles with RSF. But the deal came days after RSF captured Wad Madani…where it committed atrocities including rape, looting and extrajudicial killings. Taqaddum was seen by many as whitewashing RSF abuses. Hamid Khalafallah, Sudan policy analyst,…agreed the signing exacerbated Taqaddum’s legitimacy: “There was an issue of cosying up with the RSF…because RSF kept saying what Taqaddum wanted to hear and the army was quite resistant to peace talks.” Analysts told Al Jazeera the splinter may be a “blessing in disguise” since it allows…Somoud to distance themselves from the RSF, “reinvent themselves”, and better connect with civilians. Boswell believes Somoud is less tainted than Taqaddum but noticeably smaller….Somoud may be part of a broader civilian unity government, where most officials are aligned with 1 of the 2 warring parties as part of a power-sharing agreement to end the war. “They can acknowledge that people have better experiences when [the army] recaptures territory and there is support for the army.” Spokesperson…says Somoud has always done outreach and believes criticism that Taqaddum was too close to RSF was part of an army-backed smear campaign…. The army helped write the DoP and was invited to the signing but refused to attend…. Many civilians across the country despise the RSF and welcome the army’s recapture of territory, saying the army brings some form of stability. The army has been accused of committing a wave of reprisal killings against perceived RSF sympathisers. Attacks are often across ethnic lines or against activists and local relief workers.… Al Jazeera SANCTIONS IN THE PAST HURT SUDANESE PEOPLE FAR MORE THAN THE REGIME. They crushed the economy, isolated the country and pushed people deeper into poverty, while the regime found ways to…strengthen its grip on state funding within an elite circle. Targeting both sides of the conflict sets a dangerous precedent for US interventions under the guise of accountability, a framework to embolden deeper economic restrictions or political manipulation. Imposing sanctions without addressing the conflict’s historical and systemic root oversimplifies a complex situation…another symbolic move that leaves civilians struggling with the same corrupt systems in place. In the lead-up to the partition of So Sudan in 2011, US actively funneled arms and military resources into the region, playing all sides to deepen internal divisions. …these weapons ultimately ended up in the hands of the RSF…. US’ declaration of genocide conveniently ignores its role in creating conditions for such violence. The interests of UAE include resource and land grabs in resource-plentiful Sudan. Gold, agricultural land and livestock exist in so much abundance that they have been fueling the Gulf states’ incursions in Sudan for decades. US’s reluctance to confront UAE is driven by strategic interests, …UAE was recently declared a major defense partner, crucial to US’ Middle East strategy, including efforts to counter Iran. US provides much of the military hardware, intelligence and geopolitical support that enables UAE to act in Sudan…routinely used by UAE to suppress resistance movements not just in Sudan but in Yemen, Libya and elsewhere. The Sudanese Resistance Front has been part of a coalition targeting institutions complicit in UAE’s imperialist interventions, including academic institutions like NYU, which maintains deep financial and political ties with UAE. As part of our larger Deccampaign centering the 2018 Sudanese Revolution and its demands, we called for NYU to divest. Truthout
February 18
RSF massacres 433 as it forms parallel ‘peace government.’ The paramilitary carries out brutal attack on civilians in White Nile State, while Hemeti’s brother arrives in Nairobi to launch rival administration. Foreign Min said infants were among those killed in “the worst atrocity” committed by RSF since “the genocide in Geneina and Ardamita….This horrific massacre confirms that the militia’s war is actually against the entire Sudanese people.” Emergency Lawyers said RSF attacked unarmed civilians, including women and children, in al-Kadaris and al-Khalwat, el-Geteina, White Nile State. It said the paramilitary group carried out field executions, kidnappings, enforced disappearances and looting of property, putting the death toll at 200. “Fleeing people who tried to cross the Nile were also subjected to live bullets, which led to their drowning in a deliberate crime of genocide.” RSF bore direct responsibility for the attacks, which constituted war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law. The latest massacre comes as senior RSF leaders…set wheels in motion for formation of a parallel government in areas the group controls. A political charter “for the government of peace and unity”, as it’s being dubbed, is set to be signed. Jihad Mashamoun, researcher and political analyst, said RSF were using the rival government to gain legitimacy while suffering military losses: “RSF has been losing ground…because of the sophisticated weaponry the de-facto government and allies have.” RSF is forming a new government to ensure it is not left out of a future transitional agreement. Foreign Min: “Anyone who participates in or supports the militia…is complicit in its crimes and atrocities against the Sudanese people.” Al-Hadi Idris, nominee for the parallel government, told Al Jazeera several countries pledged to recognise the new government. UAE pledged $200m in aid, while Ethiopia pledged $15m and Kenya $1m. “It’s highly possible they believe they have the backing of the UAE,” said Mashamoun. Middle East Eye reported on the UAE financially and militarily aiding the RSF via allied groups and governments in Libya, Chad, Uganda and CAR. Idris said: “The new government will purchase weapons to defend citizens, acquire warplanes and train personnel.” He added that the new government planned to create a unified army made up of various militias, including the RSF, and would look to open border crossings and airspace. Idris is among a number of figures in Sudan once part of the country’s revolutionary movement, who later formed Tagadum civilian coalition. The alliance was disbanded earlier this month. “When the conflict started, they claimed that they were neutral. But from what I have seen and the reports I’ve been reading, they’ve not been neutral,” said Mashamoun, referring to senior figures in Tagadum, like Idris. “They sided mostly with Hemeti and the RSF, and they hoped international backing would be there to support them.” Following signing of the charter, the so-called peace and unity government will officially launch in Sudan. RSF 2 DAY ATTACK ON ZAMZAM CAMP, where the largest amount of Sudanese internally displaced by the 2003-05 Darfur genocide reside. It left the area in complete ruins, razing markets and livestock and killing and wounding dozens. “People who were already very vulnerable have now no access to food or water. Some have no shelter, as some neighbourhoods have been burned down, and it’s very cold at night,”Doctors Without Borders. RSF laid siege to the city, cutting off supply routes and attacking surrounding areas. A report last year by Raoul Wallenberg Ctr concluded a genocide was taking place against non-Arab groups in Darfur at the hands of RSF and allied militias. Middle East Eye