October 16
CHOLERA OUTBREAK WORSENING AS FIGHTING CONTINUES. Fed Min of Health reported 120,496 cholera cases and 3,368 deaths nationwide. WHO warned that at 2.8%, the fatality rate is nearly 3 times the emergency threshold. Conflict, displacement and heavy rains continue to hamper efforts to prevent the rapid spread of the bacterial disease. But as the war in Sudan rages on, millions across the country are struggling to access clean water, sanitation and healthcare. AfricaNews
October 15
A WAR ON CHILDREN, A WORLD COMPLICIT. RAOUL WALLENBERG CENTRE CONCLUDED CHILDREN ARE BEING DELIBERATELY TARGETED. The investigation found both SAF and its enemy RSF “committed widespread atrocities against children, including killings, sexual violence, forced recruitment and the destruction of essential infrastructure such as hospitals and schools”. …the report calls out the involvement of external actors in the war, primarily UAE. “There is substantial evidence…confirming UAE is the primary supplier of heavy weaponry, armoured vehicles, munitions and drones, financing and political cover to the RSF and allied militia. 10 million children were exposed to violence across Sudan.” Children as young as 1 have been subjected to sexual violence….the atrocities committed include “enslavement and sexual violence targeting children in its most depraved forms as well as their forced conscription as soldiers”. The Centre heard “alarming reports of
systematic sexual violence, including rape, enslavement, starvation and abduction of children. In general…sexual violence is vastly underreported, especially in cases of children, due to social stigma, risk of retaliation or reprisals, and the decimation of healthcare, reporting, and communication systems. Sudan has an estimated population of 50mn, 42% under 14 years old. 17mn children are out of school, 90% lack access to formal education. 40 years of child immunisation progress has been reversed, with cholera rife and children at risk of widescale, preventable diseases. 4mn children under age 5 are suffering from acute malnutrition. Displacement has hit children hardest. Of 12mn displaced people, 53% are children, making Sudan’s child displacement crisis the largest in the world. UN verified a “dramatic increase in grave violations against children…especially in Darfur, with children being killed and maimed at unprecedented levels”. Despite the scale of this crisis, funding gaps are enormous. “Life-saving assistance is needed, yet UNICEF is facing a deficit of $1bn….Children are dying from hunger, disease and direct violence. They are being cut off from the very services that could save their lives. This is not hypothetical. It is a looming catastrophe. We are on the verge of irreversible damage to an entire generation of children…because we are collectively failing to act with the urgency, and at the scale this crisis demands.” The report also includes an index of companies linked to the war or warring parties. These include corporate entities owned by members of UAE’s ruling family, French aerospace co, Colombian mercenary contractor, Turkish arms manufacturer, Australian mining co and more than 1 US conglomerate. “Despite the staggering scale of the emergency, the intl response remains gravely inadequate.” Middle East Eye
October 14
FOOD TO BURN – US GOVT DESTROYS EXPIRED AID STOCKS AMID FAMINE. Over a year ago UN declared famine in Sudan….most of Sudan experienced serious degradation of the agricultural sector and production. Neither UN, Arab League or Western actors have shown willingness to intervene, either diplomatically or through meaningful imposition of sanctions on those sustaining conflict. But something else occurred: the 2nd election of Donald Trump brought to power…a cruel willingness to abandon any real effort to respond to Sudan’s desperate humanitarian needs. There have been huge cuts to UN agencies and intl humanitarian organizations. …deaths have begun to pile up in large numbers, especially in Africa. Rubio has been widely excoriated for demise of USAID and his mendacious claim…“no one has died”. An administration led by a man who once referred to Africa as a collection of “shit-hole countries” could hardly be expected to care that the first deaths resulted from a freeze on funds for a US HIV/AIDS program that saved millions of lives and has been conspicuously successful in Africa. Deaths began to mount in Feb….we do get a larger sense of the accelerating catastrophe from The Lancet’s recently published global forecasting models suggesting USAID cuts “could result in 14,051,750 additional all-age deaths…by 2030.” There is an even greater shock awaiting anyone who has not followed the fate of 500 tons of high-energy, nutrient-dense biscuits designed for rapid nutrition delivery in emergency situations. The food was sitting in a US warehouse in Dubai when the Trump admin announced its intention to burn it. State Dept: “If something is expired, we will destroy
it’s a matter of whether or not it’s safe to distribute.” The food was destroyed at considerable cost. And yet it could easily and safely have been donated to WFP or a willing humanitarian organization….even if nominally expired, these biscuits would certainly be welcomed by desperately malnourished people. For the painful underlying
motive for his destruction of holdover humanitarian aid was nothing less than a willingness to abandon foreign aid efforts by the Biden admin….The cruel budget cuts to WFP chiefly gutting USAID and support for non-governmental orgs and humanitarian agencies have been felt worldwide; one group has been particularly hard hit: Sudanese displaced persons and refugees…severely under-served…even as they are among the world’s most invisible and desperate displaced human beings.
I know from personal experience running a small humanitarian program…for Chad and N Darfur this food would have found immediate life-saving use, especially among children suffering from acute malnutrition. Rates of malnutrition for all age groups dramatically increased in Darfur as displacement has grown with increasing violence; the struggle to find food is truly desperate. 500 tons of food could have supplied our program for over a year….I wonder if Mr. Trump or Mr. Rubio would dare look on this terrible scene, or try to explain to the mother holding her dying child why she has been denied food these men chose to burn. Prof Eric Reeves, has worked to create, fund and organize a humanitarian aid project in Zamzam IDP camp. Dabanga
October 12
EMERGENCY ROOM VOLUNTEERS AND REVOLUTIONARY RESISTANCE COMMITTEES FACING MASSIVE DIGITAL WAR, their activity and communication online and social media platforms monitored, in a way that has cast a negative shadow on fundraising efforts to provide food to people affected by the armed conflict. ERR volunteers run a large-scale activity to collect donations and coordinate to provide relief to civilians, but the cyberspace in which they move has become full of dangers, as they are tracked, monitored, arrested and some social media applications such as WhatsApp have been restricted by the Sudanese government, led by the army….ERRs are a network of thousands of volunteers, providing food through free kitchens to civilians affected by the armed conflict through simple symbiotic efforts, have been subjected to harassment, arrest, beatings and even killings. ERR volunteers won 4 intl awards this year, the Nobel Alternative Prize, Norwegian Rafto Prize, EU Prize for Human Rights, and Richard C. Holberg Intl Advocacy Prize, and nominated…for the Nobel Peace Prize. As ERRs continue to receive global recognition awards, Sudanese authorities continue to restrict them, not only on the ground but in the virtual online world. “Digital platforms are an essential means of fundraising in order to prepare food and save lives, but become a source of great concern and threat for volunteers.”
Osama Azhari, Khartoum ERR: “The digital activity of ERRs is focused on social media to communicate with each other and support individuals, holding online meetings to coordinate voluntary work,..organisation, fundraising and delivery of relief supplies, locating injured civilians and evacuating them to medical facilities.” However, digital platforms, as the primary means used by emergency rooms to save lives…have become a major concern and challenge for volunteers. July 25, Sudan’s military-led government imposed a ban on voice calls via WhatsApp. Osama points out that the partial ban on
WhatsApp did not only affect communication, but included restrictions sending photos and videos, which will hinder documenting and sharing crimes and violations against civilians, as documentation…is required as important evidence of the crime and a basis for accountability, a memory that protects against oblivion, and its disruption indicates a desire to obfuscate and obscure the atrocities of war. As digital risks to volunteers increased, they did not have organised protection plans and training in digital safety, making them vulnerable to falling into the trap of authorities. “We don’t actually have any structured digital security measures. The procedures are mostly spontaneous, rather than codified, formal or regulated. We have to admit that as a Sudanese society we have a lack of technical culture; we don’t understand very well the security measures we can apply, so the most we do is use VPNs and encrypt our calls, and this is the maximum our knowledge and abilities allow….” Social activist Ahmed Othman said “the work of ERRs, committees, and all workers in Sudan…needs a lot of care, because any mistake can lead to your life or arrest, or cause damage to the system…which requires raising awareness of the digital means they use. Heroic work is not done without paying a price, we are systematically targeted, harassed and censored, digital platforms are our means of fundraising, and when phones stop, life is disrupted,” We are facing unimaginable logistical challenges, in addition to systematic targeting, restriction and censorship. The disruption of internet and communication services is not just a nuisance; it is an attempt to isolate us and hide our work, as aid networks rely on these tools to coordinate the evacuation of the injured, identify areas in need of urgent assistance, secure simple funding routes, and when the phone goes silent, rescue mechanisms stop.” “This restriction has no purpose other than to politicise relief and stop the hand of aid that reaches people in a neutral and effective manner, and to put it under official or military authority. Any attempt to censor or supervise our free voluntary work is, in essence, a death sentence for thousands of communal kitchens and mobile clinics.”
Activists and volunteers face the risk of arrest, enforced disappearance and murder simply for delivering a bag of flour or treats. These measures create a climate of fear that threatens to dismantle and weaken their networks, “but the determination of al-Shabaab is stronger than any weapon.” The censorship negatively affected the volunteers’ response speed and ability to scale, and made every logistical mission look like a military operation. But it has also strengthened the resilience and creativity of volunteers, now relying on faint signals, verbal messages and individual efforts to ensure the flow of help continues. Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of this digital battle is its direct impact on the psychological state of activists. Psychology prof Dr. Abdullah Adam told Ayen “the psychological and security challenges facing activists today are deep and complex, starting with possible security breaches of their devices, real fears of assault, arrest and imprisonment. This fragile security environment is putting a lot of pressure on volunteers.” All of this creates a harsh psychological reality, based on a constant sense of threat and fear of being kidnapped or arrested, according to him. “These practices cause a psychological disorder that manifests itself in the form of obvious symptoms: fear, stress, and extreme anxiety. The individual may live in a state of hypervigilance and obsession, where he is controlled by the obsession with constant surveillance, whether of his phone or his means of communication. This constant intimidation and fear leads to a state of hypersensitivity that may develop into obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is one of the most prominent psychological consequences of security challenges related to surveillance, intimidation, and enforced disappearance.” “As a result of this security concern, activists are facing the challenge of digital burnout that generates mental and emotional exhaustion. Social media platforms are designed to activate the hormone dopamine associated with mood and emotional stimulation. This massive digital consumption is draining our emotional balance, causing emotional exhaustion, as photos, videos and content we see…profoundly affects our mental health.” Sudanese activists are working under the fire of physical and psychological danger, turning communication tools into relief trenches. Dabanga
October 10
FRANCE 24 FOUND ARMED FORCES USED CHLORINE GAS…2 AIRSTRIKES ON EL JEILI OIL REFINERY in Sept 2024, attempting to retake the area from RSF. 5 chemical weapons experts confirmed the attacks were consistent with chlorine barrel bombs, a weapon only SAF can deploy by air. The use of chlorine gas breaches Sudan’s commitments under 1999 Chemical Weapons Conv and may constitute a war crime under the Rome Statute. HRW described the “the first public confirmation” and called for an independent international inquiry, urging full cooperation from all member states of the Conv. Sudan faces serious diplomatic and legal pressure, highlighting the tension between ongoing military operations and the country’s intl obligations. In El Fasher, Resistance Comms accused RSF of using drones to drop “strange projectiles” that emitted strong, unusual odours in residential areas….medical sources reporting symptoms consistent with exposure to toxic or irritant chemicals. Dabanga
October 8
SUDANESE OBSERVATORY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS…HATE SPEECH, VIOLENCE AND ARBITRARY ARREST TARGETING SUDANESE REFUGEES in Libya…. The
situation in west Libya, particularly Tripoli, Misrata, Al-Zawiya and Sorman, has become catastrophic and threatens the lives of hundreds of refugees. Security bodies including Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration carried out night raids on refugees’ homes, detaining many arbitrarily and transferring them to overcrowded centres lacking basic humanitarian standards. Refugees, including women and children,…face degrading and inhuman treatment in open detention areas. The Sudanese refugees in Libya. situation in west Libya, particularly Tripoli, Misrata, Al-Zawiya and Sorman, has become catastrophic and threatens the lives of hundreds of refugees. Security bodies including Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration carried out night raids on refugees’ homes, detaining many arbitrarily and transferring them to overcrowded centres lacking basic humanitarian standards. Refugees, including women and children,…face degrading and inhuman treatment in open detention areas. The observatory warned an organised hate campaign on social media is fuelling public violence, with civilians attacking foreigners and vandalising property. …armed individuals have broken into refugees’ homes, threatened families with knives and forced them to leave. Among the cases was Sudanese journalist Musab Mohamed Ali and his family, forced from their home after being threatened. Middle East Monitor
ARTILLERY ATTACK BY RSF KILLED 12 AT MAIN HOSPITAL IN ELFASHER….A doctor and a nurse were among the dead…. A previous drone strike killed 8 people in a maternity ward. Activists say El-Fasher, the last state capital in the vast western Darfur region to elude the paramilitary’s grasp, has become “an open-air morgue” for starved civilians. The hospital is one of the last functioning health facilities repeatedly bombed and forced to shut. 80% of households in need of medical care in ElFasher are unable to access it, …Exhausted medical teams are already scrambling to treat the injured from daily attacks. Doctors…have taken to using bits of mosquito netting as a substitute for gauze. 18 months into RSF’s siege, the city, home to 400,000 trapped civilians, has run out of nearly everything. The animal feed families survived on for months has grown scarce and costs hundreds of dollars a sack. The majority of soup kitchens have been forced shut. 1 million people fled El-Fasher since the war began…. The population of the city, once the region’s largest, decreased by 62%. Civilians say daily strikes force them to spend most of their time underground in small makeshift bunkers families dug in their back yards. Satellite imagery shows RSF built dozens of k of walls around the city, leaving only a small exit where they are extorting civilians for safe passage. UN repeatedly warned of “large-scale, ethnically driven attacks and atrocities”, where RSF has overrun multiple famine-hit displacement camps, killing hundreds. “After 500 days of unremitting siege by and incessant fighting, El-Fasher is on the precipice of an even greater catastrophe if urgent measures are not taken (to) loosen the armed vice upon the city and to protect civilians,” UN chief Turk. Al Arabiya
October 7
SURGING NILE WATERS INUNDATE EGYPT AND SUDAN, REVIVE DISPUTE OVER ETHIOPIAN MEGA-DAM. Rising Nile waters inundated homes and fields in north Egypt…intensifying a war of words between Cairo and Addis Ababa over whether Ethiopia’s giant Nile dam has worsened seasonal floods. The water level is extremely high, much higher this year…before it would rise for 2 days and then recede. The Nile has long been affected by seasonal flooding due to monsoon rainfall in the Ethiopian Highlands. But this year a late-season surge pushed north from Ethiopia, through Sudan and into Egypt. …floods in Bahri displaced 1,200 families last week and destroyed homes. Egypt’s Water Resources & Irrigation Min accused Ethiopia of “reckless unilateral” operation, saying sharp, unannounced swings in water releases…helped trigger a “man-made, late flood”. Cairo bitterly opposed the dam from the start, arguing it violated water treaties dating back to the early part of the last century and poses an existential threat. “People were warned before the water rose, but there’s nowhere else for anyone. When the water rises, everyone ends up staying on top of their houses.” The New Arab
2,000 COLOMBIAN MERCENARIES FIGHTING ALONGSIDE RSF according to SLA…one of the main pro-government forces…. Colombian Pres Petro stated that in light of “news about the killing of Colombian mercenaries in Sudan,” he instructed Colombia’s amb in Egypt to verify the number of nationals killed. He urged swift adoption of a law banning mercenary activity by Colombian citizens. UAE denied the allegations. Al Mayadeen
RSF INTENSIFIED CAMPAIGN IN S DARFUR, ARRESTING SCORES OF CIVILIANS, TEACHERS, LOCAL OFFICIALS on accusations of collaborating with SAF…in El Fasher RSF intelligence units stormed the area with lists of targeted names. The detainees include civil servants, former police officers and displaced persons. “They came with a list and took people straight from their homes.” 70 people were detained and transferred to prisons near Nyala. African Centre for Justice & Peace Studies condemned the ongoing arrests, saying RSF is persecuting teachers and public employees under false accusations of cooperating with Pt Sudan-based authorities.
Ibrahim El Sheikh, a headmaster in Nyala, was detained 24 Sept after refusing to reopen his school, a move RSF viewed as refusal to acknowledge authority of the Tasees de facto government. He remains in indefinite detention. 54-year-old teacher Fadil Mohammed was seized outside his shop in Nyala’s market and taken to Daqris Prison. Teachers continued to resist RSF pressure to resume classes under its control since Sept 2024. Several have been detained, and RSF is tracking bank accounts of those paid by the army-run government in Pt Sudan. Dabanga
October 6
PARAMILITARY TIGHTENS SIEGE IN BESIEGED EL-FASHER…1 million people fled….The number of internally displaced people sheltering in el-Fasher plummeted 70% from 699,000 to 204,000 in March-Sept. El-Fasher’s population has now shrunk by 62% from its pre-war level of 1.11 million to just 413,454 people. The army has been battling RSF for control of the country triggering what has widely been described as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. April has been one of the most violent months, with 500,000 people displaced from Zamzam Camp…in a single incident. Millions fled to neighbouring countries, with Egypt and Chad absorbing the majority. The battle for elFasher has become central to the broader war’s trajectory. RSF controls most of west Sudan including nearly all of Darfur, while government forces hold the north and east. El-Fasher’s potential fall would give the paramilitary force control over virtually the entire Darfur region. Al Jazeera
ICC…CONVICTED ALI MUHAMMAD ALI BEDELRAHMAN, ‘ALI KUSHAYB’ ‘COLONEL OF COLONELS’ ON 27 COUNTS OF WAR CRIMES and crimes against humanity in Darfur Aug 2003-April 2004. In a summary to a packed courtroom…, J Korner said Kushayb’s crimes are undisputed, and cited harrowing testimony of several witnesses, who gave accounts of a litany abuses, mass murders, torture, rape and genderbased violence, and forced displacements perpetrated on men, women and children….court rejected Kushayb’s main defence of ‘mistaken identity.’ J Korner convicted Kushayb as a direct perpetrator for murder and torture as crimes against humanity and war crimes, as well as outrages upon personal dignity…and persecution. It is noteworthy that rather than only ordering atrocities, witness testimony confirmed that Kushayb…personally bludgeoned some victims to death. He is convicted as coperpetrator with Janjaweed/Govt of Sudan Forces in relation to 200 captives/detainees… of murder, attempted murder….ordering Janjaweed to commit murder and rape, pillaging and destroying property; forcible transfer of population, persecution and inhuman acts….
The Prosecutor welcomed today’s ‘historic conviction’, pointing out that this is the first conviction in the situation in Darfur, and the first the UN Sec Council referred to the Court. The case represents the first conviction for gender-based persecution. “The conviction…is a crucial step towards closing the impunity gap in Darfur. It sends a resounding message to perpetrators of atrocities past and present, that justice will
prevail, they will be held accountable for inflicting unspeakable suffering on Darfuri civilians, men, women and children.” Dep Prosecutor Khan: “The judges’ decision is a tribute to the bravery of many thousands of Darfuri victims, who hoped and fought for justice through the years….the judgment affirms the fundamental value and dignity of the lives of the Darfuri people.” UN High Comm for Human Rights Türk: “The convictions…represent an acknowledgment of the enormous suffering endured by the victims of his heinous crimes, as well as a first measure of long overdue redress for them….” He paid tribute to “victims who courageously shared their accounts of harrowing and life-altering loss and suffering, hoping against hope that one day accountability would reach their seemingly untouchable tormentors. It is my earnest hope today’s verdict will serve as a reminder to perpetrators of today’s crimes there can be no impunity for mass crimes against civilians; they too will be brought to justice one day for grave violations of the law. The verdicts confirm ICC’s continuing importance as a court of last resort, a bulwark against impunity where there is no prospect for accountability at the national level.”
Kushayb…has been on trial for 31 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Kushayb showed little reaction as a summary listing a multitude of atrocities were readout. The court heard compelling witness testimonies….They spoke of attacks on villages and burning, looting and arrests, identifying perpetrators of the attacks. The prosecution presented a video of Kushayb…seen boasting about his actions: “What Radio Dabanga says about me is true because I’ve killed a great many people, and I’m still going to kill people.” In 2007, ICC issued arrest warrants against Min for Humanitarian Affairs Haroun, and janjaweed leader Kushayb….a first arrest warrant against Al Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity in 2009. The 2nd indictment for genocide committed against the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa tribes, followed a year later. 2011, ICC confirmed charges of war crimes…against Abdallah Banda, leader of Justice & Equality rebel movement. A warrant against Min of Int Affairs & Min of Defence Abdelrahim Hussein was issued in 2012 for crimes against humanity and war crimes. 2020, government negotiators and Sudan Revolutionary Front rebel alliance agreed…to hand deposed dictator Al Bashir and other ICC indictees to the Court. Dabanga
57 PEOPLE INCLUDING 22 WOMEN AND 17 CHILDREN KILLED WHEN RSF ATTACKED DISPLACEMENT SHELTER IN EL FASHER. Sudan Doctors’ Network said RSF attacked Dar al-Arqam centre at Omdurman Islamic Univ: “Most victims sustained serious injuries as a result of missile and artillery shelling by drones and heavy weapons,”…3 infants were among the fatalities. Resistance Comm said 60 people were killed in a massacre: “Children, women and the elderly were killed in cold blood, and many were completely burned. The situation has gone beyond disaster and genocide is inside the city, and the world remains silent.” The attack represents the latest in an intensifying pattern of strikes on civilian areas. UK Office of High Comm for Human
Rights documented 53 civilians killed Oct 5-8 in attacks across el-Fasher. An individual…told Al Jazeera people spent much of the day “living underground in shelters” built around their homes to avoid heavy shelling. “RSF relied on air strikes to force civilians out of the city so they can take it over,” Mohamed Badawi, human rights activist with Uganda-based African Centre for Justice & Peace Studies, which monitors the conflict. Under the months-long blockade, el-Fasher faces catastrophic humanitarian conditions.
HUMANITARIAN RESEARCH LAB REVEALS SYSTEMATIC CAMPAIGN OF DESTRUCTION SURROUNDING EL-FASHER….widespread burning of villages and displacement camps in a 57k radius with evidence of ethnic targeting primarily affecting non-Arab communities. El Fasher’s only functioning hospital, Saudi Maternity Hosp, came under attack 3 times, killing 6 including a child. WHO chief called for “immediate protection of health facilities.” Intl Comm of the Red Cross said health facilities across Sudan are routinely attacked and looted, with ambulances blocked at checkpoints or destroyed. In Khartoum, 70-80% of health facilities have closed or barely remain operational. “The magnitude of humanitarian need in Sudan is quite staggering,” Doctors Without Borders. “Unfortunately, cuts to international aid are adding insult to injury.”
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS PROVIDED CARE TO HUNDREDS OF SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN N DARFUR OVER 4 MONTHS. Most of the attacks were carried out by RSF. MSF treated 600 victims and survivors of sexual violence April-Aug. 302 were recorded in May-June alone, linked to attacks on Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps in El Fasher. “Most survivors were women and girls, including children.” In Aug 112 victims and survivors were treated, with 85% from El Fasher or Zamzam. 30% were under age 18. Sept 2025, the UN Human Rights Office stated RSF fighters committed systematic rapes of women and girls during the assault on Zamzam Camp. One documented case involved 12 fighters raping 5 women in front of their children. Middle East Monitor
October 2 The UN Gen Assembly has ended. Lip service was paid to ongoing atrocities and outrages in Palestine, Sudan and Ukraine. Beyond the lip service, there did seem…to be some energy on the possibilities for Sudan. Sadly, this energy results not from efforts of the Sudanese people and their…civic, anti-war campaigns and formations; nor from efforts of regional and continental bodies tasked with restoring and maintaining peace and security in Africa. No, it results instead from a new American push with Saudi Arabia and UAE together with Egypt, the lone African actor in the room. Not for nothing is Sudan cited as “the worst humanitarian crisis in the world”. …the war is deemed responsible for deaths of 150,000 people in mass casualty incidents, military offensives, summary executions. 150,000 people. That’s more than double the deaths Israel caused in Palestine during its offensive in Gaza (not that human life is relative…itis not). The war is now responsible for the deaths of over 500,000 due to hunger and starvation. That’s 1/2 million people. 1/2 million people. It is unsurprising the UN refugee agency estimates 11.8 million people displaced because of the war – 7 million internally, 3 million through the region and beyond.
Obviously, the greatest responsibility for this momentous human tragedy rests with the 2 belligerents RSF and SAF. That they and their leaders could let this go on for so long and at such a high cost – to human life and civilian infrastructure – beggars belief. Having orchestrated the coup in 2021 against the civilian-led transitional government, and this war in 2023, they and their leaders should have nothing to do with Sudan’s postwar future: There will be a post-war future, and that future must be civilian governed. This is the point made by all Sudanese civic, anti-war formations….They tentatively welcomed the Quad statement – quickly followed by sanction announcements by the US Treasury. Yes, they welcomed the use of US carrots and sticks with external actors arming and financing the belligerents; because those external actors including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and UAE (not just Türkiye and Iran) need to be reined in. And yes, the welcome was tentative; because neither the belligerents nor the Quad have any business doing more than facilitating how domestic actors come to agreement on resolving the root causes of the war and transitional arrangements to a future civilian government. The Sudanese civic anti-war formations were not the only ones to tentatively welcome the process proposed by the Quad: humanitarian pause; permanent ceasefire; transitional process of up to 9 months, leading to a civilian-governed future. So too did IGAD and AU. They were quick…to proclaim the tenets of the Quad in line with their own; and reinitiate a flurry of consultations with Sudanese civic anti-war formations – the most notable being Somoud, the umbrella of civic actors, Resistance Comms and ERRs, unions and political parties fronted by former PM Hamdok. They even reached out to RSF’s parallel government. Clearly the US memo was received and well absorbed. SAF, NCP and the Islamists are all as out as the RSF for their crimes against humanity. If Egypt could move on SAF and UAE on RSF, who are IGAD and AU to refuse? Who, indeed, are IGAD and AU? Obviously, we must be happy at any sort of movement towards resolution and a civilian future. But, we must also be embarrassed by the lack of action by IGAD and AU. There has been the IGAD Special Envoy; AU Special Rep and Head of AU Liaison Office; IGAD and AU roadmaps; Expanded Mechanism for Resolution of Conflict; High-Level Panel on Sudan, AU High Rep for Silencing the Guns, AU Panel of the Wise; AU Special Envoy for Women, Peace & Security; AU Peace & Security Council; AU Comm for Political Affairs, Peace & Security; High Rep for the Horn, High-Level Implementation Panel for Sudan & So Sudan. There has been a plethora of mechanisms…with not even one apparently able to move the needle. The belligerents kept doing what they were doing. The external actors kept arming and financing them,…nothing happened. Is the new US stance likely to change this? Will duplicitous members of the Quad stay their apparent turnaround? Sudanese civic antiwar formations have no choice but seize on this apparent opening. As for IGAD and AU…words fail us. The New Humanitarian, Muthoni Wanyeki, Political scientist and human rights activist.
September 19
SIGNIFICANT RISE IN CIVILIAN KILLINGS DURING FIRST HALF OF YEAR…horrendous levels of violence directed at civilians….3,384 civilians were killed Jan-June, mostly in Darfur, according to Office for High Comm of Human Rights: “Every day we are receiving more reports of horrors on the ground.” The majority of killings resulted from artillery shelling as well as air and drone strikes in densely populated areas. …many deaths during RSF’s offensive on El Fasher as well as ZamZam and Abu Shouk camps for displaced people. 990 civilians were killed in summary executions in the 1st half of the year. … “One witness who observed SAF search operations in civilian neighborhoods in E Nile, Khartoum March-April, saw children 14 or 15 years of age, accused of being RSF members, summarily killed.” Al Arabiya
70 PEOPLE KILLED WHEN RSF STRUCK MOSQUE IN EL FASHER….The attack came the same day the UN warned of deepening ethnic violence in Sudan’s civil war, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. Al Jazeera
September 17
50 SUDANESE REFUGEES DIED OFF EASTERN LIBYA AFTER…BOAT CAUGHT CAUGHT FIRE: “The tragic incident took place when a rubber boat carrying 75 refugees caught fire off the coast of Tobruk while en route to Greece. ” Libya is a key transit…for migrants seeking to reach Europe by sea each year. 456 people died and 420 reported missing along the central Mediterranean route Jan 1-Sept 13. Libyan authorities this year intercepted and returned 17,402 migrants to Libya….The war in Sudan pushed 140,000 refugees into Libya in 2 years, nearly doubling the number of Sudanese refugees in the country. Many brave near-slavery conditions in Libya and dangerous sea crossing in attempts to reach Europe. IOM considers the central Mediterranean crossing one of the deadliest migrant routes in the world. Smugglers and traffickers have taken advantage of the instability, leading to human rights violations, including extortion and slavery….The New Arab
EMERGENCY RESPONSE ROOMS,…VOLUNTEERS RISKING LIVES TO FEED AND HELP PEOPLE FACING WAR AND FAMINE, AWARDED NORWAY’S PRIZE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS WORK. Rafto Foundation honored ERRs “for their courageous work to preserve the most fundamental human right the right to life.” Shortly after the first shots of the conflict, a surge of solidarity emerged in the country that has no functioning state, infrastructure or basic services. Despite meagre resources, neighborhood volunteers quickly set up self-funded community kitchens to feed their neighbors, at times door-to-door. The movement provides civilians with healthcare and evacuation help. ERRs rose out of Resistance Comms that organized pro-democracy protests during the revolution…in 2019. ERRs “save lives and maintain human dignity in a place of misery and despair. Their innovative mutual aid efforts through citizen participation contribute to developing civil society and is essential to building a better future.” With communications cut frequently and few journalists on the ground, volunteers play a key role in documenting attacks on civilians. Regarded with suspicion by rival camps, some volunteers have been killed, raped, beaten or had their aid pillaged….100 volunteers killed since the beginning of the conflict. Al Arabiya
September 16 MALARIA, DENGUE, TYPHOID SPREAD AS MOSQUITOS MULTIPLY IN CAPITAL. Khartoum Bahri Emergency Rm announced deterioration of the health situation during August,…thousands of suspected cases of epidemic diseases under conditions of war, displacement and disruption of water and sanitation services, a fertile environment for waterborne diseases and mosquitoes. Min of Health revealed an unprecedented outbreak of mosquitoes that carry dengue fever and malaria. …density of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes reached 30% while 5% was enough to cause an epidemic explosion. ER recorded 2,100 cases of malaria….1,177 cases of typhoid linked to contamination of water sources, significant increase in dengue fever, watery diarrhoea reached 260 cases….risk of cholera remains with onset of the autumn season and contamination of drinking water. Health authorities predicted…significant increase in infections over the next 6-9 weeks if urgent mosquito control and water disinfection campaigns are not implemented, with strong waves of typhoid and watery diarrhoea possible. Bahri called for spraying campaigns and distributing mosquito nets, sterilising drinking water sources, cleaning neighborhoods of stagnant water and waste, activating early warning system and equipping health centers with essential medicines. It called for an urgent meeting of Min of Health and intl organisations WHO, UNICEF and MSF to provide urgent support. E Nile ERR is witnessing serious deterioration,…with widespread malaria and dengue fever in most areas. …most health facilities suffer from severe shortage of medicines and medical aids and high prices. …lack of analgesic intravenous solutions and essential medicines to treat emergency cases and confront widespread diseases. Dengue and malaria infection are increasing in most localities of Khartoum and Omdurman, with complaints of widespread outbreaks of mosquitoes and disease. … The Min explained… that spraying with pesticides does not work much because mosquitoes are active during the day in closed houses and their larvae multiply in broken vehicles and rubble, while spraying with planes remains very limited.
The Min confirmed assessment of losses of health institutions did not deviate much from previous estimates of $11bn. …most health buildings were partially destroyed, a few were completely destroyed.…The sector was directly attacked on 500 health institutions, and 120 health workers were lost. …Khartoum suffered more damage than other states due to the long presence of RSF. In Darfur many health institutions have been destroyed….looting of medicines and medical supplies led to a shortage of $300$500mn, and 3 of 26 pharmaceutical factories are in service in Khartoum, while 7 factories are expected to enter service by the end of the year. The abundance of medicines has improved to 75%, compared to 42% in 2023. Health Min developed … measures to benefit from health cadres available in the states, with training of specialists and retention of 1,000 specialists. He pointed to future projects to increase production of medicines and medical supplies, including establishment of gauze and cotton factories in Blue Nile, scorpion serums in the north, and intravenous solutions in White Nile, which will enhance Sudan’s ability to improve the availability of medical supplies. Dabanga
THOUSANDS OF…ARTIFACTS STOLEN. Since the start of the war, Sudan’s museums have seen the theft of 4,000 artefacts. The looted items include pieces from the Natl Museum in Khartoum and major collections, representing a severe blow to the country’s cultural heritage. UNESCO Sudan said the war has inflicted huge losses. A delegation recently visited Bajrawiya pyramids, the Royal City and other World Heritage sites to assess damage. Sites are also vulnerable to flooding, shifting sands and climate change. These pressures risk erasing invaluable links to Kushite culture, which once thrived in the Nile Valley. UNESCO launched a 2-year emergency plan….documenting stolen artefacts, training Sudanese specialists and combating illicit trafficking. Bajrawiya and the Royal City were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List for their exceptional value. The sites include 200 pyramids, temples and royal tombs but now face uncertain survival amid war and neglect. Sudan Conflict Monitor
September 15
ARMY DEPLOYING ADVANCED…DRONES IN BATTLES AGAINST RSF in Kordofan and Darfur, as both sides escalate the conflict with sophisticated aerial weapons. A Western diplomat told Sudan Tribune the escalation “puts the country in a new, highly complex situation,” particularly amid regional and intl interventions….the negotiating tone from both sides hardened, as each believes recent battlefield victories give them an advantage. Reports documented RSF deploying long-range Delta Wing drones from Nyala Airport….designed to crash into their targets, have a range of 2,000k, enabling them to strike anywhere in Sudan. The army repeatedly bombed Nyala Airport, ….Observers believe both factions used a 6-month lull in fighting…to rearm, service equipment and acquire new drones, shifting focus to the air as the effectiveness of ground forces diminished.
September 9
ETHIOPIA INAUGURATED GRAND ETHIOPIAN RENAISSANCE DAM ON BLUE NILE….The dam, which has a storage capacity roughly the equivalent of the annual share of Sudan and Egypt combined—quickly became the subject of a legal, technical and political struggle…. Khartoum viewed GERD as a project with potential benefits but also grave risks unless legal and technical reservations were addressed through a binding agreement that ensured coordination in operations, data exchange and safety….The Roseires Dam, only 100k from the site, poses the greatest risk. The significant difference in storage capacity between the dams…means failure in operation would threaten the lives of millions. 20mn citizens living along the Blue Nile are at risk in the event of a disruption. As for Cairo, its prominent concerns were direct impact on its historical share of Nile water, as filling the reservoir would mean reduction of 15bn cu m annually, in addition to the risk of Ethiopia gaining unilateral control over the river’s course. Egyptian and Sudanese experts warned of risks to…safety and uncontrolled discharges, especially during prolonged drought, as well as…potential collapse threatening agricultural land between GERD and the High Dam in Egypt.
Addis Ababa consistently asserts 86% of the Nile’s waters originate in its territory…. It presented the dam as a development project generating electricity without harming downstream countries. Ethiopian officials argued any binding agreement on filling and operating the dam would restrict their “natural right” to development and considered Khartoum and Cairo’s concerns exaggerated….Over 14 years, the 3 countries engaged in multiple negotiations under auspices of AU, Washington, Abu Dhabi. …a final binding agreement was not reached, prompting Ethiopia to begin generating electricity…. Sudan and Egypt considered this a breach of intl obligations….
A…bilateral agreement between Sudan and Ethiopia.…acknowledged the interconnected nature of the safety and operation of GERD and Roseires Dam. Establishing a joint mechanism that makes decisions on consensus and monitors emergency situations, the agreement highlights each party’s responsibility for the safety of its dams.…This was a major embarrassment for Khartoum, revealing a clear discrepancy between public positions and previous understandings with Ethiopia. Egypt will not allow Ethiopia’s efforts to unilaterally dominate management of water resources. Egyptian Foreign Min is committed to implementing intl law on the Nile and reserves the right to take measures guaranteed by intl law and UN Charter to defend the existential interests of its people. Egypt addressed a letter to the UN Sec Council.… “Despite all the flimsy efforts to provide the Ethiopian dam a false veneer of acceptance and legitimacy, the dam remains a unilateral measure that violates intl law.” Sudan Conflict Monitor