There are reports of big fighting near the capital of Sudan, Khartoum. Many civilians who were forced to leave their homes because of the war live there.
People who saw it happening say that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) entered al-Jazira state in a big way.
It was a pretty safe place.
Since the fighting started in April, about seven million people from Sudan had to leave their homes.
Less than a week ago, local leaders said that the fighting groups in Sudan had agreed to meet in person to talk and try to stop the fighting.
However, the fighting is getting worse and the people who have been forced to leave their homes are preparing to run away to save themselves once more.
Fighting for control of Khartoum made almost 500,000 people move south to al-Jazira.
However, the RSF launched a big attack and now there is fighting near the state capital, Wad Madina, with fighter jets flying overhead.
This area grows a lot of food, but because of the war, many people who need help getting food cannot get it.
Tag: Sudan
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Sudan violence reportedly expanding to former safe haven
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32 people killed including UN peacekeeper in Sudan conflict
The Sudanese government in the area of Abyei say that 32 people were killed when armed men attacked the local villages.
The Information Minister of Abyei, Bolis Kuoch, said that more than 20 people were hurt when some men started shooting on Sunday morning.
He said UN peacekeepers stepped in to stop the fighting, but one of them was killed.
There has been a lot of fighting between different groups in Abyei over who gets to use the land and resources.
The area has a lot of oil and is on the border of Sudan and South Sudan. Both countries consider it to be part of their territory because they signed a peace agreement in 2005.
Last week, the UN Security Council agreed to keep its peacekeeping mission in place for another year. -
‘Life in Sudan has turn into living hell’ – Survivors
Seven months after Sudan’s civil war began, things are getting worse for many people in the capital city, Khartoum. Some who fled the city at the beginning of the war are also having a hard time surviving.
Abdul-Aziz Hussein – not his real name for safety – decided to stay in Khartoum in April. He didn’t expect the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to keep fighting for so long.
“We are still surrounded and the fighting is continuing,” he tells me when I call him.
The RSF have come into the area and caused a lot of trouble, while the army is attacking their positions in the neighborhood. Death may happen at any time.
Around 5,000 Sudanese people have died in fighting between two parts of the military, and many more have been hurt.
The 45-year-old teacher wants to leave with his wife and three kids. He really wants to go. They almost moved last month, but the fighting near their home in the Kalakla suburb was too strong.
The place is empty and quiet, the family hasn’t had any food for two days and it’s difficult to find water. According to Mr Hussein, electricity is not easy to get.
When I call again, Mr Hussein says that violent soldiers are stealing from stores and homes.
He says it feels like living in a really bad place.
The UN says that the strong fighting in Khartoum and Darfur is making it hard to deliver aid.
More than five million people had to leave their homes because of the fighting, and 24. 7 million need urgent help.
Many people don’t have clean water, which makes them more likely to get sick with cholera and other diseases.
The UN’s deputy special representative in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, says we need a break in fighting so we can give food and help to people in need and see how much help they need.
“Most importantly, we need the fighting to stop for good. ” We want the fighting to stop so we can deliver help, and the people in Sudan can go back to their regular lives.
A few short breaks in fighting were agreed at the beginning of the war to help people, but efforts to make long-lasting peace are not making much progress. Unicef’s person in charge in Sudan, Mandeep O’Brien, told the BBC that a big problem where people need help is coming soon.
“If the war keeps going, we think things will be really bad by the end of the year. ”
Even people who fled from Khartoum to Port Sudan, on the Red Sea coast, are having a hard time staying alive.
I met Hawa Suleiman in a shelter in the port city. She was trying to make food for her five children from the little bit of wheat she had, but there wasn’t enough.
They get one meal a day from a charity in Qatar. Suleiman shares it with her kids so they can have breakfast. Without a fridge, the food can go bad and make her kids ill.
She and her kids ran away from Omdurman, the city near Khartoum, when the fighting began on April 14th. Bombs were dropping while they ran away, and she and her husband got separated in all the confusion. We haven’t heard from him and we don’t know if he’s alive or dead.
The family traveled 1,000km to Port Sudan and tried to leave, but were told they couldn’t because the boats were only for people from other countries.
Ms Suleiman found out that she didn’t have anyone to help her. When one of her kids got sick from bad food, she could only afford medicine because someone kind helped pay for half of it.
“MsSuleiman said the doctor cried when she saw how sick we were. ” “We are very tired. ” We are suffering too much.
Many different people from different countries are also suffering because of the war, including Syrians, Pakistanis, Indians, and a lot of refugees from South Sudan. In Port Sudan, many families are living in a crowded shelter that used to be a university dormitory.
Abiol is part of that group. She had run away from South Sudan before and now lives in a camp in Khartoum in a place called al-Haj Yousif.
“I wanted to go back to my country, but there was a war in Khartoum, so we had to move to Port Sudan,” she explains.
“It’s like destiny has decided that we will spend our whole lives in refugee camps. ”
Peter, who fled from Congo, was studying at a university in Khartoum before the fighting started. He says the living conditions in the Port Sudan dormitory are very bad, so he sells charcoal to have a slightly better life.
The conflict has also hurt aid workers. 900 times, UN workers have been in dangerous situations, and 19 of them have died. This means it’s the most unsafe place in the world for people who help others.
At the same time, the UN is having trouble getting enough money to do its work in the country. They have only been able to raise enough money to cover a quarter of their $2. 6 billion humanitarian response plan.
Ms Nkweta-Salami says that not doing anything will be very expensive. “We ask our donors to support us and ask the parties to stop the fighting. ”Source: The Independent Ghana
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Shells hit market in Sudan, kills 20 people
On Sunday, November 5, more than 20 individuals lost their lives as shells struck a market located in a suburb near Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, as reported by a committee of lawyers advocating for democracy.
This incident represents the most recent occurrence of violence in the ongoing conflict that began in April, involving the military forces led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
According to a statement from the pro-democracy lawyers’ committee, the shelling took place in Omdurman during a fierce firefight between the two opposing factions.
“More than 20 civilians have been killed and others have been wounded,” said the statement, which was sent to AFP. The committee keeps track of rights violations during the conflict and its civilian victims.
A medical source reported on Saturday that 15 civilians lost their lives as a result of shells hitting residential houses in Khartoum. Omdurman has frequently been the epicenter of intense clashes between the opposing sides.
Although most of the conflict had previously been concentrated in the capital and the western Darfur region, witnesses have noted its expansion to areas south of Khartoum.
According to a conservative estimate by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, the Sudan conflict has claimed the lives of more than 10,000 individuals.
However, humanitarian organizations and medical professionals have consistently cautioned that the actual toll surpasses the documented numbers, as many of the wounded and deceased never make it to hospitals or morgues.
The war has forced an estimated 5.5 million people to flee, with displacement occurring both within Sudan and across its borders, as reported by the United Nations.
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Burhan of Sudan visits troops following RSF losses
Sudan’s army leader, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has conducted visits to two strategic bases in the capital, Khartoum, and its twin city, Omdurman.
These visits come in the wake of recent losses on the battlefield to rivals from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over the past week.
The state-run Sudan TV aired Gen Burhan’s inspection of troops at the Wadi Saidna and Karari bases on Tuesday.
While the RSF claimed to have seized three army headquarters in Darfur, witnessed hundreds of soldiers defecting to their group (including in Khartoum), and captured the airport in West Kordofan since October 26, Gen Burhan downplayed these assertions.
He accused the RSF of launching attacks despite ongoing peace talks in Saudi Arabia, asserting that the military remained resolute in their determination to continue the fight.
However, Gen Burhan also emphasized the army’s commitment to negotiations in Jeddah aimed at ending the war that began in mid-April.
The army had previously explained its withdrawal from Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state, was due to a shortage of supplies. Mediation efforts are being led by Saudi Arabia, the United States, the African Union (AU), and the trade bloc Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad).
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Sudanese war: Father’s battle to educate his children
Jaafar Abbakar has four kids who, like 19 million other children in Sudan, cannot attend school because of the brutal conflict that started six months ago.
Over 10,000 schools have shut down due to a war between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This war has caused a lot of damage in various parts of the country, including the capital city, Khartoum, and its neighboring city, Omdurman.
Mr Abbakar and his family are now living in a school because they had to leave their home due to the fighting.
But he says his children are not ready to go back even if schools reopen.
It is hard because of how our minds work. In such situations, someone can’t go to school. There is no clear indication that the war will stop.
Mr Abbakar left Umbada, a town near Omdurman, and moved to the eastern Gedaref state. He is trying to keep his children busy in their new house, hoping that they won’t have to stay there for too long.
I do my best to teach them as much as I can. We are trying our best to help, but there are limitations and our efforts are not enough in the long run.
“We attempt to study and review with them at home and refocus their attention on their school studies so that they can momentarily forget about the impact of the war. ”
For Eram, who is 15 years old, there is more than just school work that is important. She says she really misses her friends from school. She also mentioned that they haven’t talked to each other since they parted ways.
Unicef, which is an organization that helps children, says that almost seven million children were not able to go to school because they were very poor or their situation was not stable, even before the war started.
The fighting has caused around 6. 5 million more children to leave their schools, and an additional 5 million children have been impacted by the closure of schools.
Unicef and other groups that aren’t part of the government are helping with things like online learning platforms. However, they’re saying that these platforms shouldn’t be seen as a replacement for regular school. They think the government needs to open schools as soon as they can. -
Kwasi Appiah addresses Sudan coaching role rumours
Member of Asante Kotoko’s Interim Management Committee (IMC), James Kwasi Appiah has suggested that he may not become the head coach of the Sudanese national team.
He revealed that he has not yet signed the contract for this position.
Back in September 2023, it was reported that the Sudanese Football Association had appointed James Kwasi Appiah, the former Ghana national team coach, as their new head coach on a three-year deal.
Before this development, Kwasi Appiah had been announced as part of a four-member committee by Life Patron Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to oversee the operations of Asante Kotoko.
However, the 63-year-old tactician is also in the running for a position on the Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association, with the election scheduled for Thursday, October 5 in Tamale.
Kwasi Appiah has expressed his commitment to both his role with Kotoko and his candidature for the Executive Council, showing a strong interest in both opportunities.
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US sanctions ex-Sudan minister alleged interference with peace efforts
The US has imposed sanctions on former Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Karti and two companies, including one in Russia, for destabilizing peace in Sudan.
Karti, a key figure in the pro-military Sudanese Islamic Movement and a former official in President Omar al-Bashir’s government, is accused of obstructing efforts to achieve a ceasefire between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to the Department of Treasury.
The Sudanese Islamic Movement responded by viewing the sanctions as a “badge of honor.”
Additionally, GSK Advance Company, a Sudanese firm, has been targeted with sanctions for acting as a procurement channel for the RSF. The US alleges that GSK collaborated with Aviatrade LLC, a Russia-based military supply company, to facilitate the procurement of parts and supplies.
The Department of Treasury affirmed its commitment to targeting individuals and entities that perpetuate the conflict for personal gain.
These sanctions mark the latest in a series of actions by Washington following the outbreak of war between the army and the RSF in mid-April.
Earlier in the month, the US imposed financial sanctions on RSF deputy leader Abdel Rahim Dagalo and placed a travel ban on Gen. Abdul Rahman Juma, the RSF commander in West Darfur state, over allegations of human rights abuses. Both individuals denied the accusations made by the US.
In June, Washington also imposed sanctions on firms owned by warring Sudanese military factions.
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Seasonal epidemics, conflict, worsening Sudan’s health crisis
Growing concerns surround Sudan’s deteriorating healthcare situation amid a surge in seasonal epidemics, exacerbated by the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The Sudanese Ministry of Health has officially recognized the emergence of dengue fever, malaria, and cholera cases across various regions of the country. In a statement posted on its Facebook page on Tuesday evening, the ministry reported 21 cholera-related fatalities in Khartoum and Gedaref states.
According to the ministry, “Gedaref State has reported 265 suspected cholera cases, resulting in 18 fatalities, while Khartoum State recorded 13 cholera cases, including 3 deaths.”
Sudan Tribune, an independent news source, reported on Wednesday that dengue fever cases in Gedaref State have surged to at least 700, with 8 fatalities, citing Sudan’s Acting Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim.
“The dengue fever epidemic is spreading in 8 states, including the Red Sea, Kassala, Gedaref, Gezira, Sinnar, North Kordofan, South Kordofan, and North Darfur,” the minister stated, attributing the disease’s spread to an increase in mosquito breeding due to continuous rainfall.
The ministry initiated a mosquito and disease vector control campaign in Gedaref State two weeks ago, receiving support from the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Children’s Fund (Unicef), and the federal support team in Gedaref State.
The Sudanese minister also mentioned that Gedaref received essential supplies from WHO and the federal health ministry, including intravenous solutions and blood transfusion bags. In North Darfur State, malaria cases have surged to approximately 80,000, according to Sudan Tribune.
Ahmed Mohamed Al-Doma, deputy director-general of the Ministry of Health in North Darfur State, also reported 25 cases of dengue fever in the state, with no fatalities.
On Tuesday, the WHO reported cholera and dengue fever outbreaks in eastern Sudan, with 162 suspected cholera cases admitted to hospitals in Gedaref and other border areas near Ethiopia.
Previously, Sudan’s health ministry reported that the RSF had taken control of the country’s primary medical supplies warehouse, resulting in the loss of medicines and medical equipment worth 500 million US dollars, along with a 70-percent loss of specialized center equipment in Khartoum.
Last week, the United Nations revealed that approximately 1,200 children under the age of 5 in nine refugee camps in Sudan had died over the past four months due to a suspected measles outbreak and malnutrition, particularly in the White Nile State.
Sudanese epidemiologist and community medicine specialist Hamza Awadalla expressed concerns about a potential widespread epidemic due to the deteriorating health sector’s inability to address the crisis.
“The ongoing war has affected the health sector’s ability to decisively respond to epidemics as nearly 100 hospitals have become out of service amid restrictions on movement for doctors and medical staff,” Awadalla told Xinhua on Wednesday.
Sudan has been witnessing deadly clashes between the SAF and the RSF in Khartoum and other areas since April 15, resulting in at least 3,000 deaths and more than 6,000 injuries, according to figures released by the Sudanese Health Ministry.
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Kwasi Appiah set to earn salary of $50,000 as Sudan’s head coach
Former Ghanaian coach Kwasi Appiah has been named as the coach of Sudan’s national team, with reports indicating that he will receive a monthly salary of $50,000 for his role.
This appointment is accompanied by a three-year contract, and in addition to coaching, Appiah is expected to assume the position of technical director for Sudan’s national team.
Despite his new responsibilities, Appiah will continue to fulfil his role as the technical director of Asante Kotoko.
His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the club’s life patron, has granted him permission to take on the position of head coach for Sudan’s national team while retaining his position at Kotoko.
Furthermore, in his capacity as the technical director of Asante Kotoko, Appiah is slated to participate in the upcoming Ghana Football Association’s Executive Council elections.
This marks the second time that Kwesi Appiah has worked in Sudan, as he previously served as the head coach of the Sudanese top-flight club Al Khartoum.
During his tenure with Al Khartoum, he guided the team to a fourth-place finish in the league and secured qualification for the Confederation Cup.
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Otumfuo Osei Tutu II gives Kwesi Appiah the go ahead to join Sudan National Team
Life patron of Asante Kotoko, His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has given his approval for Kwasi Appiah, the club’s technical director, to take on the role of head coach for the Sudan national team.
Appiah had a meeting with Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in London, during which the Asante King offered his blessings for Appiah’s new endeavour.
Kwasi Appiah will continue to fulfil his duties as the Technical Director for the Porcupine Warriors while also participating in the Ghana Football Association’s Executive Council elections, originally scheduled for September 27 in Tamale but currently on hold.
The former Ghanaian international, who has previously managed the Black Stars in two stints (2013–2014 and 2017–2019), is expected to provide technical leadership for Kotoko as they undertake team restructuring.
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Thousands seek refuge in classrooms as the Sudan battle continues
A regional governor interviewed by BBC News, says the ongoing war in Sudan has resulted in the displacement of thousands of people, and they have been forced to seek refuge in schools that are ill-suited for habitation.
The conflict, which has persisted for months and involves clashes between the Sudanese army and a formidable paramilitary group, has compelled 40,000 families to flee to North Darfur. Nimr Abdel, who oversees the state, expressed his concerns regarding the dire situation.
Since the conflict erupted in April, Darfur has experienced some of the most intense fighting in the nation’s history.
Mr. Abdel conveyed to the BBC’s Sudan Lifeline radio service, “A significant number of displaced individuals are now residing within schools that are not suitable for prolonged habitation. These educational institutions lack the necessary qualifications to function as shelter centers, as essential services are notably absent.”
He further explained, “The amenities initially provided in these schools, including restroom facilities, were designed exclusively for students, and their capacity is inadequate to accommodate the substantial numbers of displaced individuals.”
In the event that the conflict persists, the authorities are considering the establishment of purpose-built camps to address the pressing humanitarian needs of those affected.
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Army head of Sudan says he is prepared for peace negotiations
The leader of Sudan’s military said he is open to having a conversation with the rebel group’s commander. They are currently fighting for control of the country.
Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said he agreed in general to meet with Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The two men have been fighting a very violent war within their own country since April. The United Nations has stated that over 5,000 people have been killed as a result of this war.
It means that over five million people have been forced to leave their homes.
Gen Burhan, who took control in a 2021 takeover, talked to the BBC in a rare interview after giving a speech at the UN General Assembly in New York.
He is in charge of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and is traveling around the world to get support from other countries and gain recognition for his leadership. However, he has not given up his power to civilian authorities.
The leader disagreed when people said his troops were attacking innocent people. But the United Nations and nonprofit organizations have proof that they are carrying out air strikes without considering who might be affected, hitting homes where regular people live.
He said he believed he would win, but acknowledged that he had to move his main office to Port Sudan because the fighting in the capital Khartoum had made it impossible for the government to keep going.
Gen Burhan said he is willing to have a meeting with Gen Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, if he keeps his promise to safeguard civilians. Both sides made this commitment during their negotiations in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in May.
Gen Burhan said that they are prepared to start talking about a deal.
If the leaders of these rebellious groups want to be reasonable and take their soldiers out of the places where people live and go back to their bases, we will talk to any of them. Whenever he keeps his promise in Jeddah, we will come together to solve this problem.
In a video message, Hemedti said he is prepared for political discussions.
Both leaders have discussed stopping the fighting in the past, but it hasn’t made the fighting decrease.
General Burhan said Sudan will not become a failed state like Somalia or a divided country like Libya.
Sudan will stay together as one country. Sudan will continue to be a whole country, and not a country that has failed. We don’t want the same things that happened in the other countries you mentioned. The people of Sudan are all supporting one cause now, which is to peacefully stop this mutiny or fight against it,” he said.
The United Nations has declared that neither side of the war seems likely to achieve a clear win through their military efforts.
Gen Burhan said he was very sure that he would be able to defeat the RSF. However, he acknowledged that the fighting had made him leave the city.
“He said that in Khartoum, the embassies, ministries, and all government bodies are unable to perform their usual duties. ” “Due to the ongoing conflict, there are people with guns hiding and military activities happening. ” That is why no organization can currently operate in Khartoum.
Many people in Sudan are being killed in random air attacks by Gen Burhan’s forces, especially in the city of Khartoum. But the leader said that innocent people were not being intentionally singled out and attacked.
The rebel forces are making up fake stories and acting like the armed forces. They are attacking innocent people and recording it as if it was done by the actual armed forces. We are skilled fighters, and we carefully choose specific places to attack where only the enemy is. We do not attack innocent people and we do not aim at places where people live.
The ex-UN special representative to Sudan, Volker Perthes, told the Security Council recently that “people with an air force, specifically the SAF, frequently carry out random bombings from the sky without choosing specific targets. ”
The fighting in Sudan has started again and has caused more disagreements between different tribes. This is especially happening in Darfur, which is in the western part of Sudan. The RSF and other groups that support them have been accused of causing many deaths, sexually assaulting people, and hurting others in a very severe way. -
War in Sudan could affect its neighbors – Army chief expresses fear
Sudan’s de facto leader has warned the UN that the country’s war could spill over into neighboring African nations.
General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan also called on the international community to designate his opponents, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as a terrorist group.
Meanwhile, RSF leader Hamdan Dagalo expressed readiness for a ceasefire. Since April, Sudan has been in a civil war that has claimed thousands of lives.
In 2021, the two generals staged a coup, leading to a recent power struggle between them and armed conflicts among their followers.
Gen Burhan expressed openness to peace talks, while Gen Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, conveyed his willingness to engage in dialogue in a rare video message to the UN.
Sudan’s civil war erupted in April when RSF members were deployed around the country, seen as a threat by the army led by Gen Burhan, and the conflict has since resulted in thousands of casualties and displaced millions.
Following a coup in 2021, Gen. Burhan assumed the role of de facto ruler of Sudan. Since then, he has been traveling the globe in an effort to win over the support of other nations.
In his remarks before the UN, he also made mention of the RSF’s connections to Wagner, an organization of Russian mercenaries that is active throughout Africa in places including the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, Mozambique, and Mali.
“The danger of this war is now a threat to regional and international peace and security as those rebels have sought the support of outlaws and terrorist groups from different countries in the region and the world,” he said.
Gen Burhan also argued the RSF should be considered a terrorist group as they had “supported killing, burning, raping, forced displacement, looting, stealing, torture, trafficking of arms and drugs, bringing mercenaries or recruiting children”.
He emphasized the need for accountability and punishment for those crimes. However, Gen Burhan has faced criticism for military actions throughout the conflict.
UN envoy to Sudan, Volker Perthes, who resigned in mid-September, was highly critical of both generals, accusing them of leading the country into a war.
Perthes held the RSF responsible for sexual violence, looting, and killings in areas it controls and condemned the Sudanese armed forces for indiscriminate aerial bombings.
RSF fighters are situated in densely populated urban areas, and the Sudanese military has targeted these areas, seen as legitimate targets. The US has already imposed sanctions on RSF leaders, including Gen Dagalo.
Still, the West has also criticized Gen Burhan for his role in displacing Sudan’s leading party in a 2021 coup.
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Ex Black Stars coach Kwasi Appiah named as coach of Sudan
Reports suggest that James Kwasi Appiah, the former coach of Ghana’s Black Stars, is on the verge of becoming the head coach of Sudan’s senior national team.
While multiple media outlets in Kumasi have stated that Appiah has agreed to a three-year deal with the Sudanese team, sources close to the former Black Stars defender indicate that the deal is nearing completion but hasn’t been finalised yet.
According to these sources, Kwasi Appiah has indeed agreed to the terms but wishes to complete his responsibilities with Kumasi Asante Kotoko before officially putting pen to paper.
It’s reported that Appiah, who currently leads the Interim Management Committee of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, seeks the approval of Otumfuo Osei Tutu before giving the final nod for the Sudan coaching role.
It’s worth noting that in August 2023, the Asantehene appointed Kwasi Appiah as the head of a three-member committee to oversee the affairs of Asante Kotoko temporarily.
For the past month, Appiah, along with Emmanuel Dasoberi and Prosper Narteh Ogum, has been managing the club.
Furthermore, Kwasi Appiah is also in the running for the Ghana Football Association election scheduled for October.
James Kwesi Appiah, born on June 30, 1960, is a Ghanaian football coach and former player with a rich history in the sport. He managed Ghana’s national team between 2017 and 2019.
As a player, Appiah was a left-back who played for Asante Kotoko from 1983 to 1993 and represented the Ghanaian national team between 1987 and 1992, even captaining the team.
Appiah’s coaching career includes stints as Ghana’s U23 coach, where he guided the team to victory in the 2011 All-Africa Games. He took on the role of Head Coach of the Ghanaian national team in April 2012, a position he held until September 2014.
During his tenure, he led Ghana to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, becoming the first black African coach to achieve this feat.
He returned as Ghana’s national team coach in April 2017, succeeding Avram Grant. Additionally, Appiah had experience coaching Sudanese club Al Khartoum in December 2014.
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First fighting reported in Port Sudan since the war started
In a significant development, the ongoing conflict between the two rival factions within the Sudanese military has spilled over into the Red Sea city of Port Sudan. This marks the first time such clashes have occurred in the five months of conflict.
Sudanese soldiers engaged in gunfire with members of a tribal militia group known as the “Forces of the Eastern Sudan Parties and Movements Alliance.”
The confrontation arose as the troops attempted to dismantle checkpoints established by this group in the city’s center on Monday.
Port Sudan is a crucial location as it hosts Sudan’s sole operational airport. Additionally, the city has become a hub where some government officials and UN agencies have relocated due to the ongoing violence in the capital, Khartoum, and other parts of the country.
The protracted clashes between the Sudanese army and rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have resulted in a significant loss of life, with thousands of casualties since the violence erupted in Khartoum in April.
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Kiir meets with President Museveni, speaks about commerce and security
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni and his South Sudanese counterpart, Salva Kiir, convened for a closed-door meeting on Thursday to discuss shared interests and border security matters between their two nations.
While the details of the private meeting were not disclosed, the President’s Senior Press Secretary, Sandor Walusimbi, revealed that the discussions revolved around regional issues, border security concerns, and the ongoing conflict in South Sudan.
The leaders also addressed common interests shared by Uganda and South Sudan.
Tensions at the border between the two countries escalated last week when South Sudanese forces allegedly raided over 20 villages in Yumbe District, Uganda, claiming the territory as part of their own. Such cross-border clashes have occurred in the past, with a notable incident in 2020 resulting in casualties on both sides.
Uganda, under President Museveni’s leadership, has played a significant role in regional security for over three decades. Museveni has actively worked towards ending the conflict in South Sudan by facilitating talks between Salva Kiir and his rival, Riek Machar.
Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has faced persistent challenges, including armed conflict, natural disasters, food shortages, ethnic violence, and political disputes. Despite having substantial oil reserves, it remains one of the world’s poorest nations.
Although the Revitalised Peace Agreement called for elections in South Sudan this year, the ongoing power struggle between Kiir and Machar has hindered progress. The United Nations Security Council imposed an arms embargo on South Sudan in 2018.
In February 2020, South Sudan established the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) as part of the peace agreement provisions. In August 2022, South Sudan extended the transitional government for two more years to prevent a return to war.
To enhance bilateral relations, Uganda and South Sudan signed a Power Sales Agreement in June and an agreement on joint border security management in February 2023. These agreements aim to boost power trade and facilitate socio-economic development in border towns while addressing security concerns and facilitating the free movement of people, goods, and services as per the East African Community protocol.
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Al-Burhan of Sudan to speak with head of Eritrea over dispute
The leader of Sudan’s military, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, went to Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, to have a formal meeting with President Isaias Afwerki.
A statement from a government source said that the two leaders will talk about issues between their two countries, the situation in Sudan, and things that both countries are interested in. However, no additional information was provided.
Eritrea is the fourth country that Gen Burhan has been to since Sudan got involved in conflict in April of this year. He visited South Sudan, Egypt, and most recently, Qatar.
On 2 September, he said that Sudan’s border crossings with Eritrea would be opened again. This is so that it would be easier for people and goods to move between the two countries.
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Khartoum market attack leaves many dead – doctors
Almost 35 people have died when a busy market in Sudan’s capital was attacked with explosive weapons, according to a medical charity.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, called it a massacre and said that over 60 people were injured in the attack.
People living nearby say that a military plane attacked the Qouro market in the south of Khartoum on Sunday.
The military groups that don’t like each other have been fighting since April.
On Sunday, Marie Burton, who coordinates emergency operations for MSF, said that Khartoum has been engaged in a conflict for nearly six months.
However, the people who are helping at Bashair hospital are extremely surprised and feeling swamped with the immense amount of terrible events that happened in the city on Sunday, according to a statement made by her on X, which was previously known as Twitter.
MSF stated that there were new weapons available called “explosive weapons”. They also mentioned that bombings and attacks were still happening, causing a lot of suffering and loss of life.
We are attempting to help those who have lost body parts in the explosion stay alive. MSF said it was a terrible massacre.
Loretta Charles, a medical worker with MSF at the Bashair Teaching Hospital in Khartoum, mentioned that she provided treatment to individuals who had been injured by explosions.
She said that we had severe injuries where body parts were cut off and there were also injuries to the head, chest, and abdomen.
Some people think that around 50 people were killed in the attack.
Sudan started a civil war in April because the army chief and the commander of the paramilitary forces had a disagreement.
Approximately five million people have had to leave their homes forcefully, and thousands of people have died. The fighting in Khartoum and the western part of Darfur has been very bad.
The RSF has a lot of power in Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri.
The army has been dropping bombs from planes multiple times to try and take back the cities.
According to activists, a bomb attack from an airplane caused the death of at least 20 individuals, including two kids, around a week ago.
The United States, Saudi Arabia, and other countries have been attempting to help stop the conflict, but they have not been successful.
Many times, there have been announcements of stopping the fighting so that people can run away from it. However, these announcements were not followed and the fighting continued. -
Sudan: Fighting worsens as airstrikes kill more than 40 people in Khartoum’s market
On Sunday, September 10, air strikes targeted an open market located south of Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 46 lives, according to reports from activists and a medical organization.
The attack, which took place in Khartoum’s May neighborhood, a region heavily occupied by paramilitary forces engaged in conflict with the military, left over 50 individuals wounded, as stated by the Sudan Doctors’ Union in an official statement.
The injured and the deceased were transported to the nearest hospital in Bachaïr.
This facility remains one of the few operational hospitals in Khartoum, where approximately 5 million residents find themselves confined to their homes with sporadic access to electricity and running water.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attributed Sunday’s attack to the military’s air force, while the military denied intentionally targeting civilians, dismissing the RSF’s accusations as “false and misleading claims.”
Sudan has been marred by violence since mid-April, when tensions between the country’s military leader, General Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the paramilitary general, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, escalated into open conflict. This conflict has since extended to various parts of the nation.
In the Greater Khartoum area, RSF troops have commandeered civilian residences for use as operational bases, prompting military airstrikes on these residential areas, as reported by rights groups and activists.
The number of internally displaced individuals has nearly doubled since mid-April, reaching an alarming figure of at least 7.1 million people, according to the United Nations refugee agency.
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RSF opposes ‘unfair, US sanctions against Sudan
Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has strongly criticized the United States’ imposition of sanctions against two of its leaders, denouncing them as “unjust and astonishing.”
On Wednesday, the US enforced financial sanctions on RSF’s deputy leader, Abdel Rahim Dagalo, and imposed a travel ban on the group’s commander in West Darfur state, Gen Abdul Rahman Juma, citing alleged human rights abuses as the reason.
Both Mr. Dagalo and Gen Juma vehemently denied these accusations from the US, describing them as “false and misleading.”
In a statement posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Thursday, the RSF expressed its deep dissatisfaction with the US sanctions, characterizing them as “stunning, regrettable, and inequitable.” The RSF argued that these sanctions would not contribute to one of the primary goals, which is to seek a comprehensive solution to the crisis in Sudan.
The group further accused the US of turning a blind eye to “atrocious crimes” committed by Sudan’s regular army, including indiscriminate bombings of civilian areas and the mistreatment of anti-war activists.
The paramilitary organization contended that these sanctions would only complicate the efforts led by the US to establish lasting peace in Sudan. Additionally, it’s worth noting that in June, Washington also imposed sanctions on companies owned by various warring factions within the Sudanese military.
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US sanctions commander, deputy head of RSF for crimes committed in Sudan
On Wednesday, the United States government imposed sanctions on prominent leaders of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), one of the conflicting parties in Sudan, in response to their involvement in atrocities against civilians.
The State Department specifically identified Abdelrahim Hamdan Daglo and Abdul Rahman Juma as individuals responsible for overseeing a range of violations, including assassinations and kidnappings, during Sudan’s five-month-long conflict. This ongoing conflict has resulted in the displacement of nearly 2 million people and the loss of over 2,000 lives.
Abdelrahman serves as the deputy leader of the RSF and is the sibling of the rebel group’s leader, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. Meanwhile, Juma holds the position of RSF General and West Darfur Sector Commander. The U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions on him due to his direct involvement in grave human rights violations.
“According to credible sources, on June 15, 2023, RSF forces led by General Juma kidnapped and killed the Governor of West Darfur, Khamis Abbakar, and his brother. This act came just hours after Abbakar’s public statements condemning the actions of the RSF.
“Concurrently, the Department of the Treasury is imposing sanctions on RSF Senior Commander Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo for his connection to the RSF, whose members have committed human rights abuses against civilians in Sudan, to include conflict-related sexual violence and killings based on ethnicity,” the State Department said on Wednesday.
After Khamis was fatally shot in broad daylight, the Sudan Armed Forces and RSF both released statements in which they each accused the other of murder.
Yet, the US said members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Darfur have committed atrocities and other abuses, inducing ethnically motivated killings, “targeted abuses against human rights activists and defenders, conflict-related sexual violence, and looting and burning of communities”.
“We will not hesitate to use the tools at our disposal to hinder the ability of the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to further prolong this war, and we will also use such tools to deter any actor from undermining the Sudanese people’s aspiration for peace and civilian, democratic rule.
“We will act to promote accountability for those responsible for atrocities and to pursue justice for the victims. The parties must comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians, hold accountable those responsible for atrocities or other abuses, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and negotiate an end to the conflict.”
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Top Sudanese paramilitary official sanctioned by US
The United States has imposed sanctions on a high-ranking Sudanese paramilitary official, marking the most prominent use of sanctions since the onset of the current conflict in Sudan.
Abdelrahim Dagalo, the deputy leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has been sanctioned by Washington due to his involvement in human rights violations during clashes between the RSF and Sudan’s army.
This action, announced on Wednesday, appears to be a response to the recent deadly violence in West Darfur, where the RSF, in collaboration with allied militias, has been accused of perpetrating atrocities.
The US has accused Mr. Dagalo of being linked to abuses such as “conflict-related sexual violence and killings based on ethnicity.”
The RSF has faced allegations from conflict monitors, human rights organizations, and witnesses regarding its involvement in the violence in Darfur.
Abdelrahim Dagalo, who is the brother of RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, is the first official on either side of the conflict to be sanctioned since the war began.
Previous sanctions had targeted companies and also encompassed both the army and the RSF.
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Airlines asked to resume Sudan flights
The government of Sudan wants airlines to start flying to Sudan again. EgyptAir was the first commercial flight to go to or leave Sudan since the conflict started in April.
The EgyptAir plane had over 100 people on board. It flew from Cairo, Egypt to Port Sudan in Sudan in the morning and then came back to Egypt in the afternoon.
The Governor of Red Sea State, Fathallah Haj Ahmed, said to the media that the EgyptAir flight showed that Sudan is secure and calm for flights from other countries.
This message is for everyone in the world to know that Sudan is safe and steady. Mr Ahmed said that the message being sent is for international airlines to start flying to Sudan again because it is completely safe.
Sudan stopped allowing planes to fly in its airspace in April of this year. This happened because the Sudanese military and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were fighting each other.
On 15 August, the government of Sudan said that they have allowed planes to fly again in the eastern part of the country.
Egypt’s consul general in Sudan, Sameh Farouq, mentioned that Egypt Air will have a flight going from Egypt to Sudan and back every week. -
Burhan is in South Sudan while quest for peace continues
Sudan’s military leader, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has journeyed to South Sudan for talks with President Salva Kiir in Juba, the capital.
This visit follows several rounds of unsuccessful peace negotiations aimed at ending Sudan’s ongoing four-and-a-half-month conflict.
Journalists were not allowed to cover the meeting, but according to a press release from President Kiir’s office, the two leaders discussed the Sudanese crisis.
Sudan’s acting Foreign Minister, Ali al-Sadiq, told reporters that they believe South Sudan is well-suited to mediate the conflict in Sudan due to their shared history, understanding of each other’s problems, and knowledge of their respective needs.
South Sudan’s Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Martin Elia Lomuro, emphasized President Kiir’s unique familiarity with Sudan and his ability to find a solution to the Sudanese crisis.
The UN refugee agency has issued an appeal for $1 billion (£790 million) to provide essential aid and protection to the hundreds of thousands of people who have fled to neighboring countries.
Since the conflict began in April, the UN reports that 4.8 million people have been displaced.
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Sudanese RSF in Sudan outlines strategy for bringing an end to conflict
Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) unit has articulated its perspective on concluding the conflict with the nation’s regular army, indicating a willingness to engage in negotiations for resolution.
Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, the leader of RSF, shared an extensive statement on X (formerly Twitter) on August 27, outlining the group’s “comprehensive settlement vision to terminate the war and establish a new Sudan.”
The statement emphasized that any resolution aimed at ending the conflict should pave the way for a complete transition to civilian rule in accordance with democratic principles. It further stressed that addressing the fundamental reasons behind Sudan’s conflicts necessitates an inclusive dialogue encompassing all civil stakeholders, working towards a sustainable ceasefire.
Additionally, the statement advocated for the creation of a fresh national and professional army within Sudan.
On the same day, Sudan’s de facto president and army chief, Lt Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, visited the eastern city of Port Sudan. This visit marked Gen Burhan’s first to the city since the conflict began in mid-April. Reports from Sudanese media indicated his upcoming travel to Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
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Sudanese war could lead to disaster in the region – UN
The United Nations says that the war in Sudan is causing a lot of harm to the whole country. The entire region may face a significant catastrophe as a result of this.
In April, a major conflict arose between the military forces and a faction of individuals who are not formally affiliated with the armed forces.The fight is getting bigger and spreading to more places.
The UN says many kids are extremely malnourished and might die soon if they don’t get help.
The person in charge of helping people in need from the United Nations says that a lack of food,illnesses, and people being forced to leave their homes are close to completely ruining Sudan.
There have been a lot of sad reports about how the war is affecting people, but Martin Griffiths is saying that if the fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces keeps going, the whole area will have very bad results.
This week, the charity Save The Children had to shut down many of its nutrition centers because of the violence happening.
It was reported that over 30,000 kids were not getting the treatment they needed, and as a result,almost 500 of them had died. -
Nearly 500 children in war-torn Sudan die due to hunger
In Sudan’s four-month battle, at least 498 children “and probably hundreds more” have perished from famine, according to a report released on Tuesday by the NGO Save the Children.
The organization’s director in Sudan, Arif Noor, diclosed in a news release that “children are dying of hunger when it could have been completely avoided” in a nation where one in three citizens experienced starvation before to the war.
“At least 498 children in Sudan and probably hundreds more have died of starvation” since the start of the war on April 15, he adds. “We never imagined seeing so many children dying of starvation but this is the new reality in Sudan.”
And things could become worse because Save the Children had to cease treating “31,000 malnourished children” because they were unable to run their programs in the midst of the war. May saw the destruction of the factory that generated 60% of the nutritional therapy for kids.
According to a survey by the NGO Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (Acled), the fight between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (FSR, paramilitary), which experts predict might endure for years, has resulted in about 5,000 deaths since April 15. More than four million people had to escape as a result of it.
Confronted by the harrowing situation, the international community is grappling with the challenge of securing funding for assistance to displaced individuals, refugees, the wounded, and victims of sexual violence. Meanwhile, international justice remains concerned about potential “war crimes.” Humanitarian efforts have been hindered by authorities preventing entry and movement, along with instances of attacks. These aid organizations stress that they have only managed to acquire 27% of the necessary funds.
As of Tuesday, the violence has persisted, primarily affecting Khartoum and Darfur—a vast western region equivalent in size to France and home to around a quarter of Sudan’s approximate 48 million inhabitants. Within Darfur, the epicenter of conflict lies in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur. Since August 11, reports indicate “60 fatalities, 250 injuries, and 50,000 displaced individuals,” as reported by the UN.
Tragically, the local military commander was reportedly “assassinated” there on Monday. The ongoing hostilities impede the passage of humanitarian aid-laden trucks. In Nyala, the Turkish hospital—the sole operational medical facility—has declared itself overwhelmed by the influx of wounded individuals.
Recent developments have seen the conflict extend to el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. This follows a grim pattern where, as outlined by the humanitarian research laboratory at Yale University, at least 27 localities in Darfur have been subjected to burning by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their Arab militia allies.
The head of this facility, which works with the Conflict Observatory, AFP Nathaniel Raymond, confirms that “nobody stops the FSR, they move freely while the army is entrenched in its bases.”
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Sudanese army strikes a traditional leader’s residence
The Sudanese military has launched attacks on a region within Omdurman city where a traditional healer has been providing medical care to injured paramilitary fighters.
On Monday, ten individuals lost their lives due to shelling, marking the four-month point since the onset of the intense power struggle between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Throughout the duration of the conflict, the RSF has established bases in numerous residential districts of the Greater Khartoum area, encompassing Bahri, Khartoum, and Omdurman. These locations have often become targets of airstrikes and artillery attacks.
A shell, originating from the nearby Karari military base, struck a small square in Omdurman’s Ombada 19 suburb, where young men sought shelter from the heat. Additionally, another shell hit the residence of a restaurant owner, tragically resulting in the death of his son.
A separate shell was fired towards the house of the traditional healer on the following Tuesday, although it did not detonate. These attacks disrupted internet connectivity, which was later restored on Tuesday.
Throughout the conflict, the home of the traditional healer, who remained unharmed, has transformed into a makeshift clinic due to the closure of 80% of hospitals as a consequence of the fighting. Known for treating bone fractures, she had been recently attending to RSF personnel. Traditional healing is widely embraced in Sudan, with many regarding it as more effective for treating fractures compared to modern medicine.
Ombada 19 also houses members of the Rizeigat ethnic group, originally from Darfur. Notably, RSF leader Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, along with many of his fighters, belong to the Rizeigat group. RSF soldiers are often seen within the neighborhood, prompting a considerable number of residents to flee in response to the ongoing attacks.
However, Hawa Adam, a resident of Ombada 19 who sought refuge with her young son in a safer area, expressed confusion over the shelling. She stated, “I really don’t know why they shelled our neighborhood. There’s not a single RSF fighter here.”
In a separate incident on Sunday, an airstrike hit another part of Omdurman, Ombada 16, resulting in the death of three young men—two brothers and a neighbor—according to a local neighborhood organization.
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Millions in Sudan on the verge of starvation – Aid chiefs
Four months into the fighting in Sudan, international relief organisations have warned that the situation is out of control, with massive displacement and millions on the verge of famine.
The leaders of 20 international groups announced in a joint statement that more than four million people had fled their homes and 14 million children required humanitarian relief.
They urged the combatants to put a halt to their hostilities and provide secure passage for assistance delivery.
Clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have plagued the Darfur area and the country’s capital, Khartoum.
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14 million Sudanese children in urgent need of humanitarian assistance – UNICEF
The UN children’s agency said on Friday that 14 million children in Sudan are in “dire need” of humanitarian assistance as the country’s hunger crisis is being exacerbated by a deadly conflict there.
“The figures are astounding. According to Ted Chaiban, deputy executive director of UNICEF, “nearly 14 million children, or roughly every child in Colombia, France, Germany, or Thailand, are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.”
According to him, more than 1.7 million children in Sudan have been ejected from their homes and are now at risk of famine, disease, violence, and family division.
The 1.9 million children who were previously displaced in Sudan prior to this most recent crises are added to by this.
“Three million children under the age of five are underweight, and 700,000 of them are at serious danger for severe acute malnutrition and death. Chaiban continued, “1.7 million infants under the age of one are at risk of skipping important immunisations, increasing the likelihood of disease outbreaks.
According to UNICEF, at least 435 children have died and more than 2,025 have been injured in the Sudan violence since it started in the middle of April.
The UN issued a warning on Thursday that over 20 million people in Sudan are suffering from extreme hunger, a number that has nearly doubled since last year.
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Sudan will start a massive measles immunization campaign
As a result of conflict that started in April, more than three million people in Sudan have been displaced from their homes. According to the health ministry, measles vaccinations will be given to all children in the nation.
“Most of the displacement camps offer vaccination services through traveling medical teams,” says Health Minister Haitham Ibrahim. The doses were provided by the UN’s children fund, Unicef.
The first states expected to be attacked are White Nile and Sennar. Despite the fact that staffing levels are at 60% due to a shortage of funds, remote areas like Darfur, which has had some of the worst violence, are also reportedly a priority.
It’s unclear how they will handle the ongoing violence between Sudan’s opposing military forces or whether they have been given permission to travel safely so they may perform their duties.
According to Mr. Ibrahim, certain regions have proved more difficult to work in than others.
“Al-Gezira state the vaccination service covers 90% of the children including internally displaced people. In some states the vaccination services dropped from 60% to only 47%.”
With 1,000 cases reported in seven states and several child fatalities, he thinks measles is a big worry.
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Amnesty accuses paramilitary, RSF of inciting war in Sudan
Amnesty International has urged the conflicting parties in Sudan to put an end to their war crimes.
It claims that purposeful and indiscriminate attacks are killing a lot of civilians.
The majority of those who were questioned by the rights organization had fled from the Darfur region to camps in Chad.
Numerous children and women, some as young as 12, have allegedly been the victims of sexual violence, including rape.
According to Amnesty International, the majority of the crimes were committed by members of the Rapid Support Forces and affiliated Arab militias.
Acute food shortages are anticipated to affect more than 20 million people in Sudan, or more than 40% of the population, according to UN agencies and NGOs.
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Almost 4 million displaced by Sudan conflict – UN migration agency
Recent data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reveals the severe impact of the clash between the Sudanese army and paramilitaries, resulting in an astonishing number of displaced people.
A staggering 926,000 individuals have sought refuge in neighboring countries, while 3.02 million remain internally displaced within Sudan.
The displacement has affected all 18 states in Sudan, with River Nile (15%), North (11%), North Darfur (9%), and White Nile (9%) being the most heavily impacted regions. A significant majority of the internally displaced individuals, 71%, originated from Khartoum State.
The current estimate of displacements over the past 108 days exceeds the total recorded for the previous four years, according to the IOM.
However, access to many areas remains restricted due to ongoing fighting, leading to assessments based on preliminary reports or estimates.
The situation for refugees seeking shelter in neighboring countries has been harrowing, with overcrowded displacement camps and difficulties in providing aid, exacerbated by the approaching rainy season.
The rainy season also poses the risk of flooding, adding to the already fragile conditions.
The conflict, which began in mid-April between Sudan’s armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has caused widespread displacement, loss of life, injuries, and a growing humanitarian crisis. Attacks on public institutions, looting, and occupation of private homes continue in the capital, Khartoum, and clashes persist in four out of the five Darfur states.
Displaced populations in hard-to-reach locations are facing challenges in accessing healthcare services, leading to cases of infectious diseases and other illnesses. The situation is worsened by attacks on over 50 health facilities.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, called for an immediate end to the conflict on the 100th day since its onset.
The UN’s humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, has also warned that hunger and displacement due to the war are spiraling out of control.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis indicates that more than six million people, around 13% of the population, are now one step away from famine. Overall, over 20 million people in Sudan are facing high levels of acute food insecurity due to conflict, economic decline, and mass displacement.
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Citizens of Sudan continue to suffer as bombing persists
The suffering of civilians in war-torn Sudan remains relentless.
Recent reports indicate that homes and civilian neighborhoods in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state and Sudan’s second-largest city, have been incessantly bombed for days, forcing many residents to flee.
Displaced individuals in camps disclosed that they are now exposed to the elements during the rainy season, and they have received no assistance from any organizations. They fear that the ongoing fighting will eventually reach them.
In the southern region of the capital, Khartoum, residents have reported that paramilitary RSF forces have ordered hundreds of people to evacuate their homes, declaring the Jabra neighborhood a military zone where civilians are not allowed to stay.
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Sudan army base battle claims lives of city residents
In the Sudanese city of Nyala, heavy fighting between rival military forces has persisted for several days, resulting in the death of at least 30 civilians and leaving dozens others injured.The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied Arab militias have been engaged in attempts to seize control of the main army base in the city, which serves as the capital of South Darfur state.
In response, the army has used heavy artillery, leading to shells hitting residential areas.
As a consequence of the violence, many people have fled to villages outside the city, seeking safety.
A human rights worker informed the BBC that RSF fighters have been compelling civilians to surrender their vehicles.
The western region of Darfur has witnessed the worst of the violence since the fierce power struggle erupted in April between the army and the RSF.
Numerous regional efforts have been made to negotiate a ceasefire between the two factions.
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WHO warns of worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning about a worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where more than two-thirds of the country’s hospitals are no longer operational.
Health care facilities and staff are facing increasing reports of attacks.
For the hundreds of thousands of people who have fled the violence and crossed borders, life remains precarious.
The WHO reveals that disease outbreaks, such as malaria, measles, and dengue, which were previously well-controlled before the current conflict, are on the rise due to disruptions in basic public health services.
The organization also reports a growing number of incidents of sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls.
Although several attempts at peace talks have been made, none have resulted in a lasting ceasefire.
The WHO is calling on all warring parties to prioritize the protection of civilians, humanitarian workers, and health facilities. The situation requires urgent attention to prevent further deterioration of health and well-being in the country.
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Sudan’s 100 days of turmoil: A chronology of events
On April 15, a power struggle between Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the army, and Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, the commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), descended into all-out war, killing thousands of people, uprooting millions of people, and escalating an already dire humanitarian situation.
The major war developments to date are listed here.
April 15: Fighting erupts
On April 15, Khartoum’s capital was rocked by intense gunfire and explosions, which causes terror both within the city and outside.
Each side accuses the other of striking first: the army and the RSF.
Conflicts have broken out following years of unrest and several coup attempts.
Fighting also breaks out in Darfur, an area in western Sudan that is still suffering from a terrible conflict that began there in 2003 under the authority of longstanding leader Omar al-Bashir.
April 22: Evacuations begin
Many nations hurry to airlift or evacuate their citizens.
In the evacuation, thousands of people evacuate, and numerous embassies are looted.
April 25: Failed truce
A 72-hour cease-fire was agreed upon by the US and Saudi Arabia, but it was swiftly broken. Then, a slew of more truce agreements fell through.
Ahmed Harun, a key member of al-Bashir’s administration who was overthrown by the army following months of widespread protests, claimed to have escaped from prison.
The army claims that al-Bashir was taken to a hospital prior to the start of the battle. Al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on genocide accusations related to the war in Darfur.
April 26: Aid agencies struggle
As humanitarian activities are disrupted across the nation, aid organizations raise the alarm. Businesses struggle to get back to work while maintaining employee safety.
April 27: Ceasefire violated
The RSF and the Sudanese army agree to extend the shaky truce for “an additional 72 hours” despite the ongoing bloodshed in Khartoum and the western Darfur area.
According to witnesses, however, battle is still going on as jets patrol above the northern districts of the capital and fighters on the ground trade heavy machine gun and artillery fire.
10 minutes and 9 seconds of the video
What has changed in Sudan since the war began three months ago?
May 6: Jeddah talks start
US and Saudi-backed talks between army and RSF envoys begin in Saudi Arabia’s city of Jeddah.
May 11: Humanitarian aid needed
Both sides agree to allow urgently needed humanitarian aid to reach affected areas, committing “to ensuring the protection of civilians” but, once again, the fighting never stops.
May 22: Ceasefire violated again
A new one-week ceasefire comes into effect but is also repeatedly violated.
May 31: Army walks out
On May 31, the army says it has suspended its participation in the ceasefire talks, accusing the RSF of failing to respect its commitments.
June 1: US imposes sanctions
The US imposes the first sanctions related to the conflict, targeting two firms associated with the army and two others linked to the RSF.
It warns that it will “hold accountable” all those undermining peace in the country and says will impose visa restrictions “against actors who are perpetuating the violence”.
June 3: Army brings reinforcements
The Sudanese army calls in reinforcements, sparking fear among Khartoum residents that the conflict will worsen.
The army tries to take control of a military base in the capital that belongs to the RSF.
June 6: Shortages of supplies
Intensifying attacks add to the misery of civilians already struggling with limited water, food and medicine, while looters rob neighbourhoods across Khartoum, stealing cars, breaking open safes and occupying people’s homes.
June 7: Fuel fire erupts
A major blaze engulfs a fuel facility in Khartoum as fighting rages for a crucial weapons depot. Smoke billows from the fuel-storage site that is close to an army base and the weapons manufacturing company.
Video Duration 01 minutes 31 seconds
Sudan fighting pushes refugee camps to the limit
June 8: Orphans evacuated
At least 280 children and 70 of their carers are taken from the Al-Mayqoma orphanage in Khartoum to a new facility in Madani, about 135km (85 miles) southeast of the capital. That the transfer takes finally place eight weeks into the conflict highlights the difficulty in obtaining security guarantees from warring parties.
June 9: UN envoy declared ‘persona non grata’
Sudanese authorities declare the UN envoy to the country, Volker Perthes, “persona non grata” two weeks after the army chief accused him of inflaming the conflict.
June 10: Ceasefire announced
Warring sides agree to a 24-hour ceasefire and agree to allow the unimpeded movement and delivery of humanitarian assistance throughout the country.
June 11: Fighting resumes
Within 30 minutes of the ceasefire ending, fighting resumes with renewed intensity. Air raids, artillery shelling and machine guns could be heard pounding several parts of the country, killing seven civilians.
June 14: More than two million people flee
UN says more than two million people have been forced to flee their homes across Sudan, with more than 1.6 million leaving for safer areas inside the country, and about 530,000 others leaving to neighbouring countries.
June 15: West Darfur governor killed
West Darfur state Governor Khamis Abakar is abducted and killed after publicly blaming the deaths of civilians on the RSF. The incident marks a new escalation in the conflict.
June 17: Ceasefire announced
Rival sides agree to a 72-hour ceasefire and to allow the unimpeded movement and delivery of humanitarian aid.
June 19: Donors pledge nearly $1.5bn
After urging nations to boost up relief efforts, the UN reports that approximately $1.5 billion in international donations had been made for the humanitarian response to Sudan and the area.
The group claims that $2.57 billion in funding is needed for its emergency help program.
June 20: Darfur governor calls for probe
Darfur Governor Mini Arko Minawi calls for an international investigation into violence against residents of the region and urges the UN Security Council to allow the ICC to probe “crimes and assassinations”.
Video Duration 02 minutes 41 seconds
What’s happening in Darfur in Sudan?
June 21: Fighting resumes
Intense battles break out after a 72-hour ceasefire expires, with fierce fighting reported in parts of the capital including around the intelligence agency’s headquarters near Khartoum International Airport.
June 27: Army declares ‘unilateral’ truce
Al-Burhan announces a “unilateral” ceasefire on the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday. His announcement comes after Hemedti declared a two-day “unilateral” ceasefire.
June 28: Air raids reported
Residents say air raids and anti-aircraft fire strike Khartoum as fighting between the warring sides intensifies.
July 2: Fighting continues
Fighting continues as air raids are launched in northern parts of Khartoum and heavy artillery is used in the city’s east.
July 5: UN decries ‘sexual violence’
UN expresses shock at increasing sexual violence against women and girls in Sudan and calls for thorough and independent investigations into all alleged violations and abuses to hold perpetrators to account.
July 10: Regional bloc calls for summit
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), made up of eight states in and around the Horn of Africa, meets in Addis Ababa to kick-start a peace process.
But the initiative faces a setback as a delegation from Sudan’s army fails to attend the first day of meetings.
July 11: Sudan rejects peace efforts
The army rejects a proposed regional summit to consider deploying peacekeeping forces for the protection of civilians.
The mediation offer by IGAD was the first in weeks after talks in Jeddah were suspended following several ceasefire violations.
July 12: UK imposes sanctions
The United Kingdom imposes sanctions on three businesses linked with the army and three with the RSF.
The Defence Industries Systems and two other entities are blacklisted for bankrolling and providing support to the army. For financing and arming the RSF, the UK sanctioned Al-Junaid.
July 13: ICC probing Darfur violence
The ICC launches an investigation into a surge of hostilities in the country’s Darfur region. These include reported killings, rapes, arson, displacement and crimes affecting children.
July 15: Jeddah talks revived
Army representatives return to Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah for talks with the RSF, according to reports.
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Port Sudan plane crash kills nine – Army says
The Sudanese army has reported a tragic plane crash at Port Sudan airport, resulting in the loss of nine lives.
The incident involved a civilian Antonov aircraft, which encountered a technical failure during takeoff.
Among the deceased, four were military personnel. Remarkably, a young girl is reported to have survived the accident.
It’s important to note that the situation in Sudan remains critical, with over three million people displaced since the outbreak of fighting between the army and the RSF militia in mid-April.
Unfortunately, the conflict shows no signs of resolution.
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Armed men beat Medics in Sudan during Khartoum convoy attack
Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has reported a disturbing incident in Sudan’s capital, where armed men attacked a convoy of medics, subjecting them to beatings and whippings.
The attack occurred while the medical team was en route to the Turkish Hospital located in the southern part of Khartoum on Thursday. During the assault, one of their vehicles was stolen.
Amidst the ongoing war that began in mid-April, only two hospitals remain operational in the southern part of the city. These hospitals, crucial for providing medical care to the affected population, are supported by MSF.
However, the violent power struggle between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over the past three months has wreaked havoc on medical facilities in the city.
This recent attack not only endangers the lives and well-being of the medical staff but also poses a threat to the aid and support provided by MSF to these essential healthcare facilities.
Since April, over three million people across Sudan have been displaced from their homes, leaving them in dire circumstances. While many have fled the country, millions of others are still in Khartoum, facing immense challenges in accessing medical assistance and essential medicines.
In this critical situation, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) stands as one of the few international aid organizations that continue to support hospitals in Khartoum and Omdurman.
These hospitals have been operating under immense strain for decades. Despite the challenges, MSF has treated more than 1,600 patients in these facilities since the conflict began.
However, the charity is now facing the possibility of halting its crucial medical support due to a significant deterioration in security. Recent incidents have seen their staff being targeted, posing serious risks to their ability to continue their life-saving work.
In one such alarming incident on Thursday, armed men engaged in an altercation with an MSF convoy consisting of 18 people and four trucks carrying medical supplies.
During the encounter, the assailants not only assaulted the MSF team but also threatened the life of one of the drivers. Eventually, they made off with one of the vehicles, further complicating the already precarious situation.
The escalating security threats are jeopardizing the healthcare system’s survival in the region, leaving millions vulnerable and in urgent need of assistance.
“If an incident like this happens again, and if our ability to move supplies continues to be obstructed, then, regrettably, our presence in the Turkish Hospital will soon become untenable,” MSF’s Christophe Garnier said in a statement.
The confrontation took place not far from the hospital, where hundreds of patients, including those recently wounded in air strikes, are undergoing treatment.
“On a daily basis, this hospital receives around 15 war wounded patients, carries out lifesaving surgery and keeps patients with chronic diseases alive,” MSF said.
According to the AFP news agency, the hospital is in an area of the city controlled by the RSF.
Aerial bombardments have intensified in residential areas of Khartoum where the paramilitary fighters have their bases, it says.
Official figures put the number of dead in the conflict at around 3,000, but it is thought to be far higher.
Some estimates from the western region of Darfur, which have seen the worst of the violence, say the death toll in one city alone is 11,000.
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Sudan governor urges Darfuris to arm themselves
Darfur governor and former rebel leader Minni Arko Minnawi has once again called on civilians in the region to take up arms for self-defense, citing the necessity of the current situation according to Al Arabiya.
He claims that his administration is actively working to mediate between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the army to halt the ongoing conflict in Darfur, which has persisted for four months.
These repeated statements from Mr. Minnawi have raised concerns about the potential escalation of ethnic tensions and the risk of Darfur plunging into a full-fledged civil war.
Additionally, other parts of Sudan, including the capital Khartoum, have reported intense fighting between the army and the RSF.
Eyewitnesses in Khartoum said the army carried out the “heaviest” airstrikes so far against RSF positions in several areas.
The army said it killed 18 RSF fighters in clashes in Omdurman and Khartoum.
Renewed clashes were also reported in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state, after a lull in fighting.
The fighting has persisted despite continuing indirect talks between the army and RSF representatives in the Saudi city of Jeddah.
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Ten businesses in possession of affluent Elnefeidi family of Sudan
In 1934, Haj Bashir Elnefeidi, the patriarch of the Elnefeidi family, embarked on an entrepreneurial journey by selling soap in Khartoum, Sudan.Over the years, his venture, the Elnefeidi Group, grew into a multinational conglomerate with diverse interests.
The family business, now led by Amin Bashir Elnefeidi as the Group President, spans across logistics, trade, real estate, industrial development, banking, agriculture, aviation, food processing, and more.
The Elnefeidi Group has established a strong presence in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North America, making it a significant player in various sectors worldwide.
Haj Bashir Elnefeidi’s legacy as a visionary leader continued until his passing in 2005.
Today, the family’s business empire stands as a testament to his enduring success. With their accomplishments shining brightly, the Elnefeidi family is among the wealthiest and most influential families in Africa, recognized as one of the key economic drivers in the world.
Here are the ten businesses owned by the Elnefeidi family of Sudan, showcasing their remarkable achievements and wide-ranging interests:
LogisticsTrade, Real Estate, Industrial Development, Banking, Agriculture, Aviation, Food Processing, Additional Businesses and Additional Businesses.
Through persistent hard work and a commitment to excellence, the Elnefeidi family has carved out a prominent place in the global business landscape, leaving an indelible mark on various industries.
Bashir Motors
Bashir Motors was established in 2005 as the sole and exclusive agent of Nissan Motors Ltd. in Sudan. It is the exclusive distributor of Scania products and services in the North-East African nation, providing the Sudanese market with transport solutions – heavy trucks, buses, and generator sets, high-quality genuine spare parts, and after-sales services that strictly comply with Scania’s unparalleled standards.
Elnefeidi Tires Retreading And Rehabilitation Factory
The Elnefeidi Group established the NTRRF tire retreading center in Khartoum North on August 6, 1994. NTRRF retreads used tires and places them back into full service, allowing as many kilometers of use as the original tires. Used tires are retreaded at an estimated cost of about 40% of the price of a new tire, saving customers 60% of the value of a new tire.
7 Rent A Car
7 Rent a Car was established in May 2006 as a subsidiary of Elnefeidi Group to provide high-standard vehicles on long and short-term lease contracts, with a fleet of more than 250 vehicles of different models and types.
FlyDubai
FlyDubai is a low-cost airline owned by the Dubai Government. Its operations in Sudan are administered and managed by the Elnefeidi Group.
AFISA Food
The Elnefeidi Group Ventured into the food business through AFISA Food, a subsidiary of the Group, Trans Afrique General Trading FZCO. AFISA Food is a food-processing company founded in 2015, focusing on the production of wheat flour as its primary activity.
Logistics Division
Elnefeidi Group started commercial land transportation in 1973. In August 2022, Raiba Land Transport was established as the flagship company of the Group. The combined efforts of the four companies under the Logistics Division – Raiba Trans (Sudan), Delta Logistics (Sudan), Trans Afrique (Cameroon), and Shift Logistics (UAE) positions Elnefeidi Group as the leading logistics provider in the region.
Elnourus Real Estate Investment Co.
Established in 2000, Elnourse Real Estate Investment CO. Ltd. executes comprehensive housing projects and harnesses the prevailing opportunities in the real estate sector in Sudan. Elnefeidi Group owns a wealth of real estate: land, buildings, villas, offices, stores, and warehouses in strategic and attractive locations.
Inmaa Poultry and Feed Production Company
In 2005, Elnefeidi Group partnered with Egypt’s Al Wadi Holding Group to establish Inmaa Poultry and Feed Production Company. Ventures operating under the partnership include Inmaa Poultry & Feed, Inmaa Agriculture, Inmaa Trading, and Inmaa Engineering.
Khartoum Land Terminal
In 2003, the Sudan Ministry of Public Works, the National Social Insurance Fund, and the Elnefeidi Group joined their combined experiences in different fields to provide cost-efficient, safe, on-time, reliable, convenient, and clean transportation services. As a result, Khartoum Land Terminal was brought into being and formally commenced its operations on October 24, 2004.
Sahil Electronic Services Co.
Sahil Electronic Services Co. is a limited liability company headquartered in Sudan. It was established in 2009 as a joint venture between Tawasul Electronic Network Solutions – Oman, a leading expert in the IT sector, and RAIBA Land Trans Ltd, a subsidiary of Elnefeidi Group, with a vision to be the leading electronic payment distribution and collection solutions company in Sudan and Africa.
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Sanctuary animals stolen and killed for food in Sudan
The founder of Sudan Animal Rescue has told the BBC that fighters from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were responsible for stealing a camel and three gazelles from the refuge and killing them for sustenance.
In Sudan’s ongoing civil war, the RSF represents one side.
The rescue center reported that one camel and four gazelles were shot on three consecutive occasions.
The sanctuary claimed that the RSF fighters have threatened to come back and steal additional animals.
It has been impossible for the BBC to independently confirm these instances.
The founder and director of the center referred to the actions as “savage” in a statement to the BBC Africa live page team.
“These acts of violence are putting our animals and our staff in danger. We have been working tirelessly for years protecting these wild animals and during this difficult time of war,” Osman Salih said.
Mr Salih added that warring sides should not bomb the sanctuary because the wild animals pose a potential “risk” to the public if they break out.
The sanctuary also houses lions.
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War brings transport to a stand still in Sudan
Mahanna Abderrahmane used to drive his truck to the Red Sea ports four times per month to load cargo for distribution to Sudan’s many regional states, but since the war tore through his nation, he hasn’t done anything.
He is 200 kilometers south of Khartoum‘s capital, in a café near Wad Madani, where he is enjoying coffee and hookah after hookah.
A truck driver for 20 years, he told AFP he had “never seen anything like this”. “I haven’t made a single load in three weeks”, he says.
And he’s far from the only one. All around, hundreds of trucks are parked and their drivers are trying to kill time. Some are playing cards, while others are recommending a cup of tea or coffee to the women who run the small roadside cafés in al-Jazira state, which has probably received the most displaced people from the war.
Since Khartoum was bombed, more than one and a half million people have fled the capital. The easiest destination for most of them has been due south, towards Wad Madani and its vast fertile expanses wedged between the Blue and White Niles.
According to the Sudanese Chamber of Transport, since the army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhane and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of General Mohamed Hamdane Daglo went to war on 15 April, 90% of road transport traffic has disappeared.
According to the Sudan Ports Authority, total exports since January have peaked at 282 million dollars, compared with 2.5 billion dollars in the first half of 2021.
– Khartoum inaccessible –
Mohammed al-Tijani, who is also a truck driver, has suffered the combined effects of the war and soaring prices.
Since the start of the conflict, “our journeys to the ports have been extended by at least 400 km”, says this man in his fifties, because he now has to bypass Khartoum under a deluge of fire from artillery and fighter planes and checkpoints manned by the various forces deployed.
And at the same time, the price of petrol – if there is any at the pumps – has increased twenty-fold.
Supplies of goods for export have virtually come to a halt: most factories, mainly in Khartoum, have been shelled and storage silos looted.
Passenger coaches have also stopped reaching the capital.
However, as driver Hussein Abdelqader told AFP, “70% of journeys were to and from Khartoum”. “Today, we only travel between the country’s other cities, so we have far fewer journeys.
Moataz Omar has managed to maintain a certain level of activity, as he used to make the 1,000 km journey between Khartoum and the Egyptian border before the war.
For several weeks, he transported hundreds of fleeing families, who preferred exile to being trapped by the fighting.
“But when the fighting became more intense in Khartoum, it became impossible to get in,” he says.
So we had to bypass the capital, but the highly centralised road network meant that journeys between states took longer and longer.
– No pay –
“Now we travel 2,600 km (…). We have to go through the east: the Red Sea state, then the states of Kassala, Gedaref”, in the south-east bordering Ethiopia, “then al-Jazira” further north, forming a long loop, explains Mr Omar.
Passengers are therefore becoming scarce: “sometimes I wait two days before I have people who want to go from Wad Madani to Kassala or Gedaref or even Damazine, in the state of Blue Nile”, which borders Ethiopia, he continues.
“We’re really afraid of losing everything,” laments Mr Tijani, “because our companies won’t pay us if they don’t have any money coming in.
There used to be an alternative to buses: the train. But on 15 April, as the first shots rang out in Khartoum, the trains from Atbara, further north, or from Wad Madani, turned back. Since then, they have not left their stations.
As for the freight wagons, they too have come to a standstill.
Before, they all converged on Khartoum and especially its industrial suburb, Khartoum-North,” says a railway employee.
Today, Khartoum-North is a ghost town with no water or electricity.
And most of its inhabitants miss it. To Wad Madani or Egypt.
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RSF takes control of South Darfur town in Sudan
A town in South Darfur, Sudan, has been seized by the paramilitary force known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) following clashes with the army.
The situation has resulted in the displacement of several thousand families from the town of Kas, and there are disturbing reports of human rights abuses.
Incidents of looting or destruction of government buildings and markets by RSF fighters have been reported.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in mid-April, non-Arab communities across Darfur have been specifically targeted by the RSF and allied Arab militias.
Violent confrontations are ongoing in the capital city, Khartoum, and various other areas, while regional and international mediation efforts persist in seeking an end to the conflict.
This recent bout of ethnic violence bears resemblance to a similar pattern witnessed two decades ago when militias were deployed to suppress a rebellion. That previous war resulted in the loss of approximately 300,000 lives.
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UN finds 87 bodies in horrifying mass burial in Darfur
At least 87 bodies were found in a mass grave in the West Darfur region of Sudan, and the head of a UN organisation has demanded an investigation into their deaths.
Volker Türk, the head of the UN’s human rights office, has called for a “prompt, thorough, and independent investigation” on the shocking finding near the region’s capital, El-Geneina.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced that it had opened a new inquiry into alleged war crimes in Sudan shortly after Türk made his demand. This announcement occurred after 90 days of rising bloodshed between the rival groups of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan made the announcement in a report to the UN Security Council Thursday, saying “we are in the midst of a human catastrophe.”
Inside the mass grave were bodies of ethnic Masalit who along with other non-Arab communities are often targeted by Arab militias, supported by the RSF, according to Human Rights Watch.
The deceased were allegedly killed last month by the paramilitary RSF and their allied militia, the UN Human Rights Office said in a statement Thursday.
“According to credible information gathered by the Office, those buried in the mass grave were killed by RSF and their allied militia around 13-21 June in El-Geneina’s Al-Madaress and Al-Jamarek districts…,” the statement said.
The statement added that the bodies included victims of the violence that occurred following the assassination of Khamis Abbaker, the Governor of West Darfur, on June 14, and others who died due to untreated injuries.
Türk strongly condemned the killings and said he was “appalled by the callous and disrespectful way the dead, along with their families and communities, were treated.”
He urged the RSF and other parties involved in the conflict to abide by international law and facilitate prompt searches for the deceased, and their collection and evacuation, without discrimination based on ethnic background.
“The RSF’s leadership and their allied militia as well as all parties to an armed conflict are required to ensure that the dead are properly handled, and their dignity protected,” Türk stressed.
West Darfur remains one of the most conflict-ridden areas in the Sudanese Darfur region, with a long history of severe violence.
International aid agency Save the Children said Thursday its staff fleeing the city of El Geneina, the West Darfur capital, saw hundreds of bodies, including those belonging to children, along the road.
“We spent 49 days indoors as outside the snipers did not stop. Our only wish was to get up in the early morning hours to get one jerry can of water before the fighting starts again,” said Ahmed, who works for Save the Children in West Darfur, according to a press release from the organization.
“When we finally managed to leave there were bodies everywhere on the ground in Geneina town. There were thousands of men, women and children, no one was spared. There are flies everywhere,” said Ahmed, who recently escaped the violence and is now taking refuge in Kassala state.
Last month CNN also reported that activists had identified hundreds of bodies left on the streets of West Darfur.
The recent killings reflect the atrocities committed during the early 2000s, where hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives in an ethnic cleansing campaign led by the Janjaweed, an Arab militia that preceded the RSF.
ICC Chief Prosecutor Khan called for urgent action into the alleged war crimes, saying that attacks on civilians, particularly targeting children and women, are prohibited by the Rome Statute.
“The current security situation in Sudan and the escalation of violence during the current hostilities are matters of great concern to the Office,” he said.
“As we speak there are women and children in fear of the lives.”
Khan also said the ICC was investigating reports of fresh crimes in Darfur after the UN’s revelations about the mass grave of at least 87 people in Darfur.
The ICC has been investigating crimes in Sudan’s Darfur region since 2005 after a referral by the UN Security Council, and the Hague-based court has charged former leader Omar al-Bashir with offenses including genocide.
Khan said the risk of further war crimes was “deepened by the clear and long-standing disregard demonstrated by relevant actors, including the government of Sudan, for their obligations.”
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Dead women and children among discovered mass grave in Sudan
In what is believed to be the largest mass grave discovered since Sudan was plunged into war, numerous bodies have been found, allegedly victims of a Sudanese paramilitary group.
According to the United Nations Human Rights Office, there is “credible information” indicating that last month, 87 bodies, including women and children, were buried in a shallow grave in West Darfur.
The victims include members of the Masalit tribe, an ethnic African group that has become a target in the escalating conflict between rival military factions, resulting in ethnically motivated massacres.
These revelations come as Egypt initiates a new mediation effort between the warring factions. Previous attempts at truces and ceasefires have proven unsuccessful, leading to ongoing violence.
Since clashes between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group erupted in the capital city of Khartoum in April, the conflict has spread to the fragile regions of Darfur and Kordofan.
History repeating itself
More than three million people have left their homes, while basic services such as healthcare have broken down. The UN said the first 37 bodies were buried in the grave outside Geneina on June 20. Another 50 were dumped the following day.
Darfur has become a centre for the conflict as the violence has spread, with RSF troops and allied Arab militias accused of rampaging through the area and attacking African ethnic groups.
The killings have raised fears of a repeat of mass killings two decades ago, when the Sudanese government was accused of genocide crushing a rebellion by mainly non-Arab groups in Darfur, killing some 300,000 people.
The RSF denied involvement in the mass grave. A senior official in the force told Reuters it “completely denies any connection to the events in West Darfur as we are not party to it, and we did not get involved in a conflict as the conflict is a tribal one”.
Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said: “I condemn in the strongest terms the killing of civilians and hors de combat individuals, and I am further appalled by the callous and disrespectful way the dead, along with their families and communities, were treated.”
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Concerns raised in Sudan over torching vehicles
The South African government is attempting to crack down on the torching of vehicles on busy highways. 21 large trucks have been set on fire so far this week.
The arson occurs on the same day as the second anniversary of deadly countrywide riots that claimed more than 350 lives.
Despite similarities with the methods used, the government claims the lorry attacks are unrelated.
Investigators are closing up on 12 people who have been named as the instigators, according to Police Minister Bheki Cele.
“They’ve been identified by names, some of them by address and some of them by the cars they drive,” Mr Cele said on Wednesday.
Investigations are being conducted into a number of motives, including economic sabotage, robbery, and labor problems.
The police minister stated that soldiers had been sent to key locations where arson attacks had been recorded.
They constituted “economic sabotage,” according to President Cyril Ramaphosa, because the trucks were burned “on the main artery of our country.”
The arrest in 2021 was brought on by the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma for contempt of court, which fueled accusations that Zuma’s loyalists were attempting to topple South Africa’s fledgling democracy.
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Egypt’s president appeals for peace to rivals in Sudan
President of Egypt Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has pleaded with the warring parties in Sudan to put down their weapons in exchange for peace talks and to allow for the safe delivery of humanitarian goods.
He listed these as the top two priorities in his opening remarks at a summit on the war taking place in Cairo:
Firstly, calling on the warring factions to cease escalation and to start without further ado on serious negotiations that aim at reaching an immediate and sustainable ceasefire.
Quote Message: Secondly, calling on all Sudanese parties to facilitate the passage of humanitarian aid, to provide safe passage to deliver this aid to the areas most in need inside Sudan, and to establish a mechanism to provide needed protection to the humanitarian aid convoys and the staff of the international relief agencies to help them do their jobs.”
Secondly, calling on all Sudanese parties to facilitate the passage of humanitarian aid, to provide safe passage to deliver this aid to the areas most in need inside Sudan, and to establish a mechanism to provide needed protection to the humanitarian aid convoys and the staff of the international relief agencies to help them do their jobs.”
Some of Sudan’s neighbors, including South Sudan, Chad, and the Central African Republic, are also present at the summit.
The conflicting military factions have sent representatives to the summit, although earlier regional and global peace efforts have been unsuccessful.
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Sudan on the verge of ‘full-scale civil war’ over 22 deaths from an airstrike
A top UN humanitarian official recently claimed that Sudan is on the verge of a “full-scale civil war” that could destabilise the entire region.
Fighting between the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group, and the Sudanese Army has shook the third-largest country in Africa for months.
The Sudanese American Physicians Association (Sapa) reports that the two fighting generals have caused hundreds of civilian deaths and thousands more injuries.
After a US-brokered truce fell apart, healthcare services are rapidly unravelling, electricity is spotty at best, food and water are in short supply and millions have been displaced.
If this all continues, Martin Griffiths, chief of the UN’s humanitarian and emergency relief office, Sudan will spiral.
‘We don’t have a place, a forum, where the two parties are present… where we can broker the kind of basic agreements that we need to move supplies and people,’ he told The Associated Press.
Getting humanitarian aid to Sudan is tricky, Griffiths said, with the Center for Strategic and International Studies chalking it up to a lack of funding and how aid and medical are being targeted by armed soldiers.
‘If I were Sudanese, I find it hard to imagine that this isn’t a civil war… of the most brutal kind,’ he added.
‘Part of that is it’s not limited to one place, it’s spreading, it’s viral.
‘It’s a threat to the state itself… and if that doesn’t qualify for being a civil war, I don’t know what does.’
‘We have to re-create the architecture that we had for a little while in Jeddah,’ Griffiths added of the Saudi and US-mediated talks.
While those discussions have been ‘very clunky’ and ‘time-consuming’, he said, they have produced ‘some real movement’ in getting aid to the ground.
Egypt, seen as an ally of the Sudanese army, said it would host a summit on Thursday to discuss ways to end a 12-week conflict.
Top of the agenda should be establishing local ceasefires to carve out safe routes for trucks and goods to get into areas scarred by the fighting, Griffiths said.
Sapa recorded at least 828 civilian deaths and 3,688 injuries between 15 April and 23 May alone, though the association stresses the true death toll is likely higher.
The tension between Sudan’s years-long de facto leader, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and Rapid Support Forces chief Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan reached a flash point in April.
Though the two once staged a military coup to take control of Sudan in 2021, their relationship disintegrated and both have refused to give up power, whether to one another or to civilians.
The violence is spreading – fast – and has been especially deep within Darfur, a region of western Sudan home to not only rebel groups but Wagner, the Russian mercenary group.
Both the army and the RSF have begun targeting non-Arab tribes in western Darfur, UN officials say.
In one of the deadliest attacks so far, Sudan’s health ministry on Saturday said a strike by fighter jets in Omdurman, a neighbouring city of Sudan’s capital, left 22 people dead.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack in a statement shared by his spokesman.
Guterres, the spokesman said, is ‘deeply concerned that the ongoing war between the armed forces has pushed Sudan to the brink of a full-scale civil war, potentially destabilising the entire region’.
‘There is an utter disregard for humanitarian and human rights law,’ he added, ‘that is dangerous and disturbing.’