Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

 

Sudanese Warring Parties Agree to a New 72-Hour Truce, Lack of a Quick Resolution Leads to a Prolong War

April 25, 2023

 

The central market area on fire, in Khartou, Sudan, April 22, 2023

 

‎The lack of a quick resolution leads to a long war in Sudan‎ 

Sudan Akhbar, April 25, 2023

 ‎Rakoba News‎, ‎Istanbul / Anatolia‎ --

Note: The following is a google electronic translation from Arabic:

‎Although the Sudanese army dominates the skies of the battle, it finds it difficult to expel the "rapid support" from the triangle of control and Khartoum‎ ‎ Hemedti's forces seek to take control of air bases and airports to neutralize Sudanese warplanes An American newspaper says that Haftar sent Hemedti at least a plane to transport military supplies to the Rapid‎ ‎ Support Forces The Wall Street Journal claimed that Egypt sent warplanes and pilots to support the Sudanese‎ ‎ army, while Cairo announces that it will not intervene‎ ‎ After several days of fierce fighting in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, neither side has decided the battle in its favor, which is a dangerous indication that the fighting is likely to continue for a long time that threatens to cause more casualties, especially civilians.‎

‎Given the balance of power between the Sudanese army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Response Forces (paramilitary), led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo (Hemedti), we are closer to repeating the scenario of long wars in Yemen, Syria, and Libya.‎

‎Indeed, Sudan itself has experienced several long internal wars, such as the South Sudanese rebellion (1955-2005), which ended with its formal secession in 2011, the Darfur rebel movements (2003-2019), and the rebellion in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states (2011-2019).‎

‎But this time the situation is more serious, as the Rapid Support Forces have turned into a parallel force to the army, with 100,10 militants and about <>,<> vehicles armed with anti-aircraft machine guns, and they have their own budget from the government, not to mention their exploitation of gold mines in Jabal Amer in Darfur (west) for their own account.‎

‎This force, which emerged from the Janjaweed tribal groups, accused of crimes against humanity in Darfur, took advantage of the country's crises to spread to several governorates outside its areas of influence, including Khartoum, not to mention the east and south of the country.‎

‎Foreign‎ ‎intervention There are fears that international powers will intervene to support both sides of the conflict with weapons, which will lead to the protracted war and the spread of the battlefields to wider areas in a country exhausted by long wars.‎

‎On the one hand, the Sudanese army says it has accurate information about "a conspiracy operation and strong indications of the involvement of regional and local parties" in the war with the Rapid Support Forces, and on the other hand, the latter accuses foreign aircraft of bombing its units in the city of Port Sudan (east), which includes the country's largest port on the Red Sea.‎

‎Although no country has officially announced its support for any party, the Wall Street Journal quoted sources as saying that the commander of the eastern Libyan forces, Khalifa Haftar, sent at least one plane to transport military supplies to the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.‎

‎The newspaper did not specify the airport where the plane landed in Sudan, but Nyala airport in South Darfur state is the closest airport, under the control of Hemedti's forces, to the Libyan border (northwest), but Haftar's forces were quick to deny this news.‎

‎The Wall Street Journal also claimed that Egypt simultaneously sent warplanes and pilots to support the Sudanese military, while Cairo officially announced non-intervention in Sudan.‎

‎There are reports that Hemedti previously supported Haftar in his offensive to take control of the Libyan capital Tripoli (2019-2020), and sent fighters to support him, so these reports do not rule out that the latter will support the former's rebellion against the Sudanese army.‎

‎The‎ ‎RSF's lack of an air force or even pilots trained to fly fighters or even the helicopters they seize is a major weakness, compared to the Sudanese army, which dominates the skies.‎

‎The RSF therefore sought to control strategic air bases and airfields to prevent Sudanese army fighter jets and helicopters from using them as a launching pad for bombing or receiving external military support.‎

‎It is not yet clear whether the RSF will receive foreign military assistance from countries or entities that support it, although the finger of accusation is directed at Haftar, the Russian company Wagner, and African and Arab countries, without evidence to confirm the validity of these claims.‎

‎This explains the first movement of Hemedti's forces towards Merowe airport (350 km north of Khartoum), where about 5 Egyptian MiG-29 multirole fighters are present, and a number of officers and soldiers, who were detained before the launch of a first batch of them was announced on Wednesday.‎

‎The goal was clear: to prevent the Sudanese army from obtaining any military support from Egypt, or the intervention of its fighter jets in the battles, especially since the Merowe air base is the latest and closest to Egypt.‎

‎The capture of the Merowe air base also allows Hemedti's forces to receive military aid and supplies from abroad.‎

‎The RSF attacks then focused on Khartoum's strategic airport, the country's largest, which is an important station for controlling power in the capital.‎

‎There were conflicting reports about the control of the airport, but it is certain that the continued fighting means that no party has been able to establish control of the airport, in light of a hit-and-run war between them.‎

‎According to satellite images reported by the media, several civilian aircraft and military fighter jets were destroyed at Khartoum airport and Merowe air base.‎

‎The RSF also tried to take control of El Obeid airport (400 km southwest of Khartoum), given its strategic location in the middle of Khartoum, the Darfur region and the oil-rich Abyei region disputed with South Sudan.‎

‎El Fasher airport in North Darfur state (a thousand kilometers west of Khartoum) also witnessed fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces to control it, especially since it is located within the strongholds of the latter.‎

‎However, the Sudanese army announced its control, especially since it is the main airport in the Darfur region, but on the other hand, it lost Nyala airport, in South Darfur state (a thousand kilometers west of Khartoum).‎

‎But the battle of the ports is the most important, because of the ease of transporting supplies and military aid from friendly countries by sea and in larger quantities of aircraft, especially since Sudan overlooks the Red Sea along a coastal strip of 853 km, and has several ports, the most famous of which is Port Sudan.‎

‎The RSF therefore sought to take control of the port of Port Sudan, but failed after its convoys were subjected to aerial bombardment, which it said was from foreign aircraft.‎

‎In any military coup, command and control centers must be controlled, represented by the headquarters of the presidency, the army, radio and television, and this is what the Rapid Support Forces sought.‎

‎Hemedti's forces attacked the Republican Palace and the headquarters of the armed forces adjacent to Khartoum airport, and close to it the residence of the head of the Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.‎

‎The RSF also attacked the commanders of the three land, air and naval forces and the headquarters of the security and intelligence services, all located in one area, in addition to the Republican Palace in Khartoum, and the headquarters of radio and television in Omdurman, west of the capital.‎

‎Although the main battle is concentrated in a narrow triangle in terms of area and densely populated, it has not yet been decided, as the clashes are continuous and violent and heavy weapons including warplanes were used, which explains the high volume of civilian casualties.‎

‎Even if Hemedti's forces announce their control of the army headquarters, the Burhan residence (guest houses) and Khartoum airport, the Sudanese army occasionally announces the liberation and recapture of these areas, reflecting an unresolved hit-and-run in the heart of the capital.‎

‎The RSF is good at maneuvering and guerrilla warfare, but without a parallel air force or even an air defense system, it is difficult for them to establish control on the ground, so they take shelter in densely populated streets, which increases civilian casualties.‎

‎Lacking a strong popular incubator in Khartoum, it is difficult for Hemedti's forces to establish their positions in the capital for a long time, despite the arrival of support from their bases in Darfur.‎

‎The Sudanese army, for its part, finds it difficult to expel the RSF from the capital despite its use of heavy weapons, including tanks and attack helicopters, but it carried out a fierce attack on Hemedti's residence south of Khartoum, as if in response to the RSF's announcement of its control of Burhan's residence.‎

‎Sudanese army forces moved from sensitive areas in Fashaga, which is disputed with the Ethiopian Amhara militias, to participate in the battles in Khartoum, which threatens to exploit the Amharic Fano militias, to return and control Fashaga, and exploit its fertile lands for agriculture.‎

‎In light of the military balance between the two parties, prolonging the war becomes the most likely scenario, even if Hemedti's forces are expelled from Khartoum, because he may resort to his strongholds in Darfur and the southern states, continue a war of attrition or seek the secession of the region.‎

‎Unless powerful international powers mediate peace, albeit by re-sharing power, as is happening in South Sudan between Salva Kiir Mayardit (Dinka) and Riek Machar (Nuer).‎

‎However, the framework agreement for the transfer of power from the military to civilians was burned by the flames of war, and there are no indications that the military will allow the handover of power to civilians, despite promises by Burhan and Hemedti.‎

غياب الحسم السريع يقود لحرب طويلة في السودان - اخبار السودان (sudanakhbar.com)

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Warring parties agree to a new 72-hour truce in Sudan

Sudan Tribune, April 24, 2023 (KHARTOUM) –

Following intense negotiations led by the United States, the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces have agreed to a 72-hour nationwide ceasefire starting from midnight on Monday.

The ceasefire comes after nine days of heavy fighting between the two parties, which has led to the death of over four hundred people, injuries, and the destruction of strategic facilities in Khartoum.

The United States State Department has welcomed the agreement and has urged both parties to comply fully with the ceasefire.

In a statement, the Sudanese army spokesman said that the ceasefire was agreed upon for humanitarian reasons and to ease the burden on the citizens, who have been suffering amid the fighting. The regular army also highlighted the need for both parties to comply with the requirements for the continuation of the ceasefire.

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, for their part, confirmed their commitment to the truce to open humanitarian corridors, facilitate the movement of citizens, and reach hospitals and safe areas, among other things.

In a statement about the truce, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged to coordinate with regional and international partners, and Sudanese civilian stakeholders, to create a committee to “oversee the negotiation, conclusion, and implementation of a permanent cessation of hostilities and humanitarian arrangements in Sudan”.

Further, the spokesman for the political process, Khalid Omer Youssif said that this ceasefire is different from previous truces as it addresses specific issues and outlines the necessary mechanisms to reach a final agreement.

The ceasefire will be followed by a final ceasefire agreement and political discussions, leading to a democratic transition in Sudan, Youssif said.

During the past few days, the warring parties continued the fighting despite their declared commitment to cease the fighting in the Sudanese capital on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.

Warring parties agree to a new 72-hour truce in Sudan - Sudan Tribune

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427 dead, thousands injured due to conflict in Sudan: OCHA

Sudan Tribune,, April 23, 2023 (KHARTOUM) –

 At least 427 people have died across the country, with over 3,700 injured as result of the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan said on Friday.

The clashes, which started in April 15, have shown no sign of letting up in Sudan’s capital despite repeated calls for ceasefire from the international community.

OCHA said an aid worker from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) was killed two days ago after the “vehicle he was traveling in with his family south of El Obeid, North Kordofan, was caught in a crossfire between warring parties”.

This, it stated, brings to five the total number of aid workers killed since April 15.

The UN humanitarian agency, citing the IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix, also cited an increased in displacement due to fighting and dwindling basic commodities have also been reported across the states of Khartoum, El Gezira, Sennar, White Nile, River Nile and El Gedaref.

Reports estimated that between 7,500 and 8,000 people have been displaced from El Obeid and are currently seeking refuge, following fierce SAF-RSF clashes.

In North Darfur’s capital of El Fasher, an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 displaced people, most of whom were women and children, arrived in Chad on Friday.

South Sudan’s IOM representative in Juba Peter Van Der Auweraert said that at least 2,000 people arrived in the capital today, according multiple media reports.

He, however, said they expect more vulnerable people to come at a later stage, as many of the people who made it to Juba “had the means to make it here”.

Meanwhile following the suspension of humanitarian operations in Sudan due to various aid workers being killed as well as the near-impossible ground situation hindering their activity, local civil society actors have since provided aid.

“Neighbourhood committees in multiple locations have established emergency rooms to provide basic healthcare, given the closure of many hospitals,” noted OCHA in its report.

It further added, “Several committees are also supporting the coordination of civilian evacuations from areas that have been hardest-hit by the conflict.”

Armed clashes between SAF and RSF erupted on April 15 in heavily populated parts of the capital, Khartoum and spread to other cities, including Darfur region. The clashes follow weeks of rising tensions between the two forces over security force reform during negotiations for a new transitional government and was preceded by the SAF and RSF jointly overthrowing Sudan’s transitional government in October 2021.

427 dead, thousands injured due to conflict in Sudan: OCHA - Sudan Tribune

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