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abdel fattah al burhan
Egypt Announces Regional Summit as UN Warns of 'Full-Scale Civil War' in Sudan
News of the upcoming meeting in Cairo followed U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres' warning that an ongoing armed conflict in Sudan could destabilize "the entire region."
Jul 09, 2023
Egypt announced Sunday that it plans to host a summit of Sudan's neighbors on July 13 to discuss how they might help broker an end to the 12-week battle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—an ongoing conflict that has exacerbated humanitarian crises in North Africa.
News of Thursday's meeting in Cairo came after United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned—in a Saturday statement issued by his deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq—that intensified fighting between the two factions "has pushed Sudan to the brink of a full-scale civil war, potentially destabilizing the entire region."
Since combat began on April 15 in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, hundreds of people have been killed and nearly three million have been displaced, including almost 700,000 who have fled to neighboring countries, many of which are already grappling with extreme poverty and the impacts of local armed conflicts.
Speaking from a refugee camp in Adre, on the Sudan-Chad border, Al Jazeera correspondent Ahmed Idris noted Sunday that "cases of malnutrition are on the rise in camps in eastern Chad and other parts of Chad where Sudanese refugees have moved to."
Reutersreported Sunday that previous diplomatic efforts to halt fighting between SAF and RSF "have so far proved ineffective, with competing initiatives creating confusion over how the warring parties might be brought to negotiate."
As the news outlet explained:
Neither Egypt, seen as the Sudanese army's most important foreign ally, nor the United Arab Emirates, which has had close ties to the RSF, have played a prominent public role.
The two countries were also not involved in talks in Jeddah led by the United States and Saudi Arabia that adjourned last month after failing to secure a lasting ceasefire.
Sudan's two largest neighbors, Egypt and Ethiopia, have been at odds in recent years over the construction of a huge hydroelectric dam on Ethiopia's Blue Nile, close to the border with Sudan.
The upcoming summit in Cairo "aims to 'develop effective mechanisms' with neighboring states to settle the conflict peacefully, in coordination with other regional or international efforts," Reuters reported, citing a statement from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
The current fighting in Sudan erupted following weeks of tensions between SAF commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, chair of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council, and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, or "Hemedti," the council's deputy chair.
The former allies joined forces to take control of Sudan in October 2021, two years after a 2019 military coup that occurred in the wake of a popular uprising to oust Omar al-Bashir, who had ruled Africa's third-largest country since leading the 1989 overthrow of a democratically elected government. However, during talks to establish a new transitional government, a dispute emerged over security force reform, turning al-Burhan and Dagalo—both of whom have long records of human rights abuses, including the brutal repression of pro-democracy activists—into rivals.
On Saturday, Guterres condemned a fresh air strike that killed at least 22 people in Omdurman, Sudan. After offering his condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a swift recovery to the dozens who were injured, the U.N. chief made clear that he is "appalled by reports of large-scale violence and casualties across Darfur" and "concerned about reports of renewed fighting in North Kordofan, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile States."
"There is an utter disregard for humanitarian and human rights law that is dangerous and disturbing," said Guterres' spokesperson. The U.N. chief reiterated his call for SAF and RSF "to cease fighting and commit to a durable cessation of hostilities." He also urged both sides "to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law to protect civilians and to enable humanitarian action."
According to Reuters, "Sudanese delegations, including from civilian parties that shared power with the army and RSF after the overthrow of former President Omar al-Bashir four years ago, are expected to meet on Monday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa for exploratory talks."
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Amnesty Demands Civilian Protections in Sudan as Death Toll Soars
"The parties to the conflict must immediately stop using explosive weapons with wide area effects in the vicinity of concentrations of civilians," said Amnesty International's regional director for East and Southern Africa.
Apr 17, 2023
As an armed conflict between Sudan's military and a paramilitary group intensifies in the capital Khartoum and surrounding areas, Amnesty International on Monday implored the warring factions to protect civilians and ensure access to humanitarian aid.
Since fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Saturday, more than 180 people have been killed and over 1,800 people have been wounded, U.N Newsreported Monday, citing United Nations envoy Volker Perthes.
"The toll could be much higher because there are many bodies in the streets around central Khartoum that no one can reach because of the clashes," The Associated Pressreported. "There has been no official word on how many civilians or combatants have been killed. The [Sudan Doctors' Syndicate] earlier put the number of civilian deaths at 97."
Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty's regional director for East and Southern Africa, said in a statement that "the use of heavy weaponry including artillery, tanks, and jet aircraft in densely populated areas in Khartoum has caused numerous civilian deaths and massive destruction of property."
"Civilians are caught in the middle of this conflict and are suffering," said Chagutah. "The parties to the conflict must immediately stop using explosive weapons with wide area effects in the vicinity of concentrations of civilians."
"Sudan's regional and international partners including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), African Union, U.N., and others should publicly encourage that the parties to the conflict respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians," Chagutah continued. "Both parties must immediately stop their indiscriminate attacks."
He added that "Sudan's authorities and all parties to the conflict must ensure that there is immediate, unrestricted, and sustained access for humanitarian actors to monitor and assess the needs of civilians and to deliver assistance to them."
\u201cCivilians in Sudan must be protected and all parties to the conflict must ensure access for humanitarian relief to civilians in need.\u201d— Amnesty International (@Amnesty International) 1681747373
Combat broke out this past weekend following weeks of tensions between SAF commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, chair of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council, and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, or "Hemedti," the council's deputy chair.
The former allies joined forces to take control of Sudan in October 2021, two years after a 2019 military coup that came on the heels of a popular uprising ousted Omar al-Bashir, who had ruled Africa's third-largest country since leading the 1989 overthrow of a democratically elected government. But during recent negotiations for a new transitional government, a dispute arose over security force reform, turning al-Burhan and Dagalo—both of whom have extensive records of human rights abuses, including the brutal repression of pro-democracy activists—into rivals.
"The sudden explosion of violence over the weekend between the nation's two top generals, each backed by tens of thousands of fighters, trapped millions of people in their homes or wherever they could find shelter, with supplies running low in many areas," AP reported. "Even in a country with a long history of military coups, the scenes of fighting in the capital and its adjoining city Omdurman across the Nile River were unprecedented."
Amnesty on Monday urged the U.N. Security Council "to hold an emergency meeting on the situation in Sudan and publicly call on the SAF and RSF to protect civilians as a matter of priority."
According to AP, the council is "set to discuss the crisis" after "top diplomats on four continents scrambled to broker a truce."
Fears of a wider conflagration are mounting as the deadly power struggle spreads "across the sprawling western region of Darfur, where Mr. al-Bashir's government oversaw a campaign of genocidal violence beginning in 2003," The New York Times reported Sunday. "Reports of clashes in the region's major cities and several other towns are especially worrisome because Darfur is home to several heavily armed rebel groups that analysts fear could get sucked into the fight."
A third of Sudan's population—roughly 15 million people—suffer from hunger and rely on humanitarian assistance. However, the U.N.'s World Food Program was forced to halt operations in the country after three aid workers were killed and two others injured in Darfur on Saturday. In addition, the International Rescue Committee and Save the Children have both suspended most operations in the country.
Meanwhile, 12 out of around 20 hospitals in the capital area "have been 'forcefully evacuated' and are 'out of service' because of attacks or power outages," AP reported Monday, citing the Sudan Doctors' Syndicate. "Four other hospitals outside the capital have also shut down."
Citing the World Health Organization, U.N. News noted that "many of the nine hospitals in Khartoum receiving injured civilians are reporting shortages of blood, transfusion equipment, intravenous fluids, medical supplies, and other lifesaving commodities."
In a Monday address, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres lamented that the country's "already precarious" humanitarian situation "is now catastrophic."
"I strongly condemn the outbreak of fighting that is taking place in Sudan, and appeal to the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to immediately cease hostilities, restore calm, and begin a dialogue to resolve the crisis," said Guterres.
"The situation has already led to horrendous loss of life, including many civilians," the U.N. chief added. "Any further escalation could be devastating for the country and the region. I urge all those with influence over the situation to use it in the cause of peace; to support efforts to end the violence, restore order, and return to the path of transition."
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Global Groups, Leaders Urge Cease-Fire as Dozens Killed in Sudan
Calling on warring forces to "immediately cease hostilities, restore calm, and initiate a dialogue," the U.N. chief's spokesperson warned that "any further escalation in the fighting will have a devastating impact on civilians."
Apr 16, 2023
World leaders are advocating for a cease-fire in Sudan, where fighting between the African nation's military and a paramilitary group throughout the weekend—much of it in the capital, Khartoum—has left dozens of people dead and hundreds more injured.
"The battles have not stopped," Tahani Abass, a prominent rights advocate who lives near the military headquarters, toldThe Associated Press. "They are shooting against each other in the streets. It's an all-out war in residential areas."
Explaining how her family spent Saturday night huddled on the ground floor of their home, Abass added that "no one was able to sleep and the kids were crying and screaming with every explosion."
Over 50 civilians have been killed and nearly 600 people have been injured, the AP reported, citing the Sudan Doctors' Syndicate.
Sudan's current crisis began with massive street protests in 2018, which led to a military coup d'état the following year that ousted Omar al-Bashir, who had ruled for three decades after leading the 1989 overthrow of a democratically elected government. In October 2021, two top generals came together to seize control of the country.
The fighting that began Saturday is part of a power struggle between the formerly allied generals: Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who heads Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council and the Sudanese Armed Forces, and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, or "Hemedti," the council's deputy and commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
\u201cGiven the recent violence in Sudan between the military and RSF, it's important to know about @RSFSudan and its head @GeneralDagllo, a killer.\n\nWatch this #BBCAfricaEye documentary we made, covering a massacre in 2019 led by the RSF and Hemeti.\n\nhttps://t.co/UMwH7ad04a\u201d— Benjamin Strick (@Benjamin Strick) 1681565684
A spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said Saturday that he "strongly condemns the outbreak of fighting" and "calls on the leaders of the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces to immediately cease hostilities, restore calm, and initiate a dialogue to resolve the current crisis."
"Any further escalation in the fighting will have a devastating impact on civilians and further aggravate the already precarious humanitarian situation in the country," the spokesperson warned, adding that the U.N. chief also "calls on member states in the region to support efforts to restore order and return to the path of transition."
The League of Arab States held an emergency meeting Sunday at the request of Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Al Arabiya Englishreported that the group called for a cease-fire and peaceful negotiations to "establish a new phase that fulfills the ambitions of the brotherly Sudanese people and contributes to reinforce political and economic security and stability in this important country."
According to the news outlet:
During a televised speech, Sudan's representative to the Arab League, Alsadik Omar Abdullah, appealed for Arab support to help calm the situation, while emphasizing that external interference in local affairs should be avoided.
"The Sudanese government has declared it a rebel force to be treated as such," he said, adding that efforts to mediate the integration of RSF into the Army have failed.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saturday that he spoke with the Saudi and Emirati foreign ministers about the fighting, "which threatens the security and safety of Sudanese civilians and undermines efforts to restore Sudan's democratic transition," and they all "agreed it was essential for the parties to immediately end hostilities without precondition."
Blinken urged al-Burhan and Dagalo "to take active measures to reduce tensions and ensure the safety of all civilians," stressing that "the only way forward is to return to negotiations that support the Sudanese people's democratic aspirations."
Along with the United States, Reutersnoted, "China, Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the U.N. Security Council, European Union, and African Union have appealed for a quick end to the hostilities that threaten to worsen instability in an already volatile wider region."
As The New York Times detailed:
There were signs that fighting was spreading across the sprawling western region of Darfur, where Mr. al-Bashir's government oversaw a campaign of genocidal violence beginning in 2003. Reports of clashes in the region's major cities and several other towns are especially worrisome because Darfur is home to several heavily armed rebel groups that analysts fear could get sucked into the fight.
Adam Regal, a spokesperson for the aid agency General Coordination for Refugees and Displaced in Darfur, told the Times that a dozen people were killed and wounded Saturday in a camp for displaced people in the North Darfur region.
"The security situation, in my estimation, is difficult and dangerous," Regal said in a text message, referencing clashes in the cities of El Fasher in North Darfur, Zalingei in Central Darfur, Nyala in South Darfur.
Cindy McCain, executive director of the World Food Program, which is part of the United Nations, said Sunday that "I am appalled and heartbroken by the tragic deaths of three WFP employees on Saturday... in Kabkabiya, North Darfur while carrying out their lifesaving duties on the frontlines of the global hunger crisis. Two WFP employees were also injured in the same incident."
After noting that a U.N. aircraft was "significantly damaged" in Khartoum Saturday, "seriously impacting WFP's ability to move humanitarian workers and aid within the country," McCain announced that "while we review the evolving security situation, we are forced to temporarily halt all operations in Sudan. WFP is committed to assisting the Sudanese people facing dire food insecurity, but we cannot do our lifesaving work if the safety and security of our teams and partners is not guaranteed."
\u201cWe @ifrc join in your sorrow to mourn the loss of your colleagues and all who have lost their lives. And sincerely hope that peace prevails immediately.\u201d— Jagan Chapagain (@Jagan Chapagain) 1681666218
The U.N. chief "remains deeply concerned about the continued clashes" and "strongly condemns the deaths and injuries of civilians," including the WFP staff, his spokesperson said Sunday, declaring that "those responsible should be brought to justice without delay."
"The secretary-general reminds the parties of the need to respect international law, including the obligation to ensure the safety and security of all United Nations and associated personnel, their premises, and their assets," the spokesperson continued, adding that Guterres "reiterates his call for the immediate halt to the fighting and for a return to dialogue."
Volker Perthes, the U.N. envoy for Sudan, confirmed Sunday that al-Burhan and Dagalo had committed to "a temporary pause in fighting on humanitarian grounds" for three hours in the evening. However, the AP reported that in Khartoum, "as night fell, residents reported heavy explosions and continued gunfire."
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