Sudan

The number of people uprooted by a conflict between military factions in Sudan that erupted nearly three months ago has surpassed 3 million, according to estimates from the International Organization for Migration. More than 2.4 million people have been displaced internally and more than 730,000 have crossed into neighbouring countries, data published late on Tuesday said.

Sudan’s army-aligned foreign ministry has rejected a regional summit proposal to consider deploying peacekeeping forces to protect civilians, dashing tentative hopes it might help efforts to end the country’s three-month war. The East African regional body, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), suggested on Monday that the rival sides consider the deployment of a regional force and new peace negotiations.

On 15 April 2023, the alliance between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) collapsed into violence. The conflict that began in Khartoum has spread across the country, causing death, injuries, displacement, and destruction. Since 15 April, 70% of all documented political violence incidents in Sudan have occurred in Khartoum state. 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the airstrike in the Sudanese city of Omdurman on Saturday which reportedly killed at least 22 people. … Meanwhile, the UN continues to push for the cohesion of international efforts under the auspices of the African Union, and welcomes the strong engagement of the East African bloc IGAD. 

The UN’s top humanitarian officials on Wednesday voiced shock and condemnation over increasing reports of gender-based violence in Sudan as the military power struggle there continues. The violations include conflict-related sexual violence against internally displaced and refugee women and girls forced to flee for their lives.

Fierce battles broke out on Tuesday across Omdurman, the western part of Sudan's wider capital, as the army tried cut off supply routes used by its paramilitary rivals to bring reinforcements into the city.

A 24-hour ceasefire deal agreed in Sudan on the eve of the Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday was breached Wednesday amid ongoing violance between the country's army and rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) on Saturday said it was gravely concerned at reports of “wanton killings” by “Arab” militia in Sudan’s West Darfur backed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), primarily targeting men from the Masalit community.

Residents of the city of Kadugli in southwestern Sudan began fleeing the city Thursday as tensions escalated between the army and a powerful rebel group, threatening to open another area of conflict in the country's ongoing war, witnesses said.

Ferocious fighting in the capital and elsewhere is tipping one of Africa’s largest countries ever closer to falling apart. There are no easy ways to halt the carnage. All with influence should do everything possible to stop Sudan’s slide into even greater disaster.