Peace remains a distant hope as Sudan’s battle lines shift

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The Sudanese regime led by General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan has operated from Port Sudan since fighting broke out in April 2023. (AFP)
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eople cheer members of Sudan's armed forces taking part in a military parade held on Army Day in Gedaref on August 14, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 10 February 2025
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Peace remains a distant hope as Sudan’s battle lines shift

  • As Sudanese military advances in Khartoum, civilians fear more bloodshed and reprisals in light of recent experience
  • With the RSF retreating to Darfur and Kordofan, the country may face prolonged fragmentation and suffering

LONDON: When two shells exploded 100 meters from Al-Nau Hospital in the Sudanese city of Omdurman last week, medical staff felt the explosion and feared the worst.

A few days earlier, a blast at a busy market nearby killed 54 people and injured 158. Medics had battled to treat the dozens of bloodied casualties brought through the doors.

This time the explosions killed six people, including a hospital volunteer.

Even within the devastation of Sudan’s war, two such deadly attacks taking place within days of each other shocked those working at the hospital.

The shelling came amid an escalation in fighting across the heavily populated Khartoum state as the Sudanese army (SAF) and its allies attempt to retake full control of the capital from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia.

If successful, it would be a victory that reshapes the conflict but, analysts say, is unlikely to bring it to an end.

Jean-Nicolas Armstrong Dangelser, Sudan emergency coordinator for the charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF), was in Al-Nau Hospital’s emergency room at the time of the two attacks.

 

 

“The map of the conflict is changing literally by the hour,” he told Arab News. “It’s obviously coming with a big increase of violence, because there is fighting now spreading on multiple front lines.

“The hospital staff are seeing the direct impact of the conflict with the war wounded coming in and a lot of civilians being affected.”

The market attack and shelling near Al-Nau Hospital was blamed on the RSF as it rapidly withdraws from greater Khartoum, which includes Omdurman.

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When the war broke out in April 2023 as part of a power struggle between Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, SAF’s leader and Sudan’s de-facto ruler, and RSF commander Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the militia seized control of much of Khartoum, along with large swaths of the vast country.

The military-led government relocated to Port Sudan as fighting raged, killing tens of thousands of people, displacing almost 12 million and leading to famine in several parts of the country.

Late last year, SAF mounted a comeback after sourcing more weapons, including drones, and carrying out a recruitment drive. After months of fighting, there was a major breakthrough in January when they seized Wad Madani, the capital of Al-Jazirah state.




Sudanese people celebrate with passengers of passing vehicles in Meroe in the country's Northern State on January 11, 2025, after the army announced entering key Al-Jazira state capital Wad Madani, held by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. (AFP)

Since then, the army has launched offensives from multiple directions into the outskirts of Khartoum, getting the upper hand in the adjacent cities of Omdurman and Khartoum North, also known as Bahri, which make up greater Khartoum.

On Friday, the army said it had retaken Kafouri district in Khartoum North, an important base for the RSF in what would be one of its most significant defeats so far.

The expulsion of RSF fighters from Wad Madani was followed by allegations of summary executions and reprisals against those accused by SAF soldiers of being RSF informants or collaborators. These reports are a cause for concern for Khartoum residents who have lived through months of RSF control over their neighborhoods.




Caption

Retaking the whole of Khartoum seems inevitable and would undoubtedly be a major symbolic and strategic victory for the army.

But hope that it may usher in an end to the conflict, either militarily through a defeat of the RSF or through a negotiated settlement, remains highly unlikely.

The RSF still holds sway in much of western Sudan, which includes the Darfur region, where Dagalo and many of his fighters come from.




In this November 5, 2017 photo, General Mohammed Dagalo's Rapid Support Forces display sacks of hashish that they captured in the state of South Darfur a week earlier by ambushing a gang of smugglers that was transporting the drugs to Khartoum. (AFP)

Ahmed Soliman, a senior research fellow at international affairs think tank Chatham House, says the RSF’s full retreat from Khartoum would not mean that the militia had been defeated.

“It would be a significant setback for the RSF, but we have to keep that in context also to what the RSF has been able to do during this war, which is to capture very substantial amounts of territory,” he told Arab News.

The RSF controls four of the five states in Darfur and has ramped up its siege of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. It also controls gold mines in other parts of Darfur and holds large parts of the Kordofan region.

“The RSF is very focused also on maintaining supply lines to the border areas with South Sudan, particularly the southwest,” Soliman added.




A picture taken on May 1, 2023 shows an abandoned hospital in El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, as deadly fighting continued in Sudan between rival generals' forces. (AFP/File)

If the army can consolidate power in Khartoum, it is unsure whether there would be enough incentive for the RSF to enter ceasefire talks given the “substantial amounts of territory and resources” it controls.

Even without a truce, taking the capital would certainly change the dynamics of the conflict along with the calculations of the two sides, Soliman said.

For the military and its supporters, which include the political elites from the regime of deposed President Omar Bashir, reinstating the government in Khartoum may feel like “mission accomplished” in the conflict.

That would still leave the RSF in control of huge areas and effectively lead to a fragmented Sudan with different regions of de-facto governance, Soliman added.

“The preservation of Sudanese unity may be at stake,” he said.




Despite being ousted from the capital, Khartoum, General Mohammed Dagalo's Rapid Support Forces still hold sway in much of western Sudan, which includes the Darfur region, where Dagalo and many of his fighters come from. (AFP)

A clue as to how the military’s retaking of Khartoum might affect Sudan’s future came on Saturday when Burhan announced plans to form a transitional government.

He said the administration’s main objective would be to “accomplish the remaining military tasks … and cleanse all of Sudan” of the RSF, AFP news agency reported. It would also prepare for a broader political transition and eventually elections.

While the uncertainty over the direction of the conflict will do little to reassure Sudanese over their futures, the recapturing of areas near Khartoum has allowed some to return to their homes or gain access to medical help.

 

 

Over the weekend, MSF assisted the health ministry to set up mobile clinics in North Khartoum in areas recently retaken by the army.

Populations there have spent nearly two years struggling to find food, clean water and medicine, Armstrong Dangelser said.

Their condition, however, is evidence of the suffering the conflict has inflicted.

The MSF-supported hospitals are dealing with injuries related to shelling and airstrikes, but there are also the health effects of people living without clean water to wash and drink, no electricity and a lack of food.

INNUMBERS

10,000+ People suffering from famine in Khartoum alone.

12m+ People displaced by Sudan’s conflict since April 2023.

28,700+ Conflict’s death toll as per ACLED records.

They have dealt with cholera outbreaks and other diseases associated with not having access to basic services, and malnutrition is rife.

Disturbingly, Armstrong Dangelser said they had recently seen a surge in stabbing wounds and close-range gunshots, something he associated with outbreaks of looting as the RSF flees the areas they controlled.

There have also been widespread reports of reprisal killings in areas taken over by the army. The violence is in keeping with the level of brutality meted out by the two sides throughout the war.

The US accused the RSF last month of committing genocide and placed sanctions on its leader, Dagalo, who is known as “Hemedti.” Washington also sanctioned Al-Burhan for killing civilians and targeting schools and hospitals.




An image grab taken from a handout video posted on the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) page on X on July 28, 2023 shows its commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo addressing RSF fighters at an undisclosed location. (AFP/File)

Al-Burhan and Dagalo led a coup together in October 2021 that overthrew a transitional government before the two men fell out spectacularly and led the country into war.

This latest phase has led to a sharp rise in civilian deaths, the UN said on Friday, with 275 civilians killed between Jan. 31 and Feb. 5 by shelling and airstrikes.

For aid workers dealing with the world’s worst humanitarian disaster, a new front has also emerged in recent weeks — President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend foreign aid.

As of September, the US had provided nearly $2 billion to the emergency response in Sudan since the conflict started, making it by far the biggest provider of aid to the country.

"What we are seeing now with the US funding cuts is truly devastating for a lot of people," Armstrong Dangelser said.

Whatever direction the conflict takes next, the suffering of the Sudanese is set to continue.
 

 


Chief of Bahraini National Guard participates in Pakistan Day celebrations

Updated 9 sec ago
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Chief of Bahraini National Guard participates in Pakistan Day celebrations

  • Sheikh Mohammed conveyed greetings from the Bahraini king and crown prince to Pakistani officials
  • Saudi leadership sent separate cables of congratulations to President Zardari on his country’s National Day

LONDON: Sheikh Mohammed bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the commander of Bahrain’s National Guard, participated in the Pakistan Day celebrations held on Sunday in Islamabad.

The public holiday celebrated on March 23 each year commemorates the day in 1956 when Pakistan adopted its first constitution and became the world’s first Islamic republic.

Sheikh Mohammed conveyed greetings from King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa to the Pakistani leadership, the Bahrain News Agency reported.

Senior Pakistani political and military officials attended the Pakistan Day celebrations at the Presidential Palace in Islamabad on Sunday, including President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and various foreign delegations.

Sheikh Mohammed expressed his wishes for Pakistan’s continued progress, prosperity, and stability, according to BNA.

He has been on an official visit to Pakistan since last week, where he met senior military and political officials, including Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber, the country’s air force chief, and Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza, the chairperson of Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.

On Sunday, the Saudi leadership sent separate cables of congratulations to President Zardari on his country’s National Day, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wished Zardari continued good health and happiness and the people of Pakistan steady progress and prosperity.


Hamas says Israeli strike kills political bureau official Salah Al-Bardawil

Updated 23 March 2025
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Hamas says Israeli strike kills political bureau official Salah Al-Bardawil

  • Bardawil, 65, was killed along with his wife in a camp in Al-Mawasi, near Khan Yunis
  • He is the third member of the political bureau to be killed since Israel resumed air strikes on Tuesday

GAZA CITY: Palestinian group Hamas confirmed on Sunday that Salah Al-Bardawil, a senior member of its political bureau, was killed in an Israeli air strike in southern Gaza the previous day.
Bardawil, 65, was killed along with his wife in a camp in Al-Mawasi, near Khan Yunis, according to the Palestinian Islamist movement.
He is the third member of the political bureau to be killed since Israel resumed air strikes on Tuesday, after Yasser Harb and Essam Al-Dalis, the head of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military confirmed Sunday that it had targeted Bardawil, saying that “as part of his role, (he) directed the strategic and military planning” of Hamas in Gaza.
His “elimination further degrades Hamas’ military and government capabilities,” it added.
Bardawil, born in the Khan Yunis refugee camp, joined Hamas when it was founded in 1987, serving as a spokesman before rising through the ranks and being elected to the political bureau in 2021.
He spoke against security cooperation between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, and supported armed struggle against Israel.
Detained by Israel in 1993 and interrogated for 70 days, according to Hamas, Bardawil was also arrested several times by the security forces of the Palestinian Authority.
In the flare-up since last week, Hamas has also announced the deaths of interior ministry head Mahmud Abu Watfa, and Bahjat Abu Sultan, the director general of the Internal Security Services.
Hamas sources said on Sunday that Mohammed Hassan Al-Amur, the bodyguard of slain leader Yahya Sinwar, was killed in an overnight strike on his home in Khan Yunis.
Hamas has been considerably weakened by the deaths of many of its leaders, both inside and outside the Gaza Strip, since the start of the war triggered by its deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The head of Hamas’s political wing, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in Tehran on July 31, 2024, in an explosion claimed by Israel. His successor Sinwar died on October 16 in Gaza.


First Jordanian flight lands in Syria’s Aleppo International Airport after relaunch

Updated 23 March 2025
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First Jordanian flight lands in Syria’s Aleppo International Airport after relaunch

  • Maintenance and restoration work allows air traffic to and from Aleppo to resume
  • Jordanian delegation on flight aims to enhance cooperation between Syria and Jordan

LONDON: The first Jordanian flight landed at Aleppo International Airport in northern Syria on Sunday after the airport’s relaunch last week.

The Jordanian flight carried an official delegation whose aim is to enhance cooperation between Syria and Jordan, reaffirming the revival of civilian activity at the airport, the SANA agency reported.

Last week, Aleppo airport reopened for flights after nearly three months of closure caused by the offensive by rebel groups against Bashar Assad’s regime in early December. Aleppo is the country’s second-largest city after the capital and an important industrial and trade center.

Maintenance and restoration work by Syrian authorities allowed air traffic to and from Aleppo to resume. Authorities announced that Aleppo will begin receiving international flights, facilitating the return of nearly 10 million Syrian refugees currently living in Turkey and Europe. It will also enable local and foreign investors to visit the city, SANA added.

In January, international flights to and from Damascus resumed for the first time since the fall of Assad with a direct flight from Doha — the first in 13 years.


UAE, Egyptian presidents discuss strengthening fraternal ties

Updated 23 March 2025
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UAE, Egyptian presidents discuss strengthening fraternal ties

  • El-Sisi hosts Cairo iftar banquet in honor of Sheikh Mohamed

LONDON: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the president of the UAE, discussed regional development and brotherly ties with the president of Egypt, Abdul Fattah El-Sisi, in Cairo.

The two leaders met on Saturday to discuss their countries’ relations and ways to enhance cooperation in the development, economic, and investment sectors to serve mutual interests, the Emirates News Agency reported.

They confirmed their commitment to enhancing the strong relationship between Abu Dhabi and Cairo while promoting collaboration in all areas.

El-Sisi hosted an iftar banquet in honor of Sheikh Mohamed and the accompanying UAE delegation, composed of senior Emirati officials, the agency added.

Sheikh Mohamed left Egypt on Saturday evening from Cairo International Airport, where the Egyptian president and several senior officials bid him farewell.


Palestinians denounce Israeli recognition of new West Bank settlements

Updated 23 March 2025
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Palestinians denounce Israeli recognition of new West Bank settlements

JERUSALEM: The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned on Sunday an Israeli decision to recognize more than a dozen new settlements in the occupied West Bank, upgrading existing neighborhoods to independent settlement status.
The decision by Israel’s security cabinet was a show of “disregard for international legitimacy and its resolutions,” said a statement from the Palestinian Authority’s foreign ministry.
The West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, is home to about three million Palestinians as well as nearly 500,000 Israelis living in settlements that are illegal under international law.
Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right leader and settler who was behind the cabinet’s decision, hailed it as an “important step” for Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Smotrich is a leading voice calling for Israel to formally annex the West Bank — as it did in 1967 after capturing east Jerusalem in a move not recognized by most of the international community.
“The recognition of each (neighborhood) as a separate community... is an important step that would help their development,” Smotrich said in a statement on Telegram, calling it part of a “revolution.”
“Instead of hiding and apologizing, we raise the flag, we build and we settle,” he said.
“This is another important step toward de facto sovereignty in Judea and Samaria,” added Smotrich, using the Biblical name for the West Bank.
In its statement, the Palestinian foreign ministry also mentioned an ongoing major Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank, saying it was accompanied by “an unprecedented escalation in the confiscation of Palestinian lands.”
The 13 settlement neighborhoods approved for development by the Israeli cabinet are located across the West Bank. Some of them are effectively part of the bigger settlements they belong to while others are practically separate.
Their recognition as separate communities under Israeli law is not yet final.
Hailing the “normalization” of settlement expansion, the Yesha Council, an umbrella organization for the municipal councils of West Bank settlements, thanked Smotrich for pushing for the cabinet decision.
According to EU figures, 2023 saw a 30-year record in settlement building permits issued by Israel.