♦ Sudan: This week’s news in brief ♦

A compact digest of the past week’s most-read highlights, from the heart of Sudan. Subscribe to receive this digest weekly in your inbox.

Report: Inside Egypt’s secret scheme to detain and deport thousands of Sudanese refugees
 
28/04/2024 – ASWAN. Thousands of Sudanese refugees who escaped the war to neighbouring Egypt have been detained by Egyptian authorities in a network of secret military bases, and then deported back to their war-torn country often without the chance to claim asylum, an investigation by The New Humanitarian and the Refugees Platform in Egypt has found.
 
The pushbacks uncovered by reporters contravene refugee conventions that Egypt has ratified and are being carried out as the EU has pledged billions of dollars to Cairo in exchange for the government curtailing migration to Europe, a deal that critics say could make European countries complicit in the abuses taking place. The pushbacks are also being enforced amid a worsening of the year-long war in Sudan.

Starlink ‘set to stop services in Sudan’
 
01/05/2024 -KHARTOUM / PORT SUDAN. SpaceX is poised to imminently terminate Starlink satellite internet services within Sudan, a verdict sparking dread among the populaces dependent on the lifeline amid the ongoing war. Despite efforts by various Sudanese civil society groups, the aerospace company remains steadfast in its plan, citing adherence to regulatory frameworks.
 
The ramifications of Starlink’s decision to terminate services in Sudan are significant. Starlink’s services not only provided the ability for families to get in touch with their loved ones but also acted as a conduit to financial sustenance, given the reliance on remittances from the diaspora Sudanese. Starlink notified Sudanese users of its decision. The memo, copies of which have been shared widely on social media, also encompasses Libya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.

FEWS NET Food Security Alert warns of ‘Famine (IPC Phase 5)’ in Sudan
06/05/2024 – WASGINGTON DC. In its latest Sudan Food Security Alert, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) warns that parts of the country are at risk of Famine as the ongoing war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) threatens access to food for millions.
 
RSF siege of North Darfur capital leads to food and medical supply shortages
05/05/2024 – EL FASHER. El Fasher in North Darfur is facing a semi-siege imposed by the paramilitary RSF in the north and northeast of the city. This further worsens the living and health conditions of those who have not been able to flee, causing shortages of food and medical supplies.
 
SIHA demands an end to RSF siege of Tuti Island in Sudan capital
03/05/2024 – KAMPALA. The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) Network urges the RSF to immediately end the blockade of Tuti Island in the centre of Khartoum. The RSF have tightened the siege following protests against the gang-rape of a girl on the island last month.
 
Chadian forces storm Central Darfur market
02/05/2024 – UM DUKHUN. Chadian forces stormed the town of Um Dukhun in Central Darfur on Tuesday, with reports of indiscriminate shooting and looting, leading to the closure of the market. Conflicting information emerged regarding casualties,
 
Yale HRL report: ‘11 more North Darfur villages razed by arson’
30/04/2024 – EL FASHER / NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT. A new independent report confirms that an additional 11 communities in the area around El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, were razed by apparent arson between April 20-25. The report, based on analysis of remote sensing and open-source data, confirms the control of the paramilitary RSF over the area.
 
Resistance committees: New wave of violence in Sudan’s El Gezira
29/04/2024 – EL GEZIRA / EL FASHER. Resistance committees in El Gezira in Sudan report a new wave of violence by the RSF against villages in Wad Madani. A communications and internet outage has been ongoing for more than 80 days. Hundreds of civilian deaths have been reported.
 
Sudan gold revenues ‘unaffected by war’
29/04/2024 – PORT SUDAN / AMSTERDAM. Although the war between the Sudanese army and RSF has continued for over a year, gold exports have allegedly not stopped or been affected by the war. In interviews with Radio Dabanga, one economic analyst called for further regulation of gold exports, while another was sceptical about the reports given the current situation in Sudan.
 
Former governor of Kassala: ‘eastern Sudanese have overcome their conflicts’
27/04/2024 – KASSALA. During the war, the eastern parts of the country have gained importance. Radio Dabanga interviewed spokesperson for the Eastern Sudan Civil Forces alliance Saleh Ammar about the changes in the region, negotiations between the warring parties, and the recent “racist remarks” of a former security director in Kassala about eastern Sudanese officials.
 
SIHA Network reports on ‘the aftermath of rape’ in Sudan
26/04/2024 10:13 KAMPALA. Rape and gang-rape are among the most horrific atrocities being perpetrated as part of the war in Sudan, SIHA Network writes in its latest report on the consequences of sexual violence in the country, including unwanted pregnancies and suicides.
 
Int’l NGO: ‘UNSC needs to urgently intervene in North Darfur’
25/04/2024 – EL FASHER / WASHINGTON D.C.. Refugees International, a prominent INGO, issued a grave warning indicating that the paramilitary RSF are about to launch imminent attacks on the city of El Fasher, North Darfur, home to 800,000 civilians, which requires urgent action.