♦ Sudan: This week’s news in brief ♦

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

West Darfur violence leaves 200+ dead – ‘cautious calm’ as hospitals, markets stay closed

April 27 – 2022 EL GENEINA / KEREINIK Health facilities, markets, and other institutions remain closed despite a ‘cautious calm’ reported from El Geneina and Kereinik in West Darfur. At least 200 people, including children, have died in several days of violence, widely attributed to attacks by Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have grown out of the ‘janjaweed’ herding militiamen that carried out a genocide against non-Arab African Darfuri farmers under the regime of ousted dictator Omar Al-Bashir.

The RSF, which are commanded by Deputy Chair of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemeti’ Dagalo, have been accused of exploiting, inflaming, and blaming ‘inter-tribal conflicts’.

Disputed Sudan-South Sudan border sees at least 43 dead, 27 injured in renewed attacks

April 15 – 2022 ABYEI At least 42 people have been killed, and 27 injured in a series of attacks on the disputed Sudan-South Sudan border area of Abyei. Abyei’s Security Advisor, Kiluk Kon, told Radio Dabanga’s Voice of the States programme: “the attack on Ameit market amounted to 27 dead and 26 injured, the attack in Nong amounted to seven dead, the area of Lu witnessed five deaths and one injured, while the area of Kolom witnessed four deaths”.

According to Kon, the attackers wore the uniform of the Sudanese Armed Forces and were riding four-wheel drive vehicles and motorcycles. The attackers also stole nearly 2,000 heads of cattle in Lu, however nearly 200 heads of cattle had been recovered by the following morning.

Int’l envoy arrives in Sudan ahead of UNITAMS joint discussion
April 28 – 2022 KHARTOUM Representatives of the Troika countries (USA, UK, and Norway), as well as senior officials from France, Germany, and representatives from the European Union (EU), arrived in Khartoum to discuss the possibility of providing economic assistance.

Christian pastor convicted of ‘breach of public safety’ in Sudan
April 27 – 2022 EL GEZIRA Lawyers for a Christian pastor convicted for ‘breach of public safety’ after conducting prayers in a disputed church in Sudan’s El Gezira state say that they intend to appeal the verdict after a complainant admitted to assaulting the accused.

European Union: 'Juba signatories are responsible for Darfur’s protection'
April 26 – 2022 KHARTOUM / KEREINIK A spokesperson from the European Union (EU) issued a statement concerning the West Darfur tribal conflict. The EU statement highlighted their vehemence in insisting that the Juba Peace Agreement be respected by all its signatories.

UNITAMS head deplores civilian deaths in West Darfur violence
April 25 – 2022 KHARTOUM / KEREINIK The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Sudan, and head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), Volker Perthes, has issued a statement deploring the “heinous killings of civilians in West Darfur”, calling for “an end of violence, and “transparent investigation”.

Renewed tribal clashes in Kereinik, West Darfur
April 24 – 2022 KEREINIK Kereinik in West Darfur witnessed a second attack by ‘armed militiamen’ in three days this morning. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are accused of involvement in the ongoing tribal strife.

Sudan junta releases 25 detainees – dozens remain in prison
April 24 – 2022 KHARTOUM / PORT SUDAN / EL GEZIRA The ruling Sudan junta has released 25 leaders of the Resistance Committees who were detained during the protests against the military coup, however leading members of the opposition Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), the leaders of the suspended Empowerment Removal Committee (ERC), remain in detention.

Sudan's drinking water crisis continues
April 22 – 2022 KHARTOUM A number of neighbourhoods in Khartoum are experiencing a severe drinking water crisis, which has caused drinking water prices to rise. Other areas in Sudan also suffer from drinking water shortages.

Sudan intelligence authorities torture and arrest activist
April 21 – 2022 EL GEDAREF / KHARTOUM Intelligence authorities tortured and arrested Musab El Hadi, a member of the El Gedaref Resistance Committee, at 9:00 a.m before releasing him later on at 17:00 p.m, on Tuesday.

Traffic accident carnage in Sudan
April 20 – 2022 NYALA / EL BAKHIT Five people were killed and 12 others were wounded to varying degrees on Monday, in a traffic accident on the road from Nyala to Kass in South Darfur. Nine members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were injured on Monday evening, when a patrol vehicle charged with searching for missing gold prospectors in Sudan’s Northern State overturned.

FFC tells UN-Int'l effort: ‘Sudan’s future should be guided by the principles of the revolution’
April 19 – 2022 KHARTOUM The Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) held an emergency meeting on Sunday, discussing the joint effort with the United Nations, African Union, and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), to support Sudan through the next phase of the political process.

UNITAMS slates Sudan military newspaper for 'slanderous statement'
April 19 – 2022 KHARTOUM UNITAMS tweeted in response to the provocation of an inflammatory article in Sudan’s Armed Forces newspaper, El Jaish, by saying they would “hold them to account” without delay. They accused the newspaper of writing an article that incited violence against political leaders in Sudan, thus bearing the hallmarks of a “hate crime”.

Lawyers: Protestors accused of policeman’s murder subject to torture in Sudan's Kober prison
April 18 – 2022 KHARTOUM The defence team of two young men, who were arrested on charges of killing a police brigadier in Khartoum in January, say that the detainees are being subjected “to the worst forms of torture by the Kober prison authorities”.

NGOs ‘outraged’ by Sudan lawyers’ hot mic racist slurs
April 17 – 2022 KHARTOUM / NEW YORK / GENEVA / BANJUL A group of 20 Sudanese and international human rights and civil society NGOs have addressed an urgent appeal to the international community “to draw attention to the growing threats of racism, hate speech, and intolerance in Sudan”.