♦ 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.

UN experts: ‘UAE-funded mercenaries in Libya bankroll Darfur armed movements’

February 6 – 2022 NEW YORK Sudanese mercenaries in Libya, funded by the United Arab Emirates, represented the main source of income for most of the armed movements in Darfur in 2021, according to the annual report by the UN Panel of Experts on Sudan to the Security Council that was published on Friday. The report also confirms the continued violation of the arms embargo last year “by transferring weapons and other types of military equipment to Darfur.”

The report highlights: “Some members of the armed groups in Darfur profited from local and cross-border criminal activities, and the artisanal gold mines in Jebel Marra were a major source of financing for SLA/AW. Some movements signatory to the [Juba Peace] Agreement were looking at gold-mining in Darfur as a source of potential revenue. Though an important source of revenue and employment, if not managed properly, artisanal mining could lead to local tensions and violence in Darfur.”

Leading member Sudan's Communist Party: 'No possibility for real dialogue with military regime'

February 4 – 2022 DABANGA SUDAN Economic expert and leading member of the Communist Party of Sudan, Sidgi Kaballo, spoke with Radio Dabanga on Sudan’s revolution, the economic collapse, and the impossibility of finding a sustainable solution in dialogue with the military coup putschists.

Kaballo said that the country has witnessed a collapse in economic conditions and an unprecedented deterioration of living standards within the first hundred days following the October 25 military coup. When asked about the best way forwards, Kaballo stressed that he does not see any real possibility to address the economic and political crises in Sudan without overthrowing the military coup regime and establishing a democratic civil authority in the county.

Sudan releases detained BBC journalists
February 9 – 2022 KHARTOUM Three BBC Arabic journalists, who were briefly detained in Sudan on Monday while covering pro-democracy demonstrations in the capital, Khartoum, have been released. “A BBC team were briefly detained by Sudanese authorities while working in Khartoum. We are glad that the authorities were able to resolve this situation quickly,” the BBC said in a statement.

Resistance committees rebuild road blockades in Northern Sudan
February 8 – 2022 DONGOLA / MEROWE / ARGEEN Resistance committees in Sudan’s Northern State re-established blockades of several major roads on Monday, after security forces had dismantled them in the morning. The committees deny recent reports of suspension of the blockages by ‘fictitious bodies'.

Northern Sudan farmers suspend road blockades
February 6 – 2022 ED DEBBA / MEROWE Farmers and activists in Sudan’s Northern State have reportedly suspended their blockade of the main roads in the state, including the vital links to the Egyptian border. The blockade, that has hampered especially freight traffic since January 9, was set up in protest against sharp increases in electricity prices.

Deadly clash in North Darfur as ‘rebel militias’ raid former UNAMID base
February 6 – 2022 EL FASHER Two members of the Sudanese Joint forces and several attackers have been killed after armed bandits – believed to be former rebel fighters – attempted to loot the former United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) headquarters in the North Darfur capital El Fasher on Saturday afternoon.

Five killed in South Kordofan ambush
February 4 – 2022 GADIER / KOLOGI / GARDOUD UM RADMI Five people were killed and six others were wounded in an ambush by gunmen near the Labzar mine in Gadier, South Kordofan, on Wednesday.

Sudan anti-graft leader opposes return of sacked advisors
February 3 – 2022 KHARTOUM Wajdi Saleh, the leader of Sudan’s Empowerment Removal Committee (ERC), has decried the return of those dismissed by the committee from the Ministry of Justice, as “a return to the former defunct regime of power”.

COVID-19: Sudan Health Minister warns of deadly fourth wave
February 3 – 2022 KHARTOUM The Health Minster, Dr Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim, reported that fourth wave of Covid-19 to be vicious, pointing to the increase in both new cases and people filling the isolation centres. Two deaths and 74 new cases of Covid-19 were announced on Tuesday by the Ministry of Health.

Sudan: 6 protestors arrested, 5 injured as coup leaders snubbed in North Darfur
February 3 – 2022 EL FASHER The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors announced five injuries in El Fasher on Wednesday, following the military crackdown on the protesting resistance committees who refused to acknowledge the visiting coup leaders, Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, Deputy Chairman Mohamed ‘Hemeti’ Dagalo and, the Supreme Council delegation.

US Senators seek Sudan sanctions
February 2 – 2022 WASHINGTON A number of members of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee have demanded the imposition of sanctions on the authority in Sudan. Molly Phee, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, said that the administration does not have sufficient powers at the moment, but the Democrats in the committee confirmed the existence of powers approved by Congress.

Khartoum resistance: ‘Marches of the Millions every Monday in February’
February 2 – 2022 KHARTOUM The Khartoum Resistance Committee coordinators have announced that unified Marches of the Millions are to be organised every Monday in February, with the remaining days of the month left for “other forms of resistance”, as the campaign of civil disobedience and protests against the military coup d’état of October 25 passed 100 days.