♦ 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.

North Darfur rebel movements told to remove their forces from towns

February 11 – 2022 EL FASHER North Darfur Wali (Governor) Nimir Abdelrahman said that the third meeting of the High Council for Security Arrangements gave the leaders of the rebel movements that signed the Juba Peace Agreement seven days to move their forces from the towns to the ‘areas of support’, as stipulated in the Peace Juba Agreement. The meeting was held in El Fasher in the presence of Chairman of the Sovereignty Council Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, Deputy Chairman Mohamed 'Hemeti' Dagalo, and the leaders of the rebel movements.

The governor said that the leaders of the movements were told to tightly control their members and return them to the military bases. The rebel movements played an important role during the war in Darfur in the fight against dictator Omar Al Bashir, who has been accused of facilitating war crimes and genocide in the region.

Sudan junta head: ‘Military will quit politics once consensus reached via elections’

February 13 – 2022 KHARTOUM The Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council and Commander in Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, has pledged that the SAF will leave all political frameworks if a national consensus is reached through elections. In an interview on Sudan’s National TV on Saturday, El Burhan said that he does not personally want to rule the country nor does he want the army to rule.

El Burhan pointed out that “Sudan since independence has been revolving in a vicious circle of governance between civilians and the army”. He also said that he is “not disturbed by the demonstrations that are call for return of the army to the barracks,” stressing that “this will not happen unless an agreement is reached and legitimacy is found through the elections”.

At least one protestor killed, 90 injured during new March of the Millions in Sudan
February 15 – 2022 SUDAN Both the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors and the Socialist Doctors Association have confirmed the death of at least one protestor, aged 17, who died after being shot in the neck and chest during his participation in Monday’s Khartoum demonstrations.

More members of Empowerment Removal Committee detained in Sudan
February 14 – 2022 KHARTOUM Joint security forces arrested Mohamed El Faki, a former member of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council and the alternate head of the now suspended Empowerment Removal Committee (ERC)*, and ERC member Maj Awad Karendis on Sunday evening in Khartoum.

AU delegation hopes to help Sudan reach peace, unity, and stability
February 13 – 2022 KHARTOUM A high-level delegation of the African Union arrived in Khartoum to help Sudan reach solutions that guarantee peace, unity, and stability.

Lawyers question legal grounds of ERC arrests
February 11 – 2022 KHARTOUM Lawyers questioned the validity of the legal measures taken against members of the now-suspended ERC, who were detained on Wednesday. An adviser to Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), refused to call the arrests ‘political’.

Sudanese resistance demos continue despite repression
February 11 – 2022 KHARTOUM / OMDURMAN / KHARTOUM NORTH / EL GEDAREF Thousands of people marched in Khartoum and other parts of the country on Thursday as part of the February 10 Marches of the Millions called for by the resistance committees to denounce the military coup.

Sudan timeline October – December 2021: Democratic transition under siege, foreign finance cut as military sizes power
February 11 – 2022 DABANGA SUDAN The last quarter of 2021 was a turbulent one for Sudan, the aftershocks of which continue until now. As always, Radio Dabanga presents you with a quarterly timeline providing a useful overview of the eventful past months, including the run-up to October 25 military coup and its aftermath.

Sudan authorities detain Empowerment Removal Committee members
February 10 – 2022 KHARTOUM Authorities detained three members of Sudan’s Empowerment Removal Committee (ERC), following a breach of trust reported against them by the Ministry of Finance. ERC leader Wajdi Saleh, an outspoken voice and supporter of the dismantlement of the ousted Al Bashir regime, was among those detained.

2 dead, 8 injured in North Darfur attack
February 10 – 2022 EL FASHER Two people were killed and eight were wounded, of whom three are currently in critical condition, after an attack by armed men on Tuesday in the village of Gura Farjawiya in North Darfur.

* The full name of the committee is the Committee for Dismantling the June 30 1989 Regime, Removal of Empowerment and Corruption, and Recovering Public Funds. It was established by the government of Abdallah Hamdok at the end of 2019 with the aim to purge Sudan of the remnants of the Al Bashir regime. Empowerment (tamkin) is the term with which the ousted government of Omar Al Bashir supported its affiliates by granting them far-going privileges, including government functions, the setting-up of various companies, and tax exemptions.