Situation in Sudan (per 18 September)

  • Mohamed Hamdan Daglo (Hemedti), chief of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has suggested that he will form a government in the areas controlled by the RSF with a centrum in Khartoum when his rival, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, head of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), will form a cabinet in Port Sudan.
  • Malik Agar, Vice-president of the Sudanese Sovereign council, said in a response to Hemedti’s announcement that Al-Burhan will announce the new cabinet formation after his trip to the US where he is expected to speak at the UN General Assembly.
  • Several buildings were caught on fire amid heavy fighting in central Khartoum over the weekend, including a landmark skyscraper, Greater Nile Petroleum Oil Company Tower.
  • The RSF have been attacking the headquarters of the SAF since Saturday, while the SAF targeted bases of the RSF in the south of  Khartoum, witnesses reported. Heavy fighting was also witnessed in El-Obeid, North Kordofan.
  • 30 children that were previously detained in relation to the conflict were released by the SAF on Friday.
  • Children were brought from Khartoum to a safe place in Wad Madani and taken into custody by the Ministry of Social Development. Operation was carried out with mediation support of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
  • Al-Burhan travelled to Kampala, Uganda for a bilateral visit with the Ugandan  President, Yoweri Museveni on Saturday. Al-Burhan is expected to travel on for a bilateral visit to Saudi Arabia and then US on Wednesday to attend the UN General Assembly.
  • Gold production in Sudan has dramatically decreased to only 2 tons due to the ongoing conflict as opposed to last year’s 18 tons.
  • Representatives of Sudanese trade unions, political parties and tribal leaders are reportedly expected to meet in Addis Ababa this week to continue with peace mediation efforts under the leadership of IGAD and AU.

Situation in Tigray (per 18 September)

  • The human rights situation in Tigray remains grave with violence being committed against civilians by Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF), says the report of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE) to the Human Rights Council.
  • The Ethiopian Federal Government failed to adequately protect the population in Tigray against foreign military and Amhara militia present in Western and Southern areas of Tigray region, said ICHREE.
  • The ICHREE expressed grave concerns over the ongoing sexual and gender-based violence stating “there are reasonable grounds to believe that EDF members bear responsibility for continuing crimes of rape and sexual violence against women and girls in Tigray”.
  • The report further highlighted the ongoing and widespread arbitrary detentions, use of hate speech, and ethnic and gender discrimination within Tigray as well as other regions across Ethiopia.

Situation in Ethiopia (per 18 September)

  • The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) expressed concerns over the extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention and targeting of civilians in the Amhara region. EHRC has been monitoring the deteriorating human rights situation in Amhara and other regions across Ethiopia.
  • State security forces are complicit in extrajudicial killings in the context of armed conflict, says the EHRC report.
  • Members of the Fano militia carried out an attack on civilians in the village of Dincho in West Oromia, killing and injuring several people. Out of 11 people admitted to the hospital 5 have died according to the medical staff.
  • The attack was reportedly launched on civilian mourners travelling from Nekemte to Gidda Ayana for a funeral of a driver who was shot dead one day prior to the attack.

Regional Situation (per 18 September)

  • 167 Ethiopian soldiers were reportedly killed and others captured in an ambush attack by Al-Shabaab on Sunday. The attack was carried out near the border town of Bakol region in south Somalia.

International Situation (per 18 September)

  • A hearing took place for the trial against the Eritrean Tewolde Goitom (Walid), an alleged human trafficker, today in Zwolle, the Netherlands. Walid was not present, despite the request for him to attend the hearing.
  • 26 proposed witnesses were accepted by the court, 5 of which are related to the charges of extortion. The court decided that Kidane, who is on trial in the UAE for financial white washing, can be heard as a witness for the defense.
  • The next hearing will take place on the 13th of November 2023 at 09.30 a.m. CET.
  • Violent clashes erupted during the Eritrean festival between loyalists of the Eritrean regime and the supporters defending human rights, held in Stuttgart, Germany on Saturday. The Eritrean festival was organised by the supporters of Eritrea’s ruling party, the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ).
  • 228 Eritrean opposition supporters were reportedly arrested by the German police. 
  • The Swiss State Secretary for Migration, Christine Schraner Burgener, expressed concerns over the security situation in relation to the Eritrean festivals which caused riots earlier this month. Burgener said that she aims to work with the state authorities to ban the events if the risk of riots will be too high.
  • Swiss authorities previously announced that Eritreans loyal to the regime could be deported. Burgener emphasised that under Swiss legislation it is possible to revoke or deny asylum status or refugee status  if there is a risk of internal or external security.
  • South Sudan needs to take critical steps before the elections that are announced for December 2024, said Nicholas Haysom, the Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan, to the Security Council.
  • Some of the important actions concern adopting the elections-related legislation in the parliament including, type of elections, voter registration requirements, the nature of participation of refugees and IDPs, as well as fulfilling essential benchmarks in the Roadmap.

Links of interest

RSF leader threatens to form separate government in Sudan

Sudan conflict: Landmark skyscraper in Khartoum engulfed in flames

ICRC facilitates release of 30 children previously detained in relation to conflict

Sudan’s Burhan heads to Uganda as battles rage in Khartoum

Gold production in Sudan dwindles to two tons due to ongoing conflict

Political players opposed to Sudan civil war seek to unify voices

Launch of the Commission’s latest report to the Human Rights Council

Amhara Region: Concerning human rights violations in the context of the armed conflict

News: Armed men assault on civilians in Western Oromia leaves several dead, injured

Ethiopian military convoy ambushed in south Somalia

Hundreds of Eritrean opposition supporters arrested in Stuttgart

Asylchefin will gefährliche Eritrea-Festivals verhindern

Statement By Nicholas Haysom to the Security Council

Disclaimer: All information in this Situation Report is presented as a fluid update report, as to the best knowledge and understanding of the authors at the moment of publication. EEPA does not claim that the information is correct but verifies to the best of ability within the circumstances. Publication is weighed on the basis of interest to understand potential impacts of events (or perceptions of these) on the situation. Check all information against updates and other media. EEPA does not take responsibility for the use of the information or impact thereof. All information reported originates from third parties and the content of all reported and linked information remains the sole responsibility of these third parties. Report to info@eepa.be any additional information and corrections.