Situation in Sudan (per 5 January)

  • Over 114 people have lost their lives in the western region of Darfur, amid the recent clashes between Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) using drone strikes and ground assaults, according to medical sources.
  • Sudan’s Prime Minister Kamil Idris has proposed a plan to end the ongoing conflict to the United Nations Security Council (UN SC) at the end of December, urging members to support this initiative, which includes a ceasefire supervised by international bodies and the disarmament of the RSF.
  • The UN has voiced its endorsement of the peace initiative, urging an immediate halt to hostilities and the establishment of a lasting ceasefire.
  • Civilians in El-Fasher are severely traumatised and facing dire conditions, lacking access to basic services, water and sanitation, confirmed the UN aid coordinator Denise Brown after few UN staff members were able to visit the city for the first time since the capture by the RSF in October.
  • A drone strike by the SAF in Julud, South Kordofan, reportedly killed 12 civilians and left many others injured as the strike hit a gathering of worshippers during the Christmas celebrations on 25 December.
  • The RSF launched drone attacks on key areas in El Obeid, North Kordofan, and White Nile State, including a thermal power plant, hospitals, and an airport, prompting responses from local firefighting and air defense teams over the weekend.
  • While the assault caused damage and fires, the city’s power supply remained unaffected due to backup systems.
  • The Sudan Founding Alliance (Tasees), comprising the People’s Army and the RSF, has announced its control over El Bardab near Kadugli, South Kordofan, enabling it to dominate key strategic transportation routes leading to the city.
  • The Sudan Liberation Movement-Abdel Wahid (SLM-AW) has adopted its own flag and anthem in areas it controls, which concerns several areas in Central and North Darfur. The SLM-AW claims that the national symbols represent an imposed ideology and exclusionary interests.
  • About 284 hospitals and health centers have resumed their operations in Khartoum State after significant damage and looting during the conflict, states the Sudanese Doctors Network. While local initiatives have facilitated the recovery of many facilities, serious challenges remain.

Situation in South Sudan (per 5 January)

  • The South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) gained full control of the Bentiu camp for internally displaced persons (IDP) after intense fighting forced opposition forces from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) to withdraw.
  • The SPLA-IO announced that its forces defended their positions against a coordinated attack from SSPDF at Nyuelnyuel, Unity State, near the Sudanese border, forcing the government troops to retreat. Both sides control their own bases in this area.
  • Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), has strongly criticized the country’s political elite for prioritizing power over the lives of citizens amid  rising military confrontations and deterioration of the peace agreement.

Situation in Ethiopia (per 5 January)

  • Over 3,800 IDP households returning from Sudan are currently residing at the Abiy Addi IDP center in Tigray without any assistance, amidst worsening conditions and significant food insecurity.
  • Residents are calling for urgent aid, as many are suffering from malnutrition and lack of medical supplies, highlighting a dire situation and insufficient support from authorities.
  • At least 47 people were killed in a violent attack in Ethiopia’s Gambella region on 24 December with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reporting over 100 patients treated for weapon-related injuries.

International Situation (per 5 January)

  • Somaliland has been recognised as an independent nation by Israel, a move that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says will lead to enhanced cooperation in agriculture, health, and technology. Somaliland has been claiming independence since 1991.
  • The recognition has been denounced by Somalia and several regional nations, arguing that it undermines Somalia’s sovereignty and could set a troubling precedent under international law.
  • The African Union condemned the recognition, cautioning over dangerous “implications for peace and stability across the continent”.
  • The EU also backed Somalia stating that it “reaffirms the importance of respecting the unity, the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia”, said Anouar El Anouni spokesman for EU foreign affairs.
  • Alleged Eritrean human smuggler Kidane Zekarias Habtemariam has been extradited from the UAE to the Netherlands on 24 December to face prosecution for his alleged involvement in migrant smuggling, hostage-taking, and extortion related to the trafficking of migrants and refugees from Libya to Europe.

Regional Situation (per 5 January)

  • Egypt has signed agreements to enhance the ports of Assab in Eritrea and Doraleh in Djibouti, enabling military capabilities that could increase pressure on landlocked Ethiopia amidst the ongoing dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and Nile water distribution.
  • Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki met with Sudanese Minister of Finance, Gibril Ibrahim, and Minister of Information, Khalid Aleisir, in the Adi Halo region, Eritrea, to discuss enhancing cooperation on regional security and political coordination to promote stability in the Horn of Africa.

Links of interest

At least 114 killed in week of fighting in Sudan’s Darfur

UN renews ceasefire push in Sudan

First UN visit to Sudan’s El-Fasher finds traumatised civilians amid reports of mass atrocities

Christmas Celebration Bombed in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains

RSF drones attack vital sites in North Kordofan and White Nile states

South Kordofan: RSF claim control of El Bardab area north of Kadugli

SLM-AW adopts own flag and anthem in controlled areas

Sudan doctors network says 284 health facilities resume operations in Khartoum

South Sudan army seizes full control of Bentiu IDP camp following heavy fighting

SPLA-IO overruns SSPDF garrison near Sudan border in Unity State

Civil society leader slams South Sudan leaders over ‘war on citizens’ as fighting spreads

News: “We have received nothing”: More than 3,800 Sudan returnees left without aid at Abiy Addi IDP center

News: At least 47 killed in a single day, sources say; MSF treats over 100 weapon-wounded as Gambella imposes new curfew

Israel recognises Somaliland as independent state, Netanyahu says

African Union and Somalia denounce Israel’s recognition of Somaliland

EU backs Somalia after Israel recognizes Somaliland

UAE extradites suspected Eritrean migrant smuggler to the Netherlands

Egypt increases pressure on Ethiopia through port deals with Eritrea and Djibouti

Isaias Afwerki discusses Red Sea stability with Sudanese ministers 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