Situation in Sudan (per 4 May)
- A drone strike on the family home of Sudan Shield Forces leader Abu Aqla Keikel in Al-Kahli village in Al Jazirah state killed nine people, including six children, with sources close to the Sudanese army blaming the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the attack.
- A drone strike attributed to the RSF killed five civilians in Khartoum, marking the second attack in the capital within a week after months of relative calm following the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF)’s recapture of the city.
- A Rapid Support Militia (Janjaweed) drone strike on a civilian vehicle traveling from the Sheikh Al-Siddiq area in White Nile State on the Al-Jamouiya Triangle road resulted in the deaths of all five civilians on board.
- A drone strike, likely launched by the RSF, targeting the Kenana industrial complex in White Nile State damaged ethanol production units and fuel depots at the Kenana Sugar Company complex and ignited large fires.
- Forces belonging to breakaway RSF commander Major General Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, known as Al-Nour Al-Qubba, were deployed south of Khartoum and Omdurman after joining areas controlled by the Sudanese army.
- Around 10 health centres and major hospitals in Dilling, South Kordofan, were forced out of service following aerial and artillery attacks by the RSF and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N).
- Around 2,600 civilians fled Abu Haraz and Kazgil in North Kordofan between 29 and 30 April due to worsening insecurity.
Situation in Ethiopia (per 4 May)
- Interim Tigray regional president Tadesse Worede has condemned the calls from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) urging him to step down as an attempted coup and signaled he would resist any effort to remove him by force.
- The Fano militia has rejected claims by Ethiopia’s federal government that 33,000 Fano fighters surrendered in the Amhara conflict. The continued presence of the Fano militia in parts of Amhara casts doubt on whether the June elections could be held safely and credibly.
- Ethiopians in the Diaspora are organising global protests in May against the upcoming June elections, arguing that conflicts and instability in several regions do not allow elections in the affected areas.
- Ethiopia is sliding toward renewed mass atrocity risks amid rising tensions with Eritrea, ongoing violence in the Amhara and Oromo regions and with continued denial of the genocide and atrocities committed in Tigray, according to Genocide Watch Ethiopia Country Report.
- Ethiopia’s World Press Freedom Index ranking has dropped to 148 out of 180, according to Reporters Without Borders, due to conflict, journalist detentions, and growing state pressure.
Situation in South Sudan (per 4 May)
- South Sudan’s ranking on the World Press Freedom index dropped from 109 in 2025 to 118.
- Russia has offered to assist South Sudan in organising its planned December general elections.
International and Regional situation (per 4 May)
- The EU has expressed its concern over the developments in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and calls for immediate de-escalation and avoidance of any actions that jeopardise the Pretoria Agreement.
- The EU has allocated €100,000 in emergency humanitarian funding in support of the tens of thousands of South Sudanese refugees arriving in Ethiopia. An additional €75,000 is allocated for emergency assistance after flooding and landslides in southern Ethiopia.
- UNHCR published a Guidance Notice for Eritrean asylum cases, urging countries to guarantee the right to seek asylum for Eritreans and respect the principle of non-refoulment.
- The African Union (AU) launched a new four-year phase of its Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP) to improve labour migration governance across the continent in Addis Ababa on Friday.
- Envoys from the EU, Canada and US have visited Eritrea between March and April to discuss regional issues and potential partnerships.
- The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has renewed the mandate of the UNMISS for a year, reducing the peacekeeping force from 17,000 to 12,000. The force reduction was criticised for undermining civilian protection, peacekeeper safety and stability.
- US Senator Jeanne Shaheen warned of an impending “humanitarian catastrophe” in Ethiopia in a letter addressed to Secretary Marco Rubio, as US funding cuts threaten to halt the Joint Emergency Operation Program (JEOP) for food assistance.
- Ethiopian journalist Yacob Yatane died under suspicious circumstances in Nairobi, Kenya, with the preliminary autopsy revealed possible poisoning and internal injuries as causes of death.
- Kenya’s Long-Distance Drivers and Conductors Association (LoDDCA) issued a statement expressing concern on the rising insecurity for truck drivers along the Nimule-Juba corridor, with ten Kenyan drivers being held under unclear circumstances without formal charges or communication.
Links of interest
Drone Strike in Central Sudan Kills Nine Family Members of Pro-Army Commander – DNE Africa
Sudan strike kills nine relatives of army-backed militia chief
Khartoum drone strike kills five in Sudan, NGO reports | Sudan war News | Al Jazeera
RSF drone strike targets Kenana industrial complex in White Nile State
RSF Defector’s Forces Deployed in Khartoum and Omdurman
Joint attacks force 10 health facilities offline in Sudan’s Dilling
TPLF Presses Tadesse Worede to Step Down Amid Escalating Tigray Power Struggle
Fano Denies Mass Surrender Claims as Amhara Conflict Grinds On
“No Ballots White Bullets Fly” Global Protest
Genocide Watch Ethiopia Country Report
Press freedom deteriorates further in South Sudan, watchdog says – Radio Tamazuj
Russia offers to organize South Sudan elections in December | سودان اندبندنت
Ethiopia: Statement by the Spokesperson on the latest developments in Tigray
EU allocates €175,000 for refugee and disaster crises in Ethiopia
African Union and Partners Unveil USD 16M Programme to Strengthen Labour Migration Governance
The West is courting favour with Eritrea, putting aside human-rights concerns
UN votes to cut the peacekeeping force in South Sudan | AP News
Pakistan backs extension of South Sudan peacekeeping mission, warns on troop cuts | Arab News
UN condemns killing of 468 civilians by militias in South Sudan – Punjab News Express
Yacob Yatane: Heartbreak as Exiled Ethiopian Journalist Dies in Kenya, Proof of Poisoning Emerges
Cargo Drivers Heading to South Sudan Ordered to Stop With Immediate Effect
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.
Martin Plaut 