Sudan

Witnesses described the moment RSF men poured into Zamzam displacement camp on April 11, looting and burning homes as shells rained down and drones flew overhead.

The latest wave of violence, which escalated on April 11, has led to the deaths of hundreds and forced a mass flight from Al Fasher and the camps of Abu Shouk and Zamzam.

The WMA stressed that such actions constitute clear violations of international humanitarian law and the principle of medical neutrality, which is designed to protect healthcare providers from military and political interference.

This time of year, known as the hunger gap, is when people in South Darfur face the most difficulty accessing food. MSF warns that supplies for malnutrition treatment must be pre-positioned now, or communities will be completely cut off once the rains begin.

Kenya emphasised that it has consistently leveraged its proximity and role within the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to mediate between Sudan's warring factions.

Last month, Sudan filed a case against the UAE at the World Court. The government's case alleges that the UAE violated its obligations under the Genocide Convention by arming the paramilitary RSF. The court opened hearings last week.

Half of its population is facing extreme hunger, and nearly five million children and breastfeeding mothers are severely malnourished.

Worryingly, attacks based on ethnicity are returning in parts of Darfur, echoing the horrors of the 2003 conflict that also left tens of thousands dead.

The RSF, which denies carrying out drone attacks and did not respond to a request for comment, has targeted power stations in army-controlled locations in central and northern Sudan for the past several months, but the strikes had not previously left major death tolls.

The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has led to widespread planting of mines, especially in contested regions.

The doctors accused the RSF of violating basic human rights and condemned their continued looting and destruction of homes.

Lamamra, serving as the Personal Representative of Secretary-General António Guterres, delivered a special message to General Abdel Fattah outlining the United Nations’ position and its continued commitment to supporting Sudan.

For years, many South Sudanese have lived in Sudan's capital alongside Sudanese citizens since South Sudan's separation in 2011.

According to Sudan, Kenya is planning to host the RSF again in Nairobi, following a previous meeting in February, which the Sudanese government claims was used to promote a “parallel government” by the militia.

Nearly 12.5 million people have been forced from their homes, including over 3.3 million who have fled across borders in search of safety.

On April 11, the RSF and their allied armed groups stormed Zamzam, Sudan's largest displacement camp, which used to host at least 500,000 people near El Fasher, after months of an increasingly tight siege on the area.

The Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group - two years into its conflict with Sudan's army - seized the massive camp in North Darfur a week ago in an attack that the United Nations says left at least 300 people dead and forced 400,000 to flee.

With millions displaced and countless more in dire need of humanitarian support, UNHCR says current aid funding stands at less than 10 per cent of what is required, leaving critical gaps in food, shelter and medical assistance.

An armed conflict erupted in mid-April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces over tensions linked to a planned political transition. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced over 15 million, and left Sudan facing what the United Nations calls one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Khartoum seeks a ruling that would compel the UAE to cease its alleged military support for the RSF and provide reparations for victims, including compensation.

The meeting, which included African and European diplomats, had already drawn criticism from Sudan's military leadership, particularly over the presence of Kenya, the UAE, and Chad — countries Khartoum has accused of supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti.

Senior diplomats and aid officials from the UK, Germany, France, the European Union and the African Union gathered at the one-day conference hosted in London, where they called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

Sudan is now facing the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with half of its 30 million people in urgent need of assistance.

What began as a political power struggle has now shattered lives, decimated infrastructure, and pushed 30.4 million people into urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

The RSF seized control of the camp on Sunday after a four-day assault that the government and aid groups have said left hundreds dead or wounded.

Sudan's foreign minister has written to Lammy to complain, saying Sudan should have been invited, while criticising the presence of the UAE and Kenya.

Mudavadi is expected to reiterate Kenya's official stance supporting "a unified Sudan for the people of Sudan" while rejecting military solutions and advocating for "a Sudanese-owned political process with the supportive role of external actors."

Tens of thousands of camp residents have fled to al-Fashir on foot, overwhelming shelters, and are now sleeping outdoors without food, water, or medicine, SLA spokesperson El-Sadiq Ali El-Nour said on Sunday.

The RSF now controls most of Darfur and parts of southern Sudan, while the army maintains its grip on the north and east, including the recently recaptured capital, Khartoum.

Neighbourhood defence units have emerged in urban areas like El-Gezira in central Sudan, El-Fasher in North Darfur, Al-Dalang in South Kordofan, El-Obeid in North Kordofan, Babanusa in West Kordofan and Khartoum.

The first wave of multiple attacks began on Thursday, according to a release from advocacy group the General Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugees, with the assaults continuing through Friday and Saturday, destroying homes, markets, and healthcare facilities.

Two years of devastating conflict have transformed Sudan into the world’s largest hunger crisis, with nearly half the population, approximately 24.6 million people, now facing acute hunger.

Sudan’s Sovereignty Council confirmed the discussions also covered strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation between Sudan and Eritrea.

After two years of fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, some people are returning to Khartoum after they were forced to flee when war broke out on April 15, 2023 amidst an ongoing power struggle between the army and the RSF ahead of a transition to civilian rule.

The streets, now strewn with debris and remnants of conflict, led him to a structure that was barely standing after two years of fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Sudan's statement singled out several countries invited to the London summit as "complicit" in supporting the RSF's operations, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Chad, and, notably, Kenya.

The RSF has claimed to have downed planes used by the army previously, including a transport plane that came down in northern Darfur in October.

Sudan froze its membership in January 2024, citing perceived bias, particularly from Kenya and Ethiopia.

Despite maintaining its stance on the trade ban, the Sudanese Embassy affirmed its commitment to regional cooperation and dialogue guided by the principles of mutual respect and non-interference.

The RSF leader conceded in an audio message on Telegram that his forces had left the capital last week as the army consolidated its gains.

The conflict between the army and the RSF has unleashed waves of ethnic violence, created what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis

The war has also triggered a massive displacement crisis, with more than 14 million people forced to flee their homes. Many have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, while others remain trapped in dangerous conditions within Sudan.

Tuti island, with its green landscape overlooking the majestic Nile waters, was once one of Sudan's most soothing spots, offering relaxation in a nation with a long history of war.

It also puts hundreds of thousands of people in the western region of Darfur at greater risk of starvation - many of them displaced in previous rounds of conflict.

With the army now re-establishing its position in the capital, it is making a new push to cement its control in the centre of Sudan.

The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, has been allocated the deputy leadership position.

The army had long been on the back foot in a conflict that threatens to partition the country and has caused a humanitarian disaster

Despite Chad's and South Sudan's efforts at mediation, Sudanese military leaders have increasingly accused them of aiding the RSF.

The Sudanese Doctors Network said on X that the RSF carried out "mass executions" of 48 people from the Al-Malha area, while 63 others were injured during the attack.

South Sudan's United Nations peacekeeping chief, Nicholas Haysom, has also said he is concerned the country is "on the brink of relapse into civil war".

UNICEF said the loss of these supplies puts over 2,000 children at risk, worsening an already dire situation for families trapped in conflict.