HERE is a copy of a tweet by US Ambassador to Sudan John Godfrey @USAMBSudan posted 1 Aug 2023 2:28 pm. It says: "Useful meetings yesterday in Cairo with representatives from Sudanese civil society, political coalitions and parties to discuss their efforts to form a broadly representative, inclusive and robust civilian coalition focused on restoring Sudan’s democratic transition in connection with an end to the fighting."
Useful meetings yesterday in Cairo with representatives from Sudanese civil society, political coalitions and parties to discuss their efforts to form a broadly representative, inclusive and robust civilian coalition focused on restoring Sudan’s democratic transition in…
HERE is a copy of Mr Godfrey's previous tweet posted 31 Jul 2023 9:31 pm. It says: "Welcomed the opportunity to visit Egypt to consult with partners on efforts to stop the fighting in Sudan, and to meet in Cairo with a group of Embassy Khartoum locally-engaged staff. Thank you to Egypt for its efforts, including on behalf of Sudanese fleeing the fighting in their country."
Welcomed the opportunity to visit Egypt to consult with partners on efforts to stop the fighting in Sudan, and to meet in Cairo with a group of Embassy Khartoum locally-engaged staff. Thank you to Egypt for its efforts, including on behalf of Sudanese fleeing the fighting in…
HERE is a full copy of a report by Sudan Tribune - sudantribune.com
Published Saturday 05 August 2023
Sudan’s FFC hold consultations with various forces for broad civilian front
August 5, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) have postponed the announcement of their new roadmap to resolve the Sudanese crisis as they consult with additional political parties and armed groups to establish a broad civil front, except the dissolved National Congress Party (NCP).
A member of the FFC Executive Council reiterated that the coalition adopted a new plan to end the ongoing armed conflict and restore a civilian government in Sudan. The move confirms implicitly the abandonment of the Political Framework Agreement of December 5, 2022.
Speaking on a Twitter platform on Saturday, Hassan disclosed that meetings on building an expanded civil front have already commenced with several organizations and national parties.
He emphasized that anyone opposing the war in Sudan is a crucial part of this civil front, but the dissolved party of the former regime cannot be part of the future solution.
The coalition believes that delaying the release of the FFC’s vision will enable further consultation with other civil and political national forces, contributing to the establishment of the civil front.
Last week, Yasir Arman, a prominent member of the pro-democracy alliance, criticized the African Union’s plans to include the banned NCP of Omer al-Bashir in an intra-Sudanese meeting they plan to hold in Addis Ababa on August 25.
Various regional and international plans to resolve the political crisis in Sudan propose halting the fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as well as facilitating a national conference to discuss the democratic transition and the formation of a civilian government.
The FFC spokesperson stated that contacts with the Arab Socialist Baath Party had not ceased even before the outbreak of the war. Additionally, they reached out to the Communist Party and several civil and political forces, along with armed groups, in order to unite the civil front and halt the war.
The FFC official expressed hope that these efforts would yield tangible results soon.
Emphasizing the urgency, Hassan stressed that a permanent ceasefire is a top priority, as it would allow citizens to return to their homes and facilitate humanitarian aid and reconstruction.
Some armed groups including the SLM of Minni Minnawi and the JEM of Girbil Ibrahim refused to join the framework agreement saying they cannot accept to be under a new coalition controlled by the FFC groups.
Neighbouring countries craft plan for ending Sudan’s ongoing conflict
In a meeting held in N’Djamena, the foreign ministers of Sudan’s neighbouring countries on Monday gave their endorsement to a comprehensive plan aimed at bringing an end to the four-month-long conflict within the country.
The two-day gathering of foreign ministers had been convened following a summit of Sudan’s neighbouring leaders last month in Cairo.
Published Tuesday 18 July 2023 - here is a full copy:
Army remarks spark rumours that resumption of Jeddah talks is ‘imminent’
Army general and member of the Sovereignty Council Shamseldin Kabbashi (file photo: SUNA)
KHARTOUM – July 17, 2023
The leadership of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) seems open to mediation initiatives. SAF Commander-in-Chief Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan praised the Saudi Arabia-USA-led mediation efforts in Jeddah and Deputy Commander-in-Chief Lt Gen Shamseldin Kabbashi said that the army is open to ‘any serious initiative’ to stop the war.
El Burhan thanked the governments of Saudi Arabia and the USA for facilitating the negotiation process in the Saudi city of Jeddah and highlighted the importance of the initiative.
Kabbashi told Al Jazeera TV channel on Saturday that the army is “open to any serious initiative to stop the war that guarantees the preservation of national sovereignty”.
He supports a comprehensive political dialogue and noted that the Saudi-American initiative is “advanced”.
The dialogue should lead to the formation of a civilian government to lead the transitional period and prepare for elections.
“The conspiracy against the country is great” and the armed forces are carrying out their constitutional duty, Kabbashi said.
On Saturday, Sudanese government sources reported that government representatives had arrived in Saudi Arabia to resume talks with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
These developments followed a Saudi-US statement, in which the two countries pledged their shared commitment to ending the conflict in Sudan.
In a summit in Egyptian capital Cairo last week, seven of Sudan’s neighbouring countries also agreed on ‘mechanism’ to end the war.
In a visit to Nairobi, Kenya, Egyptian President Abdelfattah El Sisi stated that the summit complements other regional efforts aimed at ending the conflict and moving to peaceful dialogue.
Wide welcome
Within Sudan, Kabbashi statements were welcomed. Maj Gen (Retd) Fadlallah Burma, interim head of the National Umma Party (NUP), praised Kabbashi’s statements as “positive” on Sunday.
He called on the commanders of the warring SAF and RSF to immediately turn to the negotiating table in Jeddah to reach a comprehensive ceasefire and end the war.
NUP Secretary-General El Wasig El Bereir said in a post on Twitter yesterday that Kabbashi’s statements are “a courageous position that contributes to restoring stability in the country”.
‘A courageous position that contributes to restoring stability in the country’
El Wasig El Bereir (NUP)
The head of the Sudanese Congress Party (SCP), Omar El Degeir, also welcomed Kabbashi’s statements and called for an immediate cessation of the war.
Khaled Omar Yousef, another leading member of the SCP and official spokesperson of the political process that saw the signing of the Framework Agreement, said in a post on Twitter that he welcomed Kabbashi’s statements and considered them an important step towards stopping the war.
He expressed his hope that negotiations will resume through the Jeddah platform soon and that Sudanese, international, and regional efforts will be coordinated in a unified negotiating platform.
Mohamed El Faki, former member of the Sovereignty Council and member of the Federal Assembly, said that the statements of General Kabbashi are a step in the right direction.
Criticism
Mubarak El Fadiu, head of a NUP breakaway faction, commented that if El Burhan agrees to return to a truce after the losses it caused to the people, he will have failed the people.
He accused the Biden administration of “seeking to salvage what remains of the RSF” in a post on Twitter.
He stressed that “there should be no negotiations with the RSF, except for their surrender”.
Three-month truce
Journalist and political analyst Abdallah Rizig said that Gen Kabbashi and the RSF have an opportunity to promote a peaceful choice in practice through a ceasefire agreement.
The RSF should, as a first stage, withdraw to its positions before April 15 and the ceasefire should be properly monitored.
Both El Burhan and Hemedti, or their representatives, need to fully follow the roadmap that was agreed upon in the Jeddah platform. Rizig also stressed the need for an explicit declaration from the RSF not to seek to take power through war, as an affirmation of good faith.
Liaison Committee
On Saturday, the RSF formed a liaison committee with political and societal groups and rebel movements in the country.
The committee, set up by RSF Commander Mohamed ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo, is chaired by his adviser Yousef Ezzat and aims to hold “wide-ranging consultations to address the roots of the accumulated national crisis”.
NOTE, This means that Nairobi, Kenya (where UN SRSG Volker Perthes has set up an office :) will begin hosting delegations of politicians, civil society, community-based organisations and opinion leaders to deliberate on returning Sudan to the democratic process. Friendly Kenyans are popular.
Interestingly, Kenya-South Sudan relations arebilateral relations between South Sudan and Kenya. South Sudan is a strategic partner of Kenya in many areas. Both countries have cultural similarities as many people from South Sudan lived in Kenya before independence.
Read more in the report here below.
Photo: When Kenya President William Ruto shook hands with South Sudan President Salva Kiir after he was inaugurated as the 5th president of Kenya at Kasarani Stadium. [PCS]
Igad picks Kenya to spearhead peace, democratic transition in Sudan
Photo: When Malik Agar, deputy leader Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council signs visitors book after he arrived at JKIA on May 28, 2023. [Mwangi Maina, Standard]
Kenya has been picked to spearhead the dialogue between warring factions in Sudan and take the conflict-ridden country towards a democratic political dispensation at the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) summit in Djibouti.
This means that Nairobi will begin hosting delegations of politicians, civil society, community-based organistions and opinion leaders to deliberate on returning Sudan to the democratic process.
During consultations with members of the Igad High-Level Delegation on the ongoing political situation in Sudan, they agreed thatKenya should commence a two-track conflict resolution process in the interim to resolve the current crisis and bring the voice and aspirations of the people of Sudan for a democratic transition in line with the Political Framework Agreement.
"Revitalizing the dialogue towards a democratic political dispensation. As I have indicated from the start Kenya will be honored to facilitate this track. I am confident that the successful implementation of these two tracks will lead to the resumption of the final phase of the political process," said President William Ruto while making his Trilateral proposal on Sudan.
An armed conflict between rival factions of the military government of Sudan began on April 15, when clashes broke out in cities, with the fighting concentrated around the capital city of Khartoum and the Darfur region.
Thousands of people have been killed and many more injured following attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on government sites. Airstrikes, artillery, and gunfire were reported across Sudan including in Khartoum.
RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan "Hemedti" and Sudan's de facto leader and army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan have disputed control of government sites, including the general military headquarters,the Presidential Palace, and Khartoum International Airport.
All the proposals by Kenya were adopted including the declaration of an unconditional ceasefire where Ruto noted that the step was crucial to facilitate a negotiated settlement of the dispute, preventing further loss of life, destruction of property, and damage to critical infrastructure.
The proposal he said will also ensure that the people of Sudan have access to essential public services that are necessary for their well-being.
Other proposals adopted by the Igad special summit include the establishment of a humanitarian demilitarized green zone spanning a radius of thirty 30 to 50 kilometers in Khartoum, to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the victims of the conflict and establish an IGAD-Led mechanism to monitor and provide security for the green zone.
Ruto asked the international community to support this green/demilitarized zone and urged the UN to scale up humanitarian assistance and engage with the people committees on the ground to ensure that aid is effectively targeted and delivered to those who are in dire need of support.
The Kenyan government's proposal that was adopted was to have Southern Sudan President Salva Kiir lead a mediation between the leadership of the SAF and RSF.
"I would propose that President Kiir makes arrangements for the 3 of us to meet with the two Generals, or their representatives, at a convenient place or even virtually, to secure their commitment to peace. In order to secure the entire country, this line of action should build on the Juba process and continue engaging with all armed groups in Sudan to prevent them from becoming spoilers to the process," said Ruto.
Ruto said that the conflict continued unabated with disproportionate humanitarian crises and unprecedented negative spillover effects in our region.
"Until now, the efforts made to halt the war have been unsuccessful. Six ceasefires in total have failed to remain intact. Regrettably, the conflicting parties have not fully embraced and adhered to the ceasefire.
Unfortunately, despite a recent announcement of a 24-hour ceasefire on Friday evening, all indications point to an escalation of the conflict since Saturday, rather than de-escalation," said the President.
Presently, Ruto said,Khartoum was experiencing extensive destruction, as strategic installations are being destroyed and residential properties are being converted into command centres and the civilian population was being forcibly engaged in the war effort.
He noted that it was disturbing that the civilians are also enduring incidents of robbery, rape, physical violation, and even murder which must be condemned, as they go against the laws of war that mandate combatants to safeguard civilians, facilitate humanitarian assistance, and protect strategic and service installations.
"Our region is beginning to feel the effects of the war, which include the displacement of Sudanese citizens and the strain on trade relations and other forms of cooperation. As a result, it is incumbent upon us to take the lead in resolving this crisis. We must stand in solidarity with Sudan and work towards the restoration of peace and the advancement of development for its people," said Ruto.
NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: I'm in love with Cameron Hudson's brain.
I spoke to @cnni last night about the potential for a permanent ceasefire and a mediated settlement. Pardon my scepticism, but there is nothing happening on the ground anywhere in #Sudan that gives me reason to believe the parties are sincere about anything but fighting. pic.twitter.com/I7Px1YiS3q
NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: The international community has condemned the escalation of violence in Sudan's capital Khartoum.
The UN has voiced concern over a possible escalation of tensions in Sudan.
The head of the United Nations mission in Sudan called Saturday for an "immediate" end to fighting between the regular army and paramilitaries.
India and United Kingdom on Saturday advised its citizens in Sudan to stay indoors amid heavy firing in Sudan.
Egypt also urged all Sudanese parties to protect the lives of the citizens and prioritise the higher interests of their nation.
Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said it is checking up on Jordanians residing in Sudan following the ongoing security developments.
United Arab Emirates has called for restraint.
Saudi Arabia’s airline Saudia has announced suspending all flights to and from Sudan until further notice.
Flydubai has cancelled flights to Sudan due to the current situation in the country.
Sudan situation is ‘fragile’ says the US secretary of state Antony Blinken.
Here is a snapshot of some fast-moving news published online today.
Sudan mounts air strikes as Khartoum clashes escalate
Summary
Gunfire and explosions are heard in the Sudanese capital Khartoum as a power struggle between the country's army and paramilitaries escalates
Tensions have increased between the government and the powerful Rapid Support Forces in recent days
Reports suggest Khartoum's airport is under the control of the RSF and gunfire has been heard in the northern city of Merowe, Reuters reported
Sudanese groups and the ruling military junta failed to reach an agreement last week over transitioning to a civilian-led government
One of the issues holding up a deal is integrating the Rapid Support Forces with the army
A power struggle between Sudan's army and paramilitaries has seen fighting erupt between armed factions in the capital Khartoum and other cities
The RSF claims to be in control of key sites in the capital but the army insists it remains in control
The African Union, leading Arab states and the US have called for an end to the fighting and a resumption of talks aimed at restoring a civilian government
Sudanese groups and the ruling military junta failed to reach an agreement last week on a handover of power
Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
Sudan’s army and rival force clash, wider conflict feared
KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — Fierce clashes between Sudan’s military and the country’s powerful paramilitary force erupted Saturday in the capital and elsewhere in the African nation, raising fears of a wider conflict in the chaos-stricken country.
In Khartoum, the sound of heavy firing could be heard in a number of areas, including the city center and the neighborhood of Bahri.
In a series of statements, the Rapid Support Forces militia accused the army of attacking its forces at one of its bases in south Khartoum.
They claimed they seized the city’s airport and “completely controlled” Khartoum’s Republican Palace, the seat of the country’s presidency.
The group also said it seized an airport and air base in the northern city of Merowe some 350 kilometers (215 miles) northwest of Khartoum. The Associated Press was unable to verify those claims.
The Sudanese army said fighting broke out after RSF troops tried to attack its forces in the southern part of the capital, accusing the group of trying to take control of strategic locations in Khartoum, including the palace.
The military also declared the RSF a rebel force and described the paramilitary’s statements as “lies.”
A military official told the AP that fighter jets took off from a military base north of Omdurman and attacked the RSF’s positions in and around Khartoum. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.
The clashes came as tensions between the military and the RSF have escalated in recent months, forcing a delay in the signing of an internationally backed deal with political parties to revive the country’s democratic transition.
Saudi Arabia’s national airline said one of its Airbus A330s was involved in “an accident” after video showed it on fire on the tarmac at Khartoum International Airport amid the fighting.
Saudia said in a statement Saturday that all its flights were suspended after the incident. It did not elaborate on the cause of the “accident” though it appeared the aircraft got caught in the crossfire of the Rapid Support Forces and Sudanese soldiers fighting around the airfield.
Another plane also appeared to have caught fire in the attack. Flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 identified it as a SkyUp Airlines 737. SkyUp is a Kyiv, Ukraine-based airline. It did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Other commercial aircraft trying to land at the airport began turning around to head back to their originating airport.
Tensions between the army and the paramilitary stem from a disagreement over how the RSF, headed by Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, should be integrated into the military and what authority should oversee the process.
The merger is a key condition of Sudan’s unsigned transition agreement.
However, the army-RSF rivalry dates back to the rule of autocratic former president Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted in 2019.
Under al-Bashir, the paramilitary force grew out of former militias known as janjaweed that carried out a brutal crackdown in Sudan’s Darfur region during the decades of conflict there.
In a rare televised speech Thursday, a top army general warned of potential clashes with paramilitary forces, accusing it of deploying forces in Khartoum and other areas of Sudan without the army’s consent.
The RSF defended the presence of its forces in an earlier statement.
The RSF recently deployed troops near Merowe. Also, videos that circulated on social media Thursday showed what appeared to be RSF-armed vehicles being transported into Khartoum, farther to the south.
According to a statement issued by the Sudan Doctors Committee — a part of the country’s pro-democracy movement — clashes have led to ”varying injuries.”
The military also said the fighting resulted in a number of casualties but provided no further details.
The U.S. Ambassador to Sudan, John Godfrey, wrote online that he was “currently sheltering in place with the Embassy team, as Sudanese throughout Khartoum and elsewhere are doing.”
“Escalation of tensions within the military component to direct fighting is extremely dangerous,” Godfrey wrote. “I urgently call on senior military leaders to stop the fighting.”
In Saturday’s statement, the RSF said it was contacted by three former rebel leaders who hold government positions in an apparent bid to de-escalate the conflict.
In a joint statement, civilian signatories to December’s framework agreement also called for an immediate de-escalation. “We call on the leadership of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to stop hostilities immediately,” it said.
Sudan has been marred in turmoil since October 2021, when a coup overthrew a Western-back government, dashing Sudanese aspirations for democratic rule after three decades of autocracy and repression under Islamist ruler Omar al-Bashir.
Smoke is seen rising from a neighborhood in Khartoum, Sudan, Saturday, April 15, 2023. Fierce clashes between Sudan’s military and the country’s powerful paramilitary erupted in the capital and elsewhere in the African nation after weeks of escalating tensions between the two forces. The fighting raised fears of a wider conflict in the chaos-stricken nation. (AP Photos/Marwan Ali)
Khartoum (AFP) – Air strikes and artillery exchanges rocked the Sudanese capital Saturday as paramilitaries and the regular army traded attacks on each other's bases, days after the army warned the country was at a "dangerous" turning point.
The paramilitaries said they were in control of the presidential place as well as Khartoum airport, claims denied by the army, as civilian leaders called for an immediate ceasefire to prevent the country's "total collapse".
The doctors' union said three civilians had been killed, including at Khartoum airport and in North Kordofan state, and at least nine others wounded.
The eruption of violence came after weeks of deepening tensions between military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his number two, paramilitary commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, over the planned integration of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) into the regular army.
The army said it had carried out air strikes against RSF bases in Khartoum. "The Sudanese air force destroyed Tiba and Soba camps," it said in a statement.
Military leader Burhan has been at loggerheads with his number two, the RSF commander, over talks to finalise a deal to return the country to civilian rule and end the crisis sparked by their 2021 coup.
The RSF said its forces had taken control of Khartoum airport, after witnesses reported seeing truckloads of fighters entering the airport compound, as well as the presidential palace and other key sites.
Its claims were quickly denied by the army, who said the airport and other bases remain under their "full control", publishing a photograph of black smoke billowing from what it said was the RSF headquarters.
The army also accused the paramilitaries of burning civilian airliners at the airport, and Saudi flag carrier Saudia said it had suspended all flights to and from Sudan until further notice after one of its Airbus A330 planes "was involved in an accident".
RSF chief Daglo vowed no let-up. "We will not stop fighting until we capture all the army bases and the honourable members of the armed forces join us," he told Al Jazeera.
'Sweeping attack'
Created in 2013, the RSF emerged from the Janjaweed militia that then president Omar al-Bashir unleashed against non-Arab ethnic minorities in the western Darfur region a decade earlier, drawing accusations of war crimes.
A plan to integrate the RSF into the regular army is one of the key points of contention, analysts have said.
Eleventh-hour haggling between the two men has twice forced postponement of the signing of an agreement with civilian factions setting out a roadmap for the transition.
Witnesses also reported clashes around the state media building in Khartoum's sister city Omdurman, as well near Burhan's residence and in Khartoum North.
Outside the capital, witness Eissa Adam said explosions and gunfire had been heard across the North Darfur state capital of El Fasher, where civilians were hunkered down inside their homes.
The two sides traded blame for starting the fighting.
The RSF said they were "surprised Saturday with a large force from the army entering camps", reporting a "sweeping attack with all kinds of heavy and light weapons".
Army spokesman Brigadier General Nabil Abdallah said the paramilitaries launched the fighting, attacking "several army camps in Khartoum and elsewhere around Sudan".
"Clashes are ongoing and the army is carrying out its duty to safeguard the country", he added.
'Slipping into abyss'
The military's civilian interlocutors called on both sides "to immediately cease hostilities and spare the country slipping into the abyss of total collapse."
Their plea was echoed by US ambassador John Godfrey, who tweeted that he "woke up to the deeply disturbing sounds of gunfire and fighting" and was "currently sheltering in place with the embassy team, as Sudanese throughout Khartoum and elsewhere are doing".
"Escalation of tensions within the military component to direct fighting is extremely dangerous. I urgently call on senior military leaders to stop the fighting," he said.
The head of the United Nations mission in Sudan Volker Perthes called for an "immediate" ceasefire.
"Perthes has reached out to both parties asking them for an immediate cessation of fighting to ensure the safety of the Sudanese people and to spare the country from further violence," the UN mission said.
Western governments had been warning of the dangers of all-out fighting between the rival security forces since the army issued its warning to the paramilitaries on Thursday.
In recent months, Daglo has said the 2021 coup was a "mistake" that failed to bring about change in Sudan and reinvigorated remnants of Bashir's regime, which was ousted by the army in 2019 following month of mass protests.
Burhan, a career soldier from northern Sudan who rose the ranks under Bashir's three-decade rule, maintained that the coup was "necessary" to bring more groups into the political process.
The central African country of Chad has closed its 872-mile (1,403 km) eastern border with Sudan "until further notice", Reuters news agency reports.
"Chad appeals to the regional and international community as well as to all friendly countries to prioritise a return to peace," the government said in a statement.
