♦ Sudan: This week’s news in brief ♦

A compact digest of the past week’s most-read highlights, from the heart of Sudan. Subscribe to receive this digest weekly in your inbox.

Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan and Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok signed a political agreement on November 21 (SUNA)

A compact digest of the past week's most-read highlights, from the heart of Sudan. Subscribe to receive this digest weekly in your inbox.


Sudan analyst: El Burhan-Hamdok agreement ‘an intermediate stage to avoid bloodshed, international isolation’ 

December 8 – 2021 DABANGA SUDAN The controversial political agreement signed on November 21 by Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, leader of the military junta that seized power in Sudan in a coup d’état on October 25, and Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok is “an intermediate stage that allows avoiding the worst effects of the coup, including bloodshed, international isolation, and Sudan’s return to its former pariah status in the international community”.

US-based Sudanese analyst in African affairs and a specialist in conflict areas Dr Suliman Baldo explained this in an extensive interview with Radio Dabanga about the October 25 coup, its repercussions, and expected scenarios, the first part of which will be broadcast today. Dr Baldo explained that the El Burhan-Hamdok agreement has a very specific/limited mission in this aspect. Its only condition is that the civilian Council of Ministers enjoy full executive powers according to what is stipulated in this framework. “Otherwise,” Baldo says, “the PM has no choice but to resign, together with his ministerial staff”. 


At least 138 have died in ongoing West Darfur attacks while Jebel Moon leaders sign non-aggression pledge

December 10 – 2021 JEBEL MOON / KEREINIK / SIRBA / EL GENEINA / EL FASHER At least 138 have now died in the violence that erupted in West Darfur recently. Leaders of Arab tribes and the Misseriya tribe signed a non-aggression pledge concerning the conflict in Jebel Moon, which has cost the lives of at least 42. Attacks continued in other areas.

The West Darfur Doctors Committee reported that new attacks on villages in Jebel Moon on Wednesday led to more deaths and injured, property losses, and the burning of villages. “These tragedies are added to the massacres sweeping the region, especially West Darfur, in the absence of any indication of the government’s desire to protect the lives and property of civilians, and the complete inability to take any step to impose the Rule of Law. The state has left millions of civilians facing their unknown fate, burying dozens of their relatives. Some of them are in mass graves, awaiting the toll of tomorrow's victims,” the committee's statement read.


Tens of thousands of Sudanese again demonstrate against military rule
December 14 – 2021 KHARTOUM / ED DAMAZIN / WASHINGTON DC On Monday, tens of thousands of Sudanese took to the streets again to participate in the Marches of the Millions in Khartoum and other cities in the country, denouncing the October 25 coup and calling for a civilian government. 
 
200 now confirmed dead in West Darfur attacks
December 13 – 2021 EL GENEINA / WADI SALIH The number of people confirmed to have died in attacks on villages in West Darfur on Friday has reached 200, according to testimonies of native administration leaders. On Friday, the area of Jaflo, north-east of Azerni in Kereinik locality in West Darfur, witnessed an attack by gunmen, killing of six villagers and wounding of seven others.
 
South Kordofan tribal tensions: Farmer killed, cattle stolen
December 12 – 2021 DALAMI / KOLOGI A villager was killed in Dalami in the Nuba Mountains, South Kordofan, on Friday. On Thursday, about 150 cows were stolen near Kologi, against the background of tribal tensions over water resources.
 
UNITAMS head: ‘Restoring lost trust a major challenge in Sudan’
December 11 – 2021 NEW YORK Restoring deepening mistrust between Sudan’s military and civilian components will be a challenge as the country moves forward, Volker Perthes, the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations for Sudan and head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), told the UN Security Council.
 
Sudanese with disabilities demonstrate against the military coup
December 10 – 2021 KHARTOUM / OMDURMAN / PORT SUDAN Sudanese with disabilities organised demonstrations in Khartoum and other cities to reject the military coup and the political agreement and to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities that took place last week. More demonstrations took place in the country.
 
Renewed attacks on Darfur villages leave 25 dead, thousands displaced
December 9 – 2021 JEBEL MOON / KEREINIK / EL FASHER At least 21 people were killed and six others were wounded yesterday in attacks on villages in Jebel Moon in West Darfur. Thousands fled their homes. In North Darfur, four people died in raids on a number of villages near the state capital El Fasher on Tuesday.
 
Sudan analyst: Three scenarios for post-coup Sudan
December 9 – 2021 DABANGA SUDAN Following the military coup and the signing of the political agreement, Sudan faces three possible scenarios, namely a continuation of military rule, a restoration of the civilian-led transition, or a complete collapse of the state, according to US-based Sudanese analyst in African affairs and a specialist in conflict areas Dr Suliman Baldo.
 
UNITAMS head to report to UN Security Council on Sudan
December 8 – 2021 KHARTOUM The Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations for Sudan and head of UNITAMS, Volker Perthes, says that he will travel to New York to present a report to the UN Security Council on the situation in Sudan.
 
Five killed, two girls raped as insecurity continues in North Darfur
December 8 – 2021 EL FASHER / SHANGIL TOBAYA / TAWILA At least five people were killed and two girls were gang-raped in separate incidents in the area south of El Fasher, capital of North Darfur. A new joint task force was formed to contain the growing violence in Darfur.