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Siege In Sudan’s El Fasher: 782 Dead, 1,143 Injured, Says UN

December 21, 2024, 1:03 am

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported that the ongoing siege in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State in Sudan, has resulted in the deaths of 782 civilians and left over 1,143 injured. The report, published on Friday, paints a grim picture of indiscriminate attacks and a dire humanitarian crisis.

Thousands of civilians remain besieged in the city without safe passage, facing continuous shelling, airstrikes, and artillery fire from all parties involved in the conflict.

UN Calls for an End to the Siege

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk condemned the situation, urging the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to lift the siege immediately.

“The continuing siege of El Fasher and the relentless fighting are devastating lives every day on a massive scale. This alarming situation cannot continue,” Turk stated.

Conflict Between RSF and SAF

For seven months, El Fasher has been a battleground between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), supported by allied groups such as the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement.

The OHCHR report highlights the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, raising concerns about violations of international law and potential war crimes.

Civilian Suffering in Escalating Violence

Key findings from the report include:

Intense Shelling: RSF and SAF forces engaged in heavy exchanges of fire in civilian areas, killing dozens in June.
Attacks on Homes and Markets: Civilians were targeted in their homes and markets, with widespread looting.
Hospital Damage: Al-Saudi Maternity Hospital, the only public hospital still operational in El Fasher, has been repeatedly shelled.
Displacement Camp Attacks: Internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, including Zamzam and Abu Shouk, have faced RSF shelling, leaving 15 displaced people dead in Zamzam alone.

Warnings of Further Hostilities

The report warns that escalating mobilization along tribal lines and increased military presence in camps like Zamzam signal preparations for further conflict.

“Any large-scale attack on Zamzam camp and El Fasher city will catapult civilian suffering to catastrophic levels, deepening the already dire humanitarian situation,” Turk cautioned.

Calls for Immediate Action

The UN has called for:

An immediate cessation of hostilities.
Compliance with international law by all parties to the conflict.
Good-faith participation in mediation efforts.
Increased international efforts to prevent further escalation.

The OHCHR emphasized that failure to act would worsen the humanitarian crisis, risking famine and catastrophic civilian suffering.

Operation Kaveri: IAF flight with 47 passengers onboard lands in India

May 5, 2023, 2:22 pm

An Indian Air Force flight carrying 47 passengers onboard has landed in India, taking the toll of evacuees to 3862 persons under Operation Kaveri, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday.

“An Indian Air Force C130 J flight carrying 47 passengers has landed in India. With this arrival, 3862 persons have been moved out of Sudan through #OperationKaveri,” the EAM tweeted.

The EAM said that it was because of the commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the safety of all Indians in Sudan that led to this complex exercise.
Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, “Prime Minister @narendramodi’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all Indians abroad was our inspiration. Moving passengers to Port Sudan from various locations across the country in precarious security circumstances was a complex exercise.”

The aircraft that brought back 47 Indian evacuees from Jeddah to Delhi took off earlier this morning.
“IAF C-130J aircraft with 47 evacuees from Sudan is on its way to Delhi from Jeddah Nearly 3800 persons have now been rescued from Sudan under #OperationKaveri,” the MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted and informed about the same.Earlier today, a group of 9 stranded Indian evacuees from Sudan landed in Mumbai from Jeddah. After returning from the crisis-hit country, evacuees expressed their happiness.
Salim, who returned to India, said, “I went to meet my relatives. I was stuck in Sudan for about 20 days. When I contacted the embassy there, they served me very well and quickly.”

Meanwhile, Mubarak, another evacuee that returned to Mumbai said that the Indian embassy in Sudan has helped him a lot. “The Indian Embassy arranged food and gave shelter in its office. The Embassy also gave the bus service to go to Port Sudan,” he added.

Sudan: Despite ceasefire, intense fighting continues, over 500 dead

May 1, 2023, 3:06 pm

Sudan’s rival military forces accused each other of new ceasefire violations on Sunday, as their deadly conflict raged on for a third week despite warnings of a civil war.

Since a long-simmering power struggle between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into conflict on 15 April, hundreds of people have died and thousands have been injured.

The fighting escalated even as both sides agreed to extend the cease-fire agreement for another 72 hours. According to the RSF, the ceasefire has been extended “in response to international, regional, and local calls.”

The army claimed that the “rebels” intended to continue their attacks. The parties have continued to fight despite a series of ceasefires negotiated by mediators, including the United States.

The situation in Khartoum, where the army has been fighting RSF forces entrenched in residential areas, was relatively calm on Sunday morning, according to a Reuters journalist, after heavy clashes were reported near the city center on Saturday evening.

The army claimed to have destroyed RSF convoys heading west towards Khartoum. According to the RSF, the army attacked its positions in Khartoum province with artillery and warplanes.

On Saturday, the army announced that the Central Reserve Police had begun to deploy in southern Khartoum and would be gradually deployed in other areas of the capital.

Meanwhile, Sudan’s police reported that a force had been deployed to protect looted markets and property. The RSF warned it not to get involved in fighting.

Operation Kaveri: 229 more Indians leave Jeddah in Bengaluru-bound flight

April 30, 2023, 1:31 pm

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, 229 more Indians rescued from Sudan have left Jeddah on a Bengaluru-bound flight on Sunday as part of Operation Kaveri.

An official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi took to Twitter and revealed the news. Bagchi said in his tweet “#OperationKaveri bringing citizens back home. Destined for Bengaluru, 7th outbound flight carrying 229 passengers departs from Jeddah.”

Under Operation Kaveri, 365 Indians from Sudan arrived in New Delhi on Saturday evening, while a flight carrying 231 Indian passengers arrived in the national capital on Saturday morning. As Sudan declares a cease-fire, several countries, including India, attempt to evacuate their citizens from the conflict-torn country.

362 Indian evacuees from Jeddah depart for Bengaluru

April 28, 2023, 1:21 pm

In the course of Operation Kaveri, a group of 362 Indians flew out of Sudan aboard a flight bound for Bengaluru on Friday in the presence of Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan.

“Bon voyage! Delighted to see off 362 Indians evacuated from Sudan on a flight bound for Bengaluru from Jeddah. Good number of these are from Hakki Pikki tribe,” tweeted Muraleedharan. About 31 tribals (Hakki Pikki) from Karnataka were stranded in the African country amid the violence between Sudan’s military and the country’s main paramilitary force.

Meanwhile, 392 Indian nationals are returning to Delhi from Jeddah on IAF C17 Globemaster after evacuation from Sudan.

“Glad to see happy and energetic faces of 392 of our nationals returning to Delhi from Jeddah on IAF C17 Globemaster after evacuation from Sudan. Saw them off at the aircraft. They will be with their beloved ones in India soon. #OperationKaveri,” tweeted Muraledharan.According to the MoS, the ninth batch of 135 Indians nationals were evacuated from Port Sudan to Jeddah by IAF C 130 J.

Earlier, the tenth batch of 326 Indian evacuees from Sudan reached Jeddah by INS Tarkash.IAF C-130J flight on Friday evacuated the 10th batch of 135 Indian passengers from Port Sudan to Jeddah after the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) agreed to extend their ceasefire amid ongoing violence in the capital Khartoum and the western Darfur region.

“#OperationKaveri progresses further. 10th batch of evacuees with 135 passengers onboard IAF C-130J flight departs Port Sudan for Jeddah,” tweeted the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi.

Operation Kaveri: 128 Indians evacuated from Sudan, arrive in Saudi Arabia

April 27, 2023, 11:48 am

As many as 128 Indian nationals evacuated from conflict-torn Sudan arrived in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah on Thursday aboard an Indian Air Force C-130J jet as part of “Operation Kaveri,” according to Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan. Muraleedharan and other officials welcomed Indian nationals in Jeddah. “Another IAF C-130J flight under #OperationKaveri arrived in Jeddah with 128 Indians, the fourth aircraft from Sudan,” Muraleedharan tweeted. Efforts are being made to guarantee that all Indians who have arrived in Jeddah are returned to India as soon as possible.”
Muraleedharan indicated that attempts are being made to quickly return Indian people who have arrived in Jeddah to India. He shared a video of Indian nationals disembarking from an aircraft at Jeddah. Earlier, Arindam Bagchi, official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, tweeted, “The 4th IAF C-130J flight departs from Port Sudan for Jeddah with 128 passengers.” This is the sixth group of Indians evacuated from Sudan as part of #OperationKaveri, bringing the total to nearly 1100.”
India has begun ‘Operation Kaveri’ to return Indians who have become stuck in conflict-torn Sudan. Earlier, the third IAF C-130J arrived in Jeddah from Port Sudan. “Third IAF C-130J from Port Sudan arrives in Jeddah, glad to welcome 136 Indians on board,” V Muraleedharan tweeted. #OperationKaveri will continue till all Indians who want to return home are rescued. “Earlier in the day, the first aeroplane carrying Indian people fleeing turmoil in Sudan touched down in the national capital. They yelled ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, ‘Indian Army Zindabad,’ and ‘PM Narendra Modi Zindabad’ as they arrived in Delhi from Sudan.
The aircraft from Jeddah to New Delhi, carrying 360 Indians, took off earlier on Wednesday. “Happy to see off 360 Indians at Jeddah Airport in a flight bound for New Delhi,” V Muraleedharan tweeted. They will soon return to their homeland to reunite with their families. The government is working tirelessly under #OperationKaveri to rescue Indian people from Sudan and return them safely. Conflicts between the army and paramilitary forces have resulted in bloodshed in Sudan. Despite a 72-hour ceasefire and reports of bloodshed, India has sent military planes and warships to rescue Indians from the North African country.
Surender Singh Yadav, an Indian national who recently returned from Sudan said, “I went there for an IT project and got stuck there.” The embassy and the government were also quite helpful. In Jeddah, approximately 1000 individuals are present. The government is coordinating a quick evacuation.”
The Indians were overjoyed when the special flight transporting 360 Indian evacuees from Sudan landed in Delhi from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

‘Appreciate India’s response, in evacuation inspite of sensitive situation’: Sudanese Envoy

April 26, 2023, 4:06 pm

Abdalla Omer Bashir Elhusain, the ambassador of Sudan to India, described the continuing situation in Sudan as “sensitive,” and he welcomed India’s response and swift action to bring back its stranded residents in Sudan after the violence began in the country.

“The evacuation process which started a couple of days ago, has been going successfully till now. We took advantage of the ceasefire for the last few days, and most of the diplomatic missions, including the European Union, the US, France, and Jordan, have been evacuated. Yesterday, the evacuation of the Indian citizens have started, and actually, we have been working closely with the Ministry of External Affairs in India to arrange and coordinate this operation.

The estimated Indian citizens in Sudan is around 3000,” said the Sudanese Envoy . He also said, “The evacuation operation started from Port Sudan. A number of estimated between 300-500 Indian citizens have been evacuated by ship and other evacuation processes are going on. The evacuation process is a very sensitive process due to the political situation, due to the violation of the ceasefire. Due to the distance between Khartoum and Port Sudan, where most of the Indian citizens are staying, which is almost 1000 kilometres, they will have to go by road. So, it is very clear and obvious that this needs a lot of arrangements and coordination. We provided security and protection for the convoy from Khartoum towards Sudan. Hopefully, this operation will continue until all Indian citizens come back safe to their homes and to their families.”

Operation Kaveri was launched by India to evacuate Indians stranded in Sudan where the Sudanese Army and paramilitary groups are fighting. Indian Navy has also joined Operation Kaveri with INS Teg arriving at Port Sudan on Tuesday with additional officials and essential relief materials.

“I think I will appreciate and impressed about the response of the reaction of the Indian authorities and especially the people in Ministry of External Affairs. I have been working closely 24 hours a day and we really did a good job in coordinating cooperation, providing necessary permits for aircraft, for ships to fly and to land in Sudan and to bring back Indian citizens,” he added.

Speaking about the current situation, the Sudanese envoy said that there are still violations from the rebel side but the ceasefire is holding better than the previous ones.
“As regards to the current situation on the ground, I think the most important development is that now we’re witnessing the fourth ceasefire. The last three ceasefires were not so successful. But the fourth one, which is going through right now is holding on the ground relatively. I mean, there are still violations from the rebel side. But the ceasefire is holding better than the previous ones,” the Sudanese envoy said.

“I think it is understood that during such a situation of insecurity, of clashes, one of the most scary things, for example, is to bring our people from the shelter to the port of evacuation, in the airport or Port Sudan. So, it is really a very challenging operation, the evacuation of civilians during this time of uncertainty of clashes, it is very sensitive and in my understanding, the volume of problems we faced during this operation, relatively is reasonable”, he added.

Indians safely evacuated from Sudan, Jaishankar’s call to Saudi counterpart

April 23, 2023, 11:18 am

Some Indian nationals were evacuated among 66 citizens from 12 nations from the conflict-hit Sudan to Saudi Arabia. The evacuation occurred just days after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with his Saudi counterpart, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over a high-level conference to discuss Sudan’s security situation on Friday.

In a statement, the Saudi Arabia ministry confirmed the “safe arrival” of 91 Saudi citizens and about 66 nationals from the following countries: Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, India, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Canada, and Burkina Faso. Sudan is experiencing bloodshed as a result of clashes between the army and paramilitary forces. Even though there is a 72-hour ceasefire, there have been allegations of violence.
“We are pleased to announce the safe arrival of citizens of the Kingdom who were evacuated from the Republic of Sudan, as well as several nationals of brotherly and friendly countries, including diplomats and international officials, who arrived in an evacuation operation carried out by the Royal Saudi Naval Forces with the support of various branches of the armed forces,” the statement said.
On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a high-level meeting via video conference to assess the security situation in Sudan. During the discussion, Prime Minister Modi examined the most recent developments in Sudan and heard an on-the-ground assessment, with a particular emphasis on the safety of approximately 3,000 Indian citizens now located around the country.
The Prime Minister conveyed his sympathies on the death of an Indian national who was killed by a stray bullet last week.
Prime Minister Modi directed that all necessary officials be attentive, closely monitoring developments and continuously assessing the safety of Indian nationals in Sudan and offering all available aid to them. The Prime Minister also directed the development of contingency evacuation plans, taking into account the quickly changing security picture and the viability of various options. Earlier, Jaishankar had a meeting on April 20 met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York and discussed the developments in Sudan.
“We had a very good meeting. Most of our meeting was on the Sudan situation. We also discussed the G20, and Ukraine conflict, but essentially it was about Sudan,” Jaishankar told ANI.
Jaishankar said that the Indian government is in continuous touch with its citizens stuck in Sudan.
“Our team in Delhi is in continuous touch with the Indians in Sudan, advising them, saying we know it’s very difficult for everybody but keep calm and don’t take unnecessary risk. I hope that the efforts will yield something very soon,” the EAM said.
Fighting has been raging between forces loyal to Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict began in 2021, when a coup between Sudan’s military chief and his deputy on the ruling council erupted, destabilising a plan for a civilian democracy following the demise of longstanding dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019. Elections were scheduled to take place by the end of 2023.

Sudan army agrees to assist evacuation of foreign nationals

April 22, 2023, 7:46 pm

According to CNN, there is hope that after a week of fighting, the evacuation of foreign nationals from Sudan may now be feasible after both rival parties vying for control of Sudan indicated they are ready to do so.

In a recent statement, the Sudanese army said it had agreed to help evacuate residents and diplomats from a number of countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and China. According to the announcement, evacuations are anticipated to start “within the coming hours,” CNN reported on Saturday.

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said on Friday that they were prepared to partially reopen all airports in Sudan to aviation traffic in order to permit nations to evacuate their citizens. Last Saturday, intense combat broke out in Sudan between the paramilitary RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), under the command of General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan.

Although they had been collaborators in the past, tensions arose as a result of discussions about integrating the RSF into the military as part of efforts to restore a civilian administration.

Fighting continued in Khartoum on Friday, even though the Sudanese army said it had reached an understanding with the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for a three-day ceasefire to allow civilians to observe the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr. The RSF announced earlier in the day that a 72-hour ceasefire had been reached in observance of Eid.

Jaishankar discusses ‘concerning situation in sudan’ with egyptian counterpart

April 20, 2023, 3:45 pm

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday discussed the “concerning situation in Sudan” with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.

“Discussed the concerning situation in Sudan just now with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. Deeply value his assessments and insights, as also his very helpful attitude.Meanwhile, the fighting continued for a sixth day in Khartoum as the second attempt at a ceasefire broke down. The rival paramilitary RSF and the regular army both released statements accusing the other of breaking the ceasefire. According to the army’s top leadership, actions to secure the capital and other areas will continue, reported Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese army said that 177 Egyptian soldiers captured by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the northern city of Merowe were evacuated on Wednesday back to Egypt, reported al Jazeera. The soldiers were flown out of Sudan on four Egyptian military transport planes.Cairo and Khartoum have been increasingly deepening their military ties, with their armies signing a military cooperation agreement in March 2021 that covered training and border security.

There have been violent clashes in Sudan for nearly six days between the country’s army and a paramilitary group over a proposed timeline for handing over power to a civilian government.Nearly 300 people have been killed in the past five days, according to the UN health agency. Thousands of people have fled Khartoum for safety, reported Al Jazeera.
As many as 70 per cent of the hospitals in Khartoum and neighbouring states have been rendered “out of service” due to the fighting, according to the Sudanese Doctor’s Union.

In a statement posted on Facebook on Wednesday, Sudan’s health ministry said 16 hospitals were forced to close in Khartoum state and warned the health system is “facing a complete collapse” if the conflict continues.
Dozens of Sudanese students trapped for days by fighting near the University of Khartoum have escaped with the help of Sudan’s army – by crawling through a hole punched in the campus wall, as the sound of explosions and gunfire was heard nearby, reported Al Jazeera.

Sudan crisis: Death toll rises to 97 as fighting continues

April 17, 2023, 2:00 pm

The death toll has gone over 97 in the fierce fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as per the Washington Post, which cites the Sudanese Doctors Union.

As of early today, 97 civilians had perished in the ongoing battle and more than 600 had been injured.

A hospital in the southern part of the capital was hit by stray artillery on Monday morning, the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors reported, causing “a state of terror and panic,” but no injuries were reported among the personnel or patients.

Eyewitnesses in the capital city of Khartoum told a leading news channel that fighting violence intensified after Sunday morning prayers and continued into the night with loud noises and explosions. Battles reportedly have been taking place hundreds of kilometres away in the eastern city of Port Sudan.

The armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been competing for power as political factions negotiate the formation of a transitional government after a 2021 military coup. The RSF, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, and the military, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, disagree about how the paramilitary force should be integrated into the armed forces and who should be in charge of overseeing that process.

The military, 18 months after its coup, has pledged to hand over power this month to a civilian-led administration. However, the conflict between General Al-Burhan and General Hamdan, also known as Hemeti, has dominated the process.

The two generals are not ready to leave any stone unturned in criticising each other over the last few months; they have sent armoured vehicles, arms, and ammunition to resist against each other.

Meanwhile, three United Nations World Food Programme staff members died on Saturday, and following the casualties in the clash, the UN agency has temporarily stopped all operations.