All articles tagged with #rsf
The New York Times reports that Trump told UAE leader MBZ that Saudi Arabia asked him to sanction the UAE for backing Sudan’s RSF, a claim linked to Saudi lobbying after a White House visit; Riyadh now leans toward the Sudanese army in the conflict, while the US has already targeted RSF commanders with sanctions.
The UN Security Council imposed sanctions on four RSF leaders linked to atrocities in el-Fasher, Darfur, after a UN fact-finding mission described the October takeover as genocide; the RSF and its backers deny systematic abuses and say they evacuated hundreds of thousands of civilians, while the broader Sudanese war between the RSF and the army continues to cause massive displacement and humanitarian crisis.
Drone strikes have moved the Sudanese civil war’s focus to south-central Kordofan, where near-daily attacks on markets, health facilities and homes are driving mass displacement and famine-like conditions in besieged Kadugli and Dilling. The Sudanese armed forces have regained some ground and broken sieges, while the RSF—with SPLM-N and various regional backers—keeps pressure elsewhere. The UN and humanitarian groups are pleading for civilian protection amid growing concerns of a broader regional spillover and continued hardship for civilians.
Chad closed its eastern border with Sudan until further notice to prevent the conflict from spreading after fighting near al‑Tina, saying exceptions may be granted for humanitarian reasons. The move comes as almost a million Sudanese have crossed into Chad since 2023, with casualties reported in border clashes; Chad denies aiding the RSF and warns it may retaliate against aggression.
Chad closed its eastern border with Sudan after weekend clashes in the town of Tine killed five Chadian soldiers and three civilians, with authorities saying the border will stay closed until further notice to prevent spillover and protect civilians and refugees as more troops are deployed to the frontier.
Sudan condemned Uganda for hosting RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and meeting with President Museveni, saying the move violates international law and is an affront to humanity, as the RSF and the Sudanese army wage a brutal conflict with atrocities and genocide accusations, while regional mediation continues.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a lengthy complaint to UAE national security adviser Tahnoon bin Zayed, accusing Abu Dhabi of backing Yemen’s RSF and supporting Sudan’s civil war in ways Riyadh cannot tolerate, while offering mediation through Khalid bin Salman. The letter, which framed Yemen as a Saudi sphere of influence and stressed national security, underscores a growing rift with the UAE even as the two sides describe their ties as brotherly and seek behind‑the‑scenes mediation in Washington.
UN-backed human rights experts say the RSF’s October siege of el-Fasher in Darfur shows hallmarks of genocide, citing ethnically targeted killings, sexual violence, and destruction aimed at non-Arab communities such as the Zaghawa and Fur. The report estimates thousands killed and many more displaced, and calls for accountability and civilian protection.
The United Nations says more than 6,000 people were killed over three days during the RSF’s offensive to capture el-Fasher in Darfur, including mass killings, sexual violence, abductions, and detentions; the toll inside the city includes about 4,400 killed between Oct. 25–27 and another 1,600 fleeing, with overall figures likely higher, prompting calls for accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
According to a UN rights office report, more than 6,000 people were killed in three days when Sudan's RSF seized El-Fasher in Darfur last year, with evidence of mass killings, executions, torture, abductions and sexual violence that could amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity; the UN notes the true toll is likely higher as civilians fled, while the RSF denies wrongdoing and international pressure grows amid Sudan's three-year conflict and mass displacement.
A Rapid Support Forces drone hit a vehicle carrying displaced families near Er Rahad in North Kordofan, killing at least 24 people including eight children, with several others wounded; aid groups condemned the attack and urged accountability as Sudan's war drives mass displacement and famine, following other strikes on aid operations and amid a broader regional crisis.
Egypt has deployed a Turkish-made Bayraktar Akıncı drone to East Oweinat on the Sudan border, signaling a deeper Egyptian role in the Sudanese war by backing the military with air capability and logistics. Satellite imagery shows Akıncıs at the border airstrip, reflecting Cairo’s shift from limited support to direct involvement amid broader regional power dynamics.
Al Jazeera’s investigation shows Sudan’s civil war since April 2023 increasingly relies on drones used by both the SAF and RSF, with sources including Iran, the UAE and Turkey. The RSF employs kamikaze and heavier drones (and improvised quadcopters), while the SAF uses platforms like Mohajer-6; supply chains move drone parts and munitions through hubs in Chad, Eritrea, Libya and beyond to evade embargoes. Drone strikes have broadened civilian harm and infrastructure damage, reshaping warfare in Sudan.
Satellite imagery and officials indicate Egypt has secretly used a western Sudan airbase to strike the RSF with drones for at least six months, signaling a more direct Cairo role in the Sudan conflict amid shifting regional alliances.
Satellite imagery shows a Bayraktar Akinci drone at East Oweinat near the Egyptian–Sudanese border, signaling Cairo’s deeper involvement in Sudan’s war by backing the Sudanese military and potentially conducting strikes; Egypt denies direct airstrikes, while the RSF claims attacks. Analysts say the deployment marks a notable escalation and reflects shifting regional alignments as Egypt tightens border security.