Sudan Nashra: Conflict plagues IGAD summit outcomes | Diplomatic war with Abu Dhabi and N’Djamena | Khartoum battles continue

Editorial note: Mada has been publishing the Sudan Nashra weekly in Arabic over the past several months. We are now going to make sure that it is available for you to read in English. You can read past editions of the nashra in Arabic, here. 

As Sudan approaches its ninth month of war, the country remains unable to put an end to the bloody conflict, which has raged across three major regions of its territories, including Khartoum. Sudan’s capital city, built over two centuries ago, has now been reduced to ruins and an echo chamber for the sound of artillery fire, explosions, airstrikes and ongoing clashes. 

The latest diplomatic stumbling block came this week during an Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) summit that saw the evolving row between Sudan and the United Aarb Emirates flare up and spill over to other member states over the involvement of Emirati foreign minister and the Rapid Support Forces in extra-summit consultations with IGAD members. 

This row also saw the mutual expulsion of diplomats between Sudan and the UAE this week, with Chad summoning the Sudanese ambassador over public comments Sudanese officials had made about the Emiratis supplying weapons to the RSF through Chad. 

On the military front, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the chair of the ruling Sovereign Council and the head of the Sudanese Armed Forces, conducted tours of several military sites, including the Karari military area in Omdurman. His assistant, Yasser al-Atta, who leads military operations in Omdurman, announced a new round of fighting. 

On the ground, intermittent battles continue to ravage the cities of Khartoum, as the RSF attempts to advance into several neighboring states and smuggle weapons into them. 

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Turmoil at IGAD summit

The extraordinary 41st IGAD summit held in Djibouti at the request of Sudan last Saturday offered a glimmer of hope for a political solution. However, disagreements quickly arose between Khartoum and the African bloc over the summit’s outcomes and final statement. 

The extraordinary summit, attended by United Nations, Western, and Gulf officials, was called for by Burhan during his diplomatic visits to several regional countries in November. 

The IGAD summit came amid a lull in fighting in Khartoum and other combat zones. Both the military and the RSF held their respective positions, while the latter attempted to expand in some areas. 

Following the collapse of talks in Jeddah, which failed to reach a ceasefire agreement due to conflicting demands from both parties, Burhan turned his attention to Africa. Consequently, the extraordinary IGAD summit in Djibouti took center stage, amid hopes that it would chart a clear path toward a lasting ceasefire. 

A source from the Sudanese diplomatic mission accompanying Burhan to Djibouti told Mada Masr that the summit was expected to produce a formulation that addresses the Sudanese government and military’s demands in accordance with the Jeddah Declaration signed on May 11, in addition to the agreement’s clauses  signed on November 4 regarding humanitarian assistance and facilitating aid access to those in need. 

The source added that the summit was also expected to cement parameters that would facilitate a common formula among IGAD members to resolve the question of these clauses. Moreover, the summit was expected to address the negotiating demands set by the military’s delegation, namely, an unconditional ceasefire, the withdrawal of the RSF from institutions and civilian residences, before moving on to other levels of negotiation pertinent to building trust between the parties in order to end the war. 

After the conclusion of the summit and the heads of state’s closed-door meeting, journalistic sources in Djibouti told Mada Masr that the issuance of the final statement was delayed due to the secretariat’s involvement in last-minute consultations in order to secure its publication. The closing statement’s issuance was postponed to the following morning. 

However, in a statement on Sunday, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry announced its objection to key points included in the final statement, as well as the “nature of its issuance.” The ministry also objected to the issuance of the final statement without the Sudanese government’s consent, deeming it “an illegal document that is not binding to Khartoum.”

An official Foreign Ministry source told Mada Masr that Sudan presented its remarks upon receiving the document, the first of which pertained to the formulation of the outcomes. The source said that the ministry found some of the clauses’ formulations misleading, particularly those related to a proposed meeting between Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti.” Sudan had conditioned this meeting on the implementation of the outcomes outlined in the Jeddah agreement. 

The Foreign Ministry also expressed its objection to the mention of the UAE foreign minister’s participation and consultations with the RSF delegation. According to the official source, consultations with the RSF delegation took place after the official sessions of the summit had concluded. 

The source added that these consultations were held without any official procedures, whereby the UAE foreign minister introduced the RSF delegation to some heads of state during a breakout session. By then, the Sudanese delegation had already left Djibouti and returned to Port Sudan. 

The source also added that what was stated in some clauses of the final statement is inaccurate, as there was a phone call between the Kenyan president and the “RSF commander” and that IGAD leaders did not contact or consult with the Sudanese state before changing the final statement to include mention of the Burhan-Hemedti meeting. The source pointed out that this mention in the statement was a deliberate attempt by IGAD to circumvent what had been agreed upon in the meetings in which the Sudanese delegation participated. 

The source believed that what happened is an intentional effort to sidestep channels that would end the Sudanese crisis, adding that the UAE is leading a diplomatic escalation to perpetuate the war in Sudan, effectively blocking any agreement to resolve the conflict.

On the other hand, in a conversation with Mada Masr, Youssef Ezzat, the chief advisor to Hemedti, welcomed the summit’s outcomes, while voicing concerns about “the lack of seriousness” by Burhan and his associates in resolving the crisis, citing the Foreign Ministry’s stance on the summit’s final statement. 

Regarding the RSF delegation’s participation in the summit, Ezzat said that they received an official invitation to attend the IGAD summit in Djibouti to discuss the situation in Sudan. However, he added that their acceptance of the invitation was conditional on Burhan’s participation as a representative of the military and not as the head of the Sovereign Council. The council has ruled Sudan since Hemedti and Burhan ousted the civilian component of the government in late 2021, but the RSF leader was subsequently ousted from his seat as second in command after the war broke out in April. 

Ezzat said that this condition stems from the RSF’s refusal to recognize any legitimate authority in Sudan. Consequently, their delegation opted to engage outside the official forum, holding direct talks with the summit’s heads of state. According to Ezzat, the RSF delegation held meetings with Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Kenyan President William Ruto, and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, in addition to the Kenyan and Ugandan defense ministers, the Emirati foreign minister, the US special envoy for the Horn of Africa, the UN personal envoy and the US ambassador to Sudan. These meetings revolved around the situation in Sudan, pathways and obstacles to end the war, and the RSF’s perspective on the crisis. 

Regarding the meeting between Burhan and Hemedti, Ezzat said that the RSF leader has requested a direct meeting with the former as the leader of the military. He added that Hemedti does not recognize Burhan’s legitimacy as the head of the Sovereignty Council. 

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that his government welcomes Burhan and Hemedti's stated commitment to the IGAD summit outcomes — namely an unconditional ceasefire and a face-to-face meeting.

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Diplomatic tension with Abu Dhabi, N’Djamena escalates

The diplomatic tension between Khartoum and Abu Dhabi on one hand, and N’Djamena on the other, has intensified two weeks after Sudanese Armed Forces Deputy Commander-in-Chief Yasser al-Atta attacked both the UAE and Chad, accusing them of providing arms to the RSF, a claim that has been confirmed by independent reporting. In response, Chad summoned the Sudanese ambassador in N’Djamena. 

In an interview broadcasted on Sudan TV, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali al-Sadiq said, “the Republic of Chad summoned our ambassador in N’Djamena and demanded an apology from us for Atta’s statement within three days and threatened that, if we do not apologize, it will take what it deems appropriate measures. We will not apologize.” 

An informed source in the Sudanese Foreign Ministry told Mada Masr that Khartoum’s communication with N'Djamena has not been severed since the outbreak of the crisis, even as they have expressed concerns to the Chadian side from the beginning about the possibility of the RSF using Chad as a transit point to fuel its military operations. The source also pointed out that the General Intelligence and Military Intelligence agencies have provided substantial evidence that the RSF is using Chadian territory to support its military operations in Sudan, to which N’Djamena responded with a degree of disregard. 

The source added that communication between the Sudanese diplomatic mission in Chad and the Chadian leadership remains intact. However, amid the mounting escalation, he said, “the Chadian leadership’s alignment with the Emirati side and the open line between Abu Dhabi ad N’Djamena has led them to overlook all the facts that could lead to a dangerous escalation of the conflict.”

“Therefore, the Foreign Ministry sees Chad as an accomplice in the aggression against Sudan and [holds it] responsible for the use of its territory to support military operations against the Sudanese people,” the official added.

As for Khartoum and Abu Dhabi, this week witnessed the mutual expulsion of diplomats between Sudan and the UAE. The latter informed the Sudanese ambassador that the military attaché, his deputy, and the cultural attaché were no longer welcome. In response, Sudan expelled 15 Emirati diplomats from Sudanese territory.

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Burhan visits military bases, Atta announces commencement of new fighting on Khartoum front

After returning from Djibouti, Burhan headed to the 3rd Infantry Division stationed in the city of Shendi in the Nile River state, 150 kilometers north of the capital Khartoum. Burhan stated that they are working on eliminating the “rebellion” throughout Sudan and that “the blood of the martyrs was not spilled in vain.” He also spoke about what he called “the extent of external conspiracy against Sudan,” stating that claims that his side is led by “remnants” of the former regime and the Muslim Brotherhood are pure lies and fabrications.

In a criticism of the RSF, Burhan stated that the war is being waged through the manipulation of tribal sentiments, which threatens national unity and may deal a fatal blow to the integrity of the Sudanese nation. “Those who commit these crimes will face punishment, and they will pay the price sooner or later,” he concluded.

From Shendi, Burhan headed to the Wadi Sidna military base in Karari, Omdurman, one of the three cities that make up the capital. There, he met with his assistant, Yasser al-Atta. According to a military source, Burhan's visit aimed to assess military plans and the readiness of the forces for military operations during the coming period.

Over the past week, fighting intensified between the Sudanese military and the RSF in the old neighborhoods of Omdurman — the RSF’s stronghold in the capital — while columns of smoke continued to rise from other areas in the city due to artillery shelling and airstrikes.

This escalation comes after Atta threatened the RSF with intensified fighting during his December 12 address to troops at the Wadi Sidna military base, in Burhan’s presence. 

Mada Masr’s correspondent in Khartoum observed an intensification of fighting in some areas of Omdurman, such as Wad al-Bashir in Ombada and the Souq. Meanwhile, the military continued to advance in the neighborhoods of Omda, Doha, and Masalma in the city center, establishing firm footholds, while continuous hit-and-run operations and artillery shelling targeted these areas from the Wadi Sidna military base.

Additionally, the Sudanese Air Force intensified airstrikes on the southern areas of Omdurman. Eyewitnesses reported that the warplanes attacked RSF encampments near Jabal al-Tom, resulting in heavy losses.

In the southernmost areas of Omdurman, local residents reported to Mada Masr that young men from the village of Um Aweina in the Jumuiya area clashed with an RSF force attempting to transport weapons and ammunition across the White Nile using two boats. The confrontation resulted in several casualties and injuries among the RSF and a youth from the village was killed. 

Meanwhile, the RSF continues to target the Wadi Sidna base and areas under the military’s control in Omdurman with continuous artillery shelling from their positions in Khartoum North.

In Khartoum, fighting resumed in the vicinity of the General Command of the Armed Forces in the city center, as both sides exchanged heavy fire and artillery shelling. The areas surrounding the Armored Corps in the south of the capital also witnessed intermittent clashes.

Amid this fighting, battles to cut off supply lines are taking place between the two sides, following the partial destruction of the Shambat and Jabal Awliya bridges. While the RSF is trying to besiege military units in Khartoum, the Sudanese Armed Forces are targeting fuel shipments and ammunition-loaded vehicles.

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RSF attempts to smuggle weapons to other states 

Intelligence from the 11th division in the Khashm al-Girba, an area under the command of the eastern military regional director, revealed that its forces had foiled attempts to move two weapon shipments into the Butana Plain and the Atbara River localities from an unnamed neighboring country en route to the RSF in Khartoum. 

Late last week, more than 20 RSF combat vehicles entered the Um Shadida area and the villages of Wad Bashara in the Gadaref state’s Butana locality and attacked a police station, according to a military source and a security source.  

The military source told Mada Masr that a force from the RSF, led by Abu Agla Keikel from central Sudan, arrived in Um Shadida with the aim of receiving weapon and ammunition shipments and delivering them to Khartoum.

In addition, several other RSF combat vehicles advanced toward the city of Gutaina in the White Nile state, located several kilometers south of Khartoum. According to eyewitnesses, the RSF’s advance toward the outskirts of Gutaina was met with multiple targeted airstrikes from the military, the latest of which came on Tuesday, as the Sudanese Armed Forces maintained their defensive positions around the city.

Regarding the RSF’s strategy to expand into neighboring states or even into the Darfur region in the far west of Sudan, military expert Amin Majzoub told Mada Masr that the plan “has not succeeded because the military has not responded in Darfur and dealt with the RSF’s advance using airstrikes, artillery, and armored vehicles” rather than engaging in ground battles that could ignite tribal tensions. He added to Mada Masr that shifting the battles outside the capital and the opening of new fronts will pose logistical challenges to the RSF.

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Hamdok’s own push to end ‘polarization’ 

Over the past few days, Abdalla Hamdok, the former prime minister and the head of the Civil Front for Democracy, held multiple discussions with several leaders of neighboring countries, while also addressing international and regional organizations, as part of what he described as his efforts to “discuss peace and stability in the country.”

On Friday, Hamdok met with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir in the UAE. According to a statement released by Juba , Kiir met with Hamdok in Abu Dhabi and discussed peace and stability in Sudan.

On December 2, Hamdok also met with the president of the Transitional Military Council in Chad, Mahamat Idriss Déby, on the sidelines of the COP28 conference in Dubai. Déby emphasized the importance of dialogue between the warring parties.

In mid-November, Hamdok met with Kenyan President William Ruto, and the meeting focused on efforts to end the war and its consequences.

In further diplomatic efforts, Hamdok is actively engaging with international and regional organizations and parties in order to garner support to end the war.

The Civil Front for Democracy addressed heads of state and governments in IGAD ahead of the recent summit on Sudan, emphasizing the need for a ceasefire agreement and open humanitarian corridors, as well as outlining a political process that includes all parties but the National Congress Party and its various fronts — the former ruling party under ousted dictator Omar al-Bashir.

Hamdok had previously sent two letters on behalf of the front to UN secretary general and the president of the UN Security Council, calling for the continuation and renewal of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), but these appeals fell on deaf ears, after the UNSC terminated the mission's work in Sudan.

Regarding these movements, Shehab Ibrahim, a leader in the civil front, told Mada Masr that "the war in Sudan has a direct impact on the countries of the region, therefore these countries are trying to work toward ending this war, which requires local forces to have a vision for resolving the crisis, so as not to leave the solutions to regional and international hands."

Ibrahim believes that Hamdok's movements are crucial to ending the war and initiating a political process, emphasizing that the former prime minister is trying to reduce regional and international polarization toward parties of the conflict, as well as neutralize the position of some countries.