Sudan Nashra: RSF floods villages in Gezira | Clashes intensify in Fasher | Sudan split on Russian veto

In New York on Monday, Moscow vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Sudan drafted by the United Kingdom and Sierra Leone, intended to bolster measures to protect civilians, increase humanitarian aid access and implement the May 2023 Jeddah Agreement.

Russia’s veto drew praise from Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Chair Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who told the Sudanese people in a speech on Tuesday that they will “soon rejoice in a victory” as they did for the Russian veto the day before, according to the Sudanese government spokesperson’s statement. Foreign Minister Ali Youssef echoed this approval, thanking Russia for what he described as its advocacy for the principles of the modern international order, while Darfur Governor Mini Arko Minnawi said that the vetoed resolution sought to divide the country into small states and spheres of influence. However, the Civil Front for Democracy condemned the veto, accusing it of enabling ongoing massacres in Sudan.

On the ground, the military conflict continues to escalate in western and southeastern Sudan. In Fasher, North Darfur, clashes have intensified between the Sudanese Armed Forces and their allied armed movements on one side, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the other.

Ahmed Hussein, spokesperson for the military-allied joint force of the armed movements, told Mada Masr that they inflicted heavy losses on the RSF. “We have destroyed the RSF’s core force and eliminated most of their field commanders at the borders/gates of Fasher,” he said, while acknowledging heavy clashes in the southeastern axis of the city.

In the southeast, the military forces reached the outskirts of Singa city on Monday, the RSF’s last major stronghold in Sennar State, according to three field sources who spoke to Mada Masr. Regaining control of Singa would mark the end of the RSF’s presence in the region and pave the way for the military to advance into Gezira State from the south.

Meanwhile, the RSF has maintained its brutal campaign against civilians in Gezira, which started in late October following successive defeats and the defection of their commander in the state to the military. Employing a new tactic, the RSF redirected irrigation reservoirs and canals from the Gezira Scheme, flooding homes in nearby villages. Over 150 people have been killed in assaults in Gezira over the past week.

Amid the ongoing conflict, Sudan is also seeking to strengthen its economic ties with Russia. On Sunday, Energy and Petroleum Minister Mohieddin Naim led a high-level delegation to Moscow to discuss potential partnership agreements. These talks come as Sudan grapples with extensive damage to its oil and electricity infrastructure caused by the war.

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Intense clashes in southeastern Fasher, military-allied forces repel RSF attacks 

Fighting has intensified in Fasher, the capital of Sudan's Darfur region, this week after the military, the joint force and the Popular Resistance Forces repelled intense RSF assaults from the eastern and southern fronts of the city.

The joint force spokesperson Ahmed Hussein told Mada Masr that the RSF are unable to capture Fasher, noting that they have repelled 153 RSF attacks since they launched their offensive in May.

Heavy clashes broke out in Fasher’s southeastern axis, Hussein said, with continued RSF artillery shelling targeting residential areas.

The military-allied forces repelled RSF attacks on Sunday, according to Hussein, who said that the RSF incurred heavy losses in both personnel and equipment. "Bodies of militia fighters are lying on the city's streets," he said, adding, "We have destroyed the RSF's core forces and killed most of their field commanders at Fasher’s borders. Now, they rely on rumors and media disinformation, claiming to have taken Fasher, in an attempt to rally reinforcements."

A source in the armed movements told Mada Masr that the military and joint force carried out a targeted operation on Sunday evening, ambushing RSF units and destroying several of their positions, causing heavy casualties.

The source also said that the joint force conducted another operation on Monday outside Fasher, near the Shairiya area, targeting an RSF convoy coming from Nyala. The attack destroyed a truck carrying RSF fighters.

Meanwhile, the military’s Sixth Infantry Division in Fasher announced that it killed 150 RSF fighters and seized several of their bases in the city. In a statement on Sunday, the division reported fierce battles with the RSF in the southeastern axis of the city.

Several local sources also told Mada Masr that the RSF is gathering forces in towns near Fasher, preparing to send reinforcements to the city. They added that the RSF acquired new artillery, which was used in shelling Fasher over the past few days.

Regarding the new artillery, Hussein said that the RSF hasn’t stopped shelling Fasher for the past seven months, noting that the joint force managed to destroy most of their artillery outside the city. "We are capable of dealing with [the new artillery] and will soon reach their hideouts,” he said, adding that they will draw the clashes away from Fasher. 

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The military advances in Singa’s outskirts

In Sennar State in the southeast, the military made significant advances along the axis of the state capital Singa, capturing several strategic positions, according to three field sources who spoke to Mada Masr.

The sources said that the military stormed the peripheral neighborhoods of Singa early Monday morning. The assault focused primarily on the eastern front, particularly near the Wad al-Eis bridge and surrounding areas. During the operation, the military destroyed eight combat vehicles and an ammunition truck, forcing the RSF to retreat.

The sources also said that additional forces from the town of Suki attacked RSF positions in the Mina area, seizing the area and several surrounding regions.

The sources anticipate that the military will make significant progress in the coming days in Singa, but warned that the battle will not be easy. Despite weeks of disrupted supply lines and ongoing fuel shortages, the RSF is expected to fiercely defend Singa, as losing the city would mean complete destruction of their forces there due to the lack of paved roads through which they can withdraw.

Since July, the RSF has held control over Singa and expanded into several towns across the state. However, the military launched operations in October to reclaim areas in Sennar State, managing to recapture the cities of Dinder and Suki, along with several villages on the southern and eastern fronts.

In July, the military conducted an airstrike that killed the RSF top commander in the state Abdel Rahman al-Bishi, before recapturing the strategic Jebel Moya in October and imposing a siege on RSF forces in Singa. The military has since repeatedly targeted RSF positions with airstrikes and artillery shelling.

The military is advancing on multiple fronts to capture Singa. Forces are advancing along the eastern axis from Dinder, the northern axis from Suki and Sennar city, and the northwestern axis from the town of Mayerno. Additional troops are also pushing in from the south in the Blue Nile region.

For the RSF, the only available retreat route currently runs through the Dali and Mazmum areas toward the southwest, leading into South Sudan.

On Saturday, military reinforcements arrived in Sennar city, led by Major General Hussein Joddat, commander of Nyala’s 16th Division. A field source told Mada Masr that the Deputy Commander-in-Chief Shams Eddin Kabbashi was present in Sennar city to oversee the military operations targeting Singa.

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Russia vetoes Security Council draft resolution on Sudan

A diplomatic source at Sudan's permanent mission to the UN told Mada Masr that disagreements among member states derailed a draft resolution discussed during Monday's Security Council session. Russia, China and Algeria all expressed reservations about several points outlined in the draft.

The resolution, proposed by the UK and Sierra Leone, focused on civilian protection, the delivery of humanitarian aid and adherence to the outcomes of the May 11, 2023  Jeddah Agreement.

During the session, chaired by the UK, disputes broke out between British and Russian representatives over Moscow’s decision to use its veto, which ultimately blocked the resolution.

A source from Sudan's Foreign Ministry told Mada Masr that Sudan, through its mission at the UN, also raised objections to the draft, particularly criticizing its equal treatment of the military and the RSF. Sudan’s representatives emphasized that state institutions undertake the responsibility of civilian protection, and that it is the RSF, not the military, that poses a threat to the peace and security of citizens across the states where they brought in their military operations.

The source also criticized the draft for failing to address the role of foreign countries that contribute to destabilizing Sudan.

As the Security Council prepared to vote, the French ambassador called for closed-door consultations among members to resolve differences and ensure the resolution’s adoption. The UK ambassador, presiding over the session, suggested suspending the meeting for discussions, which was agreed upon with no objection from other members.

After several minutes of consultations, the members returned to the Security Council chamber to vote. The resolution was endorsed by 14 of the 15 members, but it was ultimately blocked by Russia’s veto as one of the five permanent council members.

The draft resolution condemned the ongoing attacks by the RSF in Fasher and called for an immediate halt to all attacks against civilians in Darfur, Gezira and Sennar states, and elsewhere in Sudan. It also urged the warring parties to cease hostilities immediately and engage in good faith negotiations to agree on urgent steps to de-escalate the conflict and reach a national ceasefire.

Sudan’s divided response to Russia’s veto

The repercussions of Russia’s veto in the UN Security Council have divided opinions within Sudan. While the Sudanese government welcomed the move, political factions opposing the military and Russia, and aligned with Europe, sharply criticized it.

Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Youssef thanked Russia for what he described as its advocacy for the key principles in the modern international order: sovereignty, the independence of states and the right to preserve national institutions and protect their people. “Protecting civilians is the primary duty of states,” Youssed said, adding that this responsibility should not be imposed by external forces with agendas that disregard Sudan’s realities and needs. “We remain open to genuine dialogue with any party willing to assist in achieving peace and stability in our country and region, and we will cooperate fully,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Transitional Sovereignty Council Chair Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, speaking at the first economic conference in Port Sudan on Tuesday, stated that negotiations or a ceasefire would not be considered until the RSF vacate civilians’ homes, lift their siege on Fasher and gather their fighters in designated areas.

“The balance of power will shift, and the Sudanese people will soon rejoice in victory, much as they rejoiced [...] in Russia’s veto,” Burhan said,

He emphasized Sudan’s sovereignty, rejecting foreign impositions, and stressed that the solution to the country’s crisis will come from within. 

Burhan also noted that Sudan’s future international relations will depend on the outcomes of the war and the stances of other countries, pointing out that some nations adopted hostile stances, while others have taken ambiguous positions. He stressed that Sudan will deal with them in kind, without compromise.

Darfur Governor Mini Arko Minnawi stated on Wednesday that the resolution blocked by Russia’s veto sought to fragment Sudan into small states and spheres of influence under the guise of humanitarianism. He said that the draft mirrors the Berlin Conference’s draft resolution of the 19th century, arguing that this time it is targeting Sahel countries, beginning with Sudan, adding that the mention of “civilian protection” is a deceptive pretext, “as they are well aware which party is violating human rights.”

In contrast, the Civil Front for Democracy also condemned Russia’s veto in a statement on Monday, criticizing Moscow for voting against a resolution that called for an end to the war in Sudan, the condemnation of violations, accountability for perpetrators, the delivery of humanitarian aid and the implementation of the Jeddah Agreement. 

The front expressed deep disapproval of Russia’s position, arguing that it provided cover for continued massacres in Sudan, obstructed efforts to address one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises and left the Sudanese people grappling with hunger, disease and poverty.

The statement also said that the veto exposed the falsity of Russia’s claims of support for the causes of the Global South, as the resolution had the backing of all three African representatives in the UN Security Council.

The front also commended the efforts of the UK and Sierra Leone in drafting the resolution, as well as the 14 countries that supported it, urging them to continue their efforts to end the war, protect civilians and ensure humanitarian aid delivery in Sudan.

The statement also said that the front views the “high-level attention and global consensus” witnessed during the Security Council session on Monday “as a glimmer of hope for the Sudanese people. It signifies that the world is beginning to comprehend the magnitude of the catastrophe unfolding in our country and stands ready to help achieve peace in Sudan.” 

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Energy minister visits Moscow

Sudanese Energy and Petroleum Minister Mohieddin Naim led a high-level delegation to Moscow on Sunday, a source in the ministry told Mada Masr. 

During the visit, Naim discussed Russian investments in Sudan, focusing on overcoming obstacles faced by Russian businessmen in the energy and infrastructure sectors, an informed source told Mada Masr. Naim also reviewed the outcomes of the Russian business delegation’s  visit to Sudan in September, as well as exploring potential agreements based on opportunities offered by Russia.

The visit comes after completing all arrangements to resume pumping oil via Sudan for export, which had come to a complete halt due to the disruption of the Jaili oil refinery and the Ailafoun transfer station, both of which were seized by the RSF. 

Maintenance on the pipeline resumed in August, an engineering source told Mada Masr. During a visit to Juba in mid-September, Burhan discussed with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir the resumption of oil flow. 

Sudan’s oil and electricity sectors have been severely impacted by infrastructure destruction, including refineries and oil fields, particularly the Jaili oil refinery in Khartoum, which has been a major site of ongoing battles for nearly four months.

The informed source also noted that the meetings covered other sectors, including mining, agricultural investments and industries critical to improving agricultural products, such as fertilizer and packing plants.

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RSF flood villages in Gezira State

The RSF continues to commit violations against civilians in Gezira State, where over 40 villages were attacked last week, killing more than 150 civilians, according to a government source in the Gezira State secretariat who spoke to Mada Masr. 

In addition to these assaults, the RSF deliberately flooded five villages, including Sariha, by opening irrigation channels, a local source in Sariha told Mada Masr.

Sariha has already endured the deadliest attack in the RSF’s retaliatory campaign in Gezira, following the defection of RSF commander in the state to the military on October 20. The October 26 assault on Sariha left 124 killed, over 200 injured and 150 detained civilians who were taken to Kab al-Jadad, an area known to house RSF detention centers.

Further south in Gezira State, the RSF forced residents to evacuate villages such as Zananda Gobara and Zananda Fadl al-Sayed this week before opening reservoirs and canal gates to flood homes and farmland, according to the local source. 

On Monday, the RSF stormed the village of Bagadi, firing shots into the air to spread fear among residents. They beat young men with rifle butts and tied two individuals to motorcycles, dragging them across the ground, a media source from the Gezira Conference Platform told Mada Masr. 

On the same day, RSF forces launched another attack on the village of Tomsa in the administrative district of Hosh, southern Gezira. The assault killed 14 people and left over 30 injuries, including children, another government source in Gezira’s secretariat told Mada Masr.