Rapid Support Forces

The war in Sudan has forced some 12 million people from their homes and killed around 150,000 civilians, with reports of ethnic cleansing and sexual violence, mainly in the fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces. Commentators note that Sudan receives far less public attention and solidarity than other conflicts, prompting debate about why the crisis is being ignored.

German public broadcaster Weltspiegel examines why Sudan's civil war shows no sign of ending, exploring the drivers behind the conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces. The report is drawing wide attention as fighting continues to displace millions and humanitarian conditions deteriorate, with international mediation efforts so far failing to produce a lasting ceasefire.

Sudanese doctors say the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces looted a hospital in a town in North Kordofan that the army has recaptured in its ongoing war with the RSF. The accusation adds to a long pattern of medical facilities being raided, staff attacked and supplies stolen during the two-year conflict, deepening an already dire humanitarian and healthcare crisis.

Sudan's repeated ceasefire agreements, brokered in Jeddah and most recently discussed in New York, have failed to halt the war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces. Commentators are asking why truces keep collapsing, pointing to weak enforcement, lack of trust between the warring sides and the absence of pressure on both to comply.

Sudan is objecting to the United Arab Emirates' role as host of a United Nations congress on crime, arguing Abu Dhabi cannot credibly hold the position while it stands accused of supporting the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan's civil war. Khartoum's government says the RSF's backer should not preside over an international gathering on crime prevention, adding diplomatic friction to an already strained relationship.

Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has rejected conditions attached by the United States to a proposed ceasefire in Sudan's war, while also dismissing claims that he needs a visa, saying no visa is required for his travel. The remarks signal continued friction between Khartoum's military leadership and Washington over efforts to end the conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

The arms embargo on Darfur is set to lapse on Saturday unless the UN Security Council agrees to extend it. Commentators warn that letting it expire would benefit the Rapid Support Forces, the militia fighting Sudan's army, and point to the role of the United Arab Emirates and regional actors including Libya, Colombia and Puntland in the war's supply chains. German-language debate is focused on whether the Council will act in time.

Saudi Arabia has accused Sudan's Rapid Support Forces of carrying out a drone strike on a humanitarian aid convoy. The allegation adds to international concern over attacks on relief operations in Sudan's civil war and puts pressure on the paramilitary group, which has been engaged in fighting the Sudanese army since April 2023.

Sudanese doctors say the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces looted and wrecked a hospital in a town recently recaptured in Sudan's ongoing war. The alleged attack on medical infrastructure adds to a pattern of hospitals being targeted or destroyed during the conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army, leaving civilians with even less access to health care.

Sudanese doctors say the Rapid Support Forces looted a hospital in Sodari, in North Kordofan, according to a report carried by Anadolu Agency. The accusation adds to a pattern of allegations that hospitals and medical facilities in Sudan's war zones have been raided, stripped of supplies or forced out of service, worsening an already severe humanitarian crisis.

Prime Minister Mark Carney's Canadian investment summit welcomed investors from the United Arab Emirates, drawing criticism because the UAE is accused of supplying weapons, logistics, training and foreign personnel to Sudan's Rapid Support Forces, the paramilitary group blamed by numerous human rights organisations for atrocities in Sudan's civil war. Critics question Canada's judgment in courting Emirati capital while such allegations remain unresolved.

Sudanese doctors say the Rapid Support Forces looted and wrecked a hospital in Sodari, in North Kordofan state. The report adds to a pattern of attacks on medical facilities during Sudan's civil war, which has devastated the country's health system and displaced millions since fighting began in April 2023 between the RSF and the army.