Sudan’s army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, rejected on Sunday the entry of humanitarian aid into regions controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
RSF had sought assistance directly from international organizations, bypassing the army-controlled government, citing severe humanitarian needs in the areas under its control.
Al-Burhan said that the delivery of aid would not happen until the conflict is resolved, and RSF driven out of the areas they have taken over, including Nyala, El Geneina, Madani, and Khartoum.
The head of the Sudan Liberation Movement Transitional Council (SLM-TC), Al-Hadi Idris, announced a campaign to open humanitarian corridors in war-torn Darfur, describing the situation as “catastrophic” and urging international intervention.
The developments underscore the complexity of the escalating conflict in Sudan, with civilians caught in the crossfire increasingly in need of humanitarian assistance.
The areas under the control of the Rapid Support Forces exceeds 25 million people and RSF has repeatedly accused Burhan of obstructing passage of aid from his base of operations in Port Sudan.
Sudan has since April 15, 2023 been plunged into a civil war pitting army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against RSF Commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
The conflict has resulted in a devastating toll, with over 12,190 casualties and the displacement of more than seven million people, according to estimates by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project and UN figures, respectively.
Mediation efforts have faced significant obstacles due to deep-seated animosity between the rival factions. Despite Burhan’s administration continuing to issue statements as Sudan’s government, Dagalo’s Rapid Support Forces assert control over Khartoum’s streets, Darfur, and a substantial part of Al-Jazira, once Sudan’s vital agricultural region.
