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Sudan Civil War
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The RSF’s defeat will not end Sudan’s war but merely fragment it
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) regained control of several towns along the Export Road this summer, prompting military leadership to pursue a total defeat of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Conversely, the RSF and its ally, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, seized control of Kurmuk and Geisan in the Blue Nile state during mid-August. The conflict is characterized by shifting alliances and fragmentation, involving the SAF, the RSF, and various semi-autonomous groups like the Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudan Liberation Movement. The failure to integrate these irregular factions into the formal military has resulted in a proliferation of armed groups that maintain their own political leverage and command structures.
Water shortages affect refugee camps in El Obeid, Sudan
Families displaced by the war in Sudan faced severe water shortages in refugee camps located in El Obeid as of August 26, 2026. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces targeted the city's water sources, exacerbating the living conditions for those residing in the camps. Al Jazeera reporter Almigdad Alruhaid documented the situation from within one of the affected camps.
Developments in Sudan's military and political situation
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) recently captured several positions in North Kordofan, including Bara, Jabra al-Sheikh, and Umm Sayala, which secured the national Exports Road and pressured Rapid Support Forces (RSF) supply lines. Concurrently, the RSF experienced a surge in defections, with the army reporting hundreds of fighters and dozens of commanders surrendering in Northern state and Kordofan. SAF chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan responded to these battlefield shifts by launching a political track that offers temporary immunity to participants in a national dialogue, though he maintained that the military campaign would continue. These developments are significant as they indicate that recent military gains may be impacting the political balance and the internal cohesion of the RSF.
Mawlid cancelled in Tigray amid regional security developments
Muslims celebrated Mawlid across Africa, but festivities in Tigray were cancelled due to recent drone attacks. Separately, thousands of amateur prospectors rushed to the Kenyan village of Cheporor following the discovery of gold. Additionally, the United States called for increased United Nations sanctions against warring parties in Sudan.
Medical group reports 27 killed in southern Sudan ethnic clashes
At least 27 people, including four children, were killed in ethnic clashes in the Qardud and Abu Hamama areas of South Kordofan. The Sudan Doctors Network reported that the killings were carried out by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-N) against the Otoro tribe, a minority group in the Nuba Mountains. These clashes, which originated from land disputes, occur amidst the ongoing civil war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with whom the SPLM-N has aligned. The violence has forced residents to flee toward the village of Abu Hitan and the town of Kadugli.
US and Denmark propose expanding UN arms embargo to all of Sudan
On August 25, 2026, the United States, supported by Denmark, proposed that the United Nations Security Council expand an existing arms embargo from the Darfur region to all of Sudan. US envoy Massad Boulos cited the risk of the conflict drawing in regional actors as justification for the proposal, which also aims to include drones in the restrictions and increase expert oversight. The current Darfur embargo is set to expire on September 12, and the proposed expansion comes as UN officials observe an influx of sophisticated weaponry and continued external support for both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.
Chadian army reports cross-border airstrikes by Sudanese aircraft
The Chadian Armed Forces reported that aircraft and drones, believed to be linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces or their supporters, conducted airstrikes on a vehicle convoy more than 100 kilometers inside eastern Chad's Ennedi-Est province on Thursday. While no casualties were reported, the incident follows several previous cross-border strikes in the town of Tine, including an event in March that killed at least 17 people. The Chadian military condemned the violation of its territorial integrity and stated it remains on the highest level of alert to address threats stemming from the civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. This ongoing instability reflects the broader regional spillover of a conflict that began in Sudan in April 2023.
Sudanese Armed Forces retake town of Bara from RSF
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) regained control of the North Kordofan town of Bara in July following a period of RSF occupation that began in October 2025. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had previously used the town as a base to conduct drone strikes against the nearby SAF stronghold of el-Obeid. Reports from sources who visited the area describe widespread destruction and the presence of numerous unexploded ordinances and corpses left in streets and homes. Local authorities estimate that hundreds of people were killed by the RSF during the period of their control, with the vast majority of the town's pre-war population of 100,000 displaced.
Thousands flee fighting in Kordofan for El Obeid
Intensifying violence between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces triggered a mass displacement of civilians across the Kordofan region. Over 5,000 families arrived in El Obeid within a single week as a result of the ongoing fighting. This influx of tens of thousands of displaced people highlighted the rapidly escalating scale of the conflict in the area.
Sudan displacement crisis intensifies amid escalating violence
Thousands of families fled to el-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, following a wave of violence in the region. The displacement occurred after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces attacked multiple villages. Al Jazeera’s AlMigdad Alruhaid visited a displacement camp in the city to document the impact of the crisis.
Journalist reports from the besieged city of el-Obeid, Sudan
Journalist AlMigdad Alruhaid traveled along a primary supply route to reach the besieged city of el-Obeid, Sudan. The city currently shelters hundreds of thousands of people amid ongoing conflict. The Rapid Support Forces continued to conduct attacks against aid shipments attempting to reach the civilian population.
Saudi Arabia's security interests regarding Sudan's stability
On August 17, 2026, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem signed an agreement in Riyadh to establish the Saudi-Sudanese Coordination Council. This institutional framework was designed to oversee 10 strategic sectors, including agriculture, mining, Red Sea maritime security, and infrastructure reconstruction. The initiative followed Sudan's July 30, 2026, entry into a Saudi-led maritime defense alliance, formalizing a partnership intended to leverage Saudi investment alongside Sudan's natural and human resources. Saudi Arabia pursued this agreement based on the conviction that a unified, stable Sudan is essential to the Kingdom's own national security.
Over 200,000 people displaced in Sudan’s Kordofan amid fighting in El Obeid
More than 200,000 people were newly displaced across Sudan’s Kordofan region as intensified fighting and drone attacks targeted critical infrastructure in the city of El Obeid. The International Organization for Migration reported that attacks on the city’s main power transformer disrupted water, healthcare, and communication services, while seasonal flooding in North Darfur further compounded the displacement crisis. Since the conflict began in April 2023, the total number of internally displaced persons in Sudan has reached 8.6 million, with 33.7 million people currently requiring humanitarian assistance.
An Analysis of Foreign Interests and Militia Dynamics in Sudan
The Rapid Support Forces, led by Hemedti, entered Khartoum on 15 April 2023, following a historical pattern of state-sponsored militia violence and foreign influence. Since the British colonial era, Sudan’s governance relied on a structure of generals and militia leaders to manage extraction, including the 1956 Jouda massacre where the army killed over 300 striking farmers. Subsequent foreign involvement included Riyadh and Washington financing the Muslim Brotherhood via the Faisal Islamic Bank, as well as IMF-mandated economic policies like the 2021 exchange-rate devaluation enacted by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. These policies, such as the removal of fuel and bread subsidies, repeatedly triggered local uprisings.
Chinese company acquires stake in Allied Gold mine on Sudan-Ethiopia border
Canadian mining company Allied Gold sold a 9.2 percent stake to Zijin Gold International, a subsidiary of a firm backed by Chinese state-owned corporations and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, in a deal valued at just under $300 million. The agreement grants Zijin partial ownership of mining assets in Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, and the Kurmuk concession in Ethiopia's Benishangul-Gumuz region. The Kurmuk site is located approximately 20km from a Sudanese area where the Rapid Support Forces operate and where mass graves were recently discovered. This transaction follows previous failed acquisition attempts involving both Emirati interests and Zijin, and marks the alignment of Chinese and Emirati financial footprints within the Ethiopian mining sector.
UAE denies claims of imperial ambitions in Africa
On 17 August 2026, the UAE rejected claims of imperial ambition in Africa following a series of Financial Times reports that detailed the Gulf state's growing military and economic influence across the continent. Afra al-Hameli, the UAE's director of strategic communications, stated the accusations were patronizing and characterized partnerships with African governments as sovereign, mutually beneficial agreements. Investigative reports alleged the UAE facilitated arms transfers, deployed mercenaries, and assisted in the movement of gold from Sudan's RSF, while expanding control over ports and mining assets in countries including Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Mauritania. Expert Cameron Hudson criticized the UAE's rebuttal, arguing that the nation could simultaneously pursue economic investments and imperial-leaning strategic goals.
African Union Reopens Liaison Office in Khartoum
The African Union (AU) decided to reopen its liaison office in Khartoum, Sudan, which had been evacuated in April 2023 following the outbreak of fighting. Ambassador Mohamed Belaiche, the AU Commission Chairperson's Special Representative to Sudan, met with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sovereign Council and the Sudanese Armed Forces, on 8 July to discuss the return. The office historically served to support peace agreements and facilitate political dialogue, and its reopening aimed to provide on-the-ground technical support during the current conflict. This move positioned the AU as the only member of the international Quintet to maintain a physical political presence in Khartoum following the closure of the UN mission in February 2024.
African Union mission in Sudan faces challenges
A delegation from the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) arrived in Sudan on Sunday for a two-day field visit to engage with authorities and conflicting parties regarding a ceasefire and humanitarian access. The mission followed the SAF's recent recapture of parts of Khartoum and continued RSF entrenchment in Darfur, which left neither side with a decisive military advantage. The AU aimed to facilitate an inclusive, Sudanese-led political process to end a war that began in April 2023 and has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and millions of displacements.
Sudan's al-Burhan pledges immunity for national dialogue participants
On the 72nd anniversary of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Sovereign Council chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced that participants in a new, independently managed national dialogue would receive temporary legal immunity and security guarantees. Al-Burhan stated that while criminal proceedings against participants would be suspended, this measure would not constitute a formal pardon or affect the rights of complainants. He also explicitly rejected any peace process that would allow the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their supporters to return to power, insisting that the RSF must withdraw from cities as a prerequisite for peace. Concurrently, a 15-member African Union Peace and Security Council delegation arrived in Khartoum for a three-day visit to discuss the ongoing conflict and political situation.
Sudanese refugee leads school at Chadian refugee camp
Following the April 2023 outbreak of war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, nearly one million Sudanese refugees fled into Chad, where Sahra, a former educator from el-Geneina, now serves as a head teacher at a refugee camp school. Established in 2024 by Plan International and its partners, the school accommodates 1,059 pupils and employs 30 teachers recruited from the refugee community. The initiative addresses the urgent need for education and child protection in a region already grappling with an existing education crisis and a shortage of facilities.
Dubai ruler confronted in London over UAE's role in Sudan conflict
Last weekend, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and prime minister of the UAE, was heckled by a Sudanese man on North Audley Street in London while visiting the area. The protestor accused the UAE of killing people in the ongoing Sudan conflict, leading to an exchange where a member of the ruler’s entourage reportedly directed a racial slur at the man. The confrontation occurred amid a broader context of significant Emirati investment and presence in London, particularly within the Mayfair district.
UN warns 650,000 refugees in South Sudan face food aid cuts due to funding shortfall
The UN warned that a severe funding shortfall threatened food aid access for 650,000 refugees and asylum seekers in South Sudan, with support for the most vulnerable 240,000 families set to cease in September. The World Food Programme and UNHCR reported receiving only 28% of the $286 million required for 2024, leaving a $37 million gap for operations through December. This crisis occurred against a backdrop of acute food insecurity affecting 7.8 million people in South Sudan, exacerbated by the ongoing arrival of 3,000 refugees and returnees weekly from the conflict in neighboring Sudan.
Sudan army reports RSF advance on Kurmuk town
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North (SPLM-N) entered the town of Kurmuk in Blue Nile state on Thursday, following the withdrawal and repositioning of Sudanese army troops. The assault on the border town, which serves as a critical route between Ethiopia and the Nile Valley, involved drone strikes and artillery shelling that the local administration attributed to regional neighbors. Separately, the Sudanese army reported repelling a major RSF attack involving over 250 combat vehicles in the North Kordofan transport hub of Jabra al-Sheikh. These developments occurred amid a wider surge in coordinated RSF drone strikes that targeted five army-controlled cities across Sudan on Wednesday.
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