Tensions are rising across all frontlines in Sudan, with reports of bloody clashes in Omdurman, north of the capital Khartoum. Armed groups allied with the military are engaged in fierce battles, while dangerous mobilizations continue around El Fasher, the capital of the Darfur region and one of the last cities with a significant military presence.
These developments occur amid growing concerns that certain pressures are preventing the military from participating in the anticipated negotiations in Jeddah within the next two weeks. This is against a backdrop of increasing international efforts to make these talks successful.
Concurrently, intensive meetings in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, are aimed at crafting a clear vision for the solutions to be discussed in the Jeddah negotiations. US Senate lawmakers are pressing the American administration to adopt a bold and decisive stance to ensure the upcoming negotiation round differs from previous ones and yields clear solutions.
Fears of further explosions in security conditions are intensifying in El Fasher, which witnessed violent clashes on Tuesday and reports of thousands fleeing.
In Khartoum, various areas in Omdurman have seen bloody skirmishes between units fighting alongside the army. Recent hours have seen an escalation in disputes among military factions allied with the army, amid growing accusations that groups opposing a ceasefire are complicating the internal situation to force the divided Sudanese army leadership to continue the conflict.
Omdurman and North Khartoum have experienced intense artillery exchanges targeting the Wadi Seidna military area and several army locations, as well as positions held by Rapid Support Forces, resulting in civilian casualties from shrapnel and explosive debris.
International and African parties are intensifying their efforts to press both sides to return to the negotiation table.
US lawmakers are escalating their tone in seeking a resolution to the crisis. They are urging the special envoy, Pirello, to break the cycle of US hesitation, provide a comprehensive plan to end the war, hold accountable those responsible, and outline how the State Department is prepared for the worst-case scenario and its mitigation, anticipating a potential collapse of the Sudanese state and resulting in mass atrocities and severe famine, which could have grave implications for regional stability and US national security and its allies.
They emphasize the necessity for the US administration to ensure that the upcoming Jeddah negotiation round is distinct from previous ones and actually achieves something substantive.
