Sudanese war reaches 100 days mark with no solution in sight
Clashes continued to rage in various parts of Sudan on the 100th day of the war, as mediation attempts by regional and international powers failed to find a path out of the increasingly intractable conflict.
The violence erupted on April 15 when the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) vied for power, resulting in over 3 million people being uprooted, including more than 700,000 who sought refuge in neighboring countries.
According to the health ministry, 1,136 people have been confirmed killed, though officials fear the actual death toll may be higher.
Neither the army nor the RSF has managed to claim victory, with the RSF’s dominance on the ground in the capital Khartoum facing the army’s superior air and artillery firepower.
As a result of the prolonged conflict, infrastructure and government in the capital have crumbled, and the fighting has spread westwards, particularly to the fragile Darfur region, as well as to the south, where the rebel SPLM-N group has been attempting to gain territory.
Over the weekend, the RSF moved into villages in Gezira State, directly south of Khartoum, prompting the army to launch air strikes against them, according to witnesses.
In Nyala, one of the country’s largest cities and the capital of South Darfur, clashes have continued since Thursday in residential areas, leading to the death of at least 20 people, as reported by medical sources.
The United Nations has indicated that 5,000 families have been displaced, and key facilities have been looted, according to residents.
“Bullets are flying into homes. We are terrified, and no one is protecting us,” said 35-year-old Salah Abdallah, reflecting the dire situation on the ground.
The ongoing conflict has also led to ethnically targeted attacks by Arab militias and the RSF in West Darfur, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee to Chad.
Residents have accused RSF soldiers of looting and occupying wide swathes of the capital. In response, the RSF has promised to investigate these allegations.
Despite both sides expressing openness to mediation efforts led by regional and international actors, none have resulted in a sustained ceasefire. Talks in Jeddah have been attempted, but ceasefires agreed upon during these negotiations have often been violated.
The Sudanese foreign minister disclosed on Friday that indirect talks had not progressed seriously.
The leaders of the army and RSF had jointly governed since the ouster of Omar al-Bashir in 2019 but have now diverged over plans for a transition to democracy.
Civilian political groups, as well as the RSF, have accused the army of turning a blind eye to appearances by wanted Bashir loyalists in recent days.
In response to the ongoing crisis, the Forces of Freedom and Change, the main civilian coalition, announced on Sunday that it was holding a meeting in Egypt, which has offered to mediate in the conflict.