Siege of Two Cities in Kordofan and the Sudanese Government Demands the Classification of Rapid Support Forces as "Terrorist"

SadaNews - A military source stated that the Sudanese army carried out airstrikes on positions of the Rapid Support Forces in the town of Barno northwest of Kadugli city in South Kordofan, inflicting losses on them, one day after the Rapid Support Forces announced their control of the town.

The South Kordofan state has seen ongoing battles between the army and the Rapid Support Forces for several days, as the Rapid Support Forces, in alliance with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, besiege the cities of Kadugli and Delang, the largest cities in South Kordofan.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Lamia Abdel Ghaffar, stated that Sudan seeks a peace that preserves its sovereignty, unity, and independence without external interventions.

The minister called for classifying the Rapid Support Forces as a "terrorist organization" following the violations they have committed and continue to commit against civilians.

Wave of Displacement

In the humanitarian ramifications of the war, the number of newly displaced individuals from the Heglig area in the West Kordofan state to the city of Kosti in the White Nile state of Sudan has risen to about 1,700 displaced persons, most of them children and women, after a difficult displacement journey, fleeing from the fighting and lack of basic necessities of life.

Lamia Abdel Allah, the Humanitarian Affairs Commissioner in the White Nile state, told Al Jazeera that the food in the camps for the displaced fleeing from Heglig to Kosti is insufficient. She added that the displaced are suffering from harsh conditions and called for an increase in the support provided to them.

For his part, Mohamed Refaat, head of the International Organization for Migration mission in Sudan, stated that between 90,000 to 100,000 people are expected to be displaced if the fighting in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan, continues.

The UN official added that about half a million people in the city of Al-Obeid are likely to be affected due to the escalation of fighting.

He also pointed out that the displaced are fleeing from areas around Babanusa, Kadugli, and Al-Obeid, and those who are fortunate enough reach the White Nile.

The official confirmed that more than 100,000 people have fled from the city of Al-Fasher and the surrounding villages, while many civilians remain trapped in the neighboring villages.

He stressed that the lack of funding leads to significantly reduced and forced operations on the ground.

Calls for a Ceasefire

Yesterday, Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Sudan, noting that the new year represents an opportunity for that, urging countries to use their influence to achieve peace.

Last week, US President Donald Trump mentioned that he would intervene to stop the war in Sudan.

The three states of the Kordofan region (North, West, and South) have witnessed fierce clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces for weeks, leading to the displacement of tens of thousands recently.

Of the 18 states in the country, the Rapid Support Forces control the five Darfur states in the west, except for parts of North Darfur, which remain under army control, which exerts its influence over most of the remaining 13 states, including Khartoum.

The war in Sudan erupted in April 2023 due to a dispute between the army and the Rapid Support Forces regarding the integration of the latter into the country's military framework, which resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Sudanese and the displacement of about 13 million.

Source: Agencies