Rapid Support Forces

German public broadcaster Weltspiegel is examining why Sudan's civil war, which broke out in April 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, continues with no end in sight. The report looks at the fighting, the humanitarian crisis and the reasons peace efforts have failed. The item has drawn strong international attention, with viewers around the world engaging with the topic.

The war in Sudan has forced some 12 million people from their homes and killed around 150,000 civilians, with reports of ethnic cleansing and sexual violence, mainly in the fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces. Commentators note that Sudan receives far less public attention and solidarity than other conflicts, prompting debate about why the crisis is being ignored.

Sudan's repeated ceasefire agreements, brokered in Jeddah and most recently discussed in New York, have failed to halt the war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces. Commentators are asking why truces keep collapsing, pointing to weak enforcement, lack of trust between the warring sides and the absence of pressure on both to comply.

Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has rejected conditions attached by the United States to a proposed ceasefire in Sudan's war, while also dismissing claims that he needs a visa, saying no visa is required for his travel. The remarks signal continued friction between Khartoum's military leadership and Washington over efforts to end the conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Sudanese doctors say the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces looted and wrecked a hospital in a town that has recently been recaptured, deepening concerns over the collapse of medical services in areas contested during Sudan's civil war. The allegations add to a pattern of accusations against the RSF of targeting health facilities, while aid groups warn that damaged hospitals leave civilians without urgent care.

Saudi Arabia has accused Sudan's Rapid Support Forces of carrying out a drone strike on a humanitarian aid convoy. The allegation adds to international concern over attacks on relief operations in Sudan's civil war and puts pressure on the paramilitary group, which has been engaged in fighting the Sudanese army since April 2023.

Sudanese doctors say the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces looted a hospital in a town in North Kordofan that the army has recaptured in its ongoing war with the RSF. The accusation adds to a long pattern of medical facilities being raided, staff attacked and supplies stolen during the two-year conflict, deepening an already dire humanitarian and healthcare crisis.

The arms embargo on Darfur is set to lapse on Saturday unless the UN Security Council agrees to extend it. Commentators warn that letting it expire would benefit the Rapid Support Forces, the militia fighting Sudan's army, and point to the role of the United Arab Emirates and regional actors including Libya, Colombia and Puntland in the war's supply chains. German-language debate is focused on whether the Council will act in time.

Sudanese doctors say the Rapid Support Forces looted a hospital in Sodari, in North Kordofan, according to a report carried by Anadolu Agency. The accusation adds to a pattern of allegations that hospitals and medical facilities in Sudan's war zones have been raided, stripped of supplies or forced out of service, worsening an already severe humanitarian crisis.

Sudanese doctors say the Rapid Support Forces looted and wrecked a hospital in Sodari, in North Kordofan state. The report adds to a pattern of attacks on medical facilities during Sudan's civil war, which has devastated the country's health system and displaced millions since fighting began in April 2023 between the RSF and the army.

Sudan is objecting to the United Arab Emirates' role as host of a United Nations congress on crime, arguing Abu Dhabi cannot credibly hold the position while it stands accused of supporting the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan's civil war. Khartoum's government says the RSF's backer should not preside over an international gathering on crime prevention, adding diplomatic friction to an already strained relationship.

A drone strike attributed to Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has hit a strategic fuel depot in central Sudan, according to a Sudan Tribune report. The attack raises concerns about fuel shortages and worsening infrastructure damage as the conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army continues. Details on casualties and the extent of the damage were not immediately available.

Prime Minister Mark Carney's Canadian investment summit welcomed investors from the United Arab Emirates, drawing criticism because the UAE is accused of supplying weapons, logistics, training and foreign personnel to Sudan's Rapid Support Forces, the paramilitary group blamed by numerous human rights organisations for atrocities in Sudan's civil war. Critics question Canada's judgment in courting Emirati capital while such allegations remain unresolved.