Sudan

• The European Union has banned the import of gold from Sudan to disrupt the financing of the ongoing conflict between the regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). • To further cripple mining operations, the EU is also restricting the export of cyanide and mercury, chemicals essential for gold extraction. • This measure addresses a severe humanitarian crisis that has already displaced more than 14 million people within the country.

• UN aid coordination office OCHA reported on Tuesday that humanitarians are facing significant challenges delivering aid to communities near the “Yellow Line” in northern Rafah, Gaza. • The announcement follows a consultation between the UN and representatives from 17 displacement sites, which currently host approximately 3,000 families. • These disruptions to humanitarian services are linked to reported movements of Israeli forces within the region, complicating the delivery of essential supplies.

El Obeid becomes key battleground in war between Sudan’s armed forces and their paramilitary enemies, the RSFFatima is losing count of the number of drone attacks on the besieged city of El Obeid in Sudan, but says the attacks this past weekend were the most violent so far.The drones hit schools and fuel stations, killing more than 20 people, including students, she says. “Over the past few months, seeing 40 or 45 drones is the norm. You can literally count them,” said the aid volunteer, whose name has been changed for fear of retribution. Continue reading...

• Egyptian authorities have launched a sweeping crackdown on smuggling networks along the border with Sudan to disrupt the illicit flow of gold. • The operation reveals how Sudan's ongoing internal conflict has fueled a "war economy," pushing gold trade into underground regional networks. • This shift matters as it intensifies regional security concerns and demonstrates how wartime resources are being weaponized to fund combatants.

• The United Nations has warned of an unfolding human rights catastrophe in Al-Obeid, Sudan, as the nation's civil war continues to escalate. • The conflict began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. • This war has triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, resulting in the displacement of millions and the total collapse of public services and healthcare.

• Sudan is currently experiencing a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, which some observers describe as the gravest of recent times. • The crisis is characterized by widespread mass starvation, with 825,000 children specifically facing severe acute starvation. • The situation is exacerbated by a lack of significant intervention from global governments, who have done little to alleviate the suffering.

• UN relief chief Martin Griffiths has sounded an alarm regarding the escalation of violence in Sudan's North Kordofan region. • He emphasized that humanitarian workers must be granted safe, unimpeded access to reach vulnerable populations affected by the conflict. • The warning highlights the critical need for all warring parties to uphold international humanitarian law by protecting civilians and relief personnel.