Is El Fasher the Beginning of the Road to Ending the War in Sudan?
Moatinoon
For nearly a year, El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, has been facing a siege and war, leading to a deterioration in the humanitarian situation in the city and the surrounding IDP camps.
The city has witnessed continuous attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to control it, as it is the last stronghold in Darfur, defended by the Sudanese army and its allied joint forces. This has hindered the delivery of aid to affected citizens in the camps and the city.
The RSF controls large areas of Darfur, including its five states, except for El Fasher and parts of North Darfur State. Since May of last year, the RSF has launched dozens of ground attacks and drone attacks on the city, destroying large parts of service institutions. The RSF has imposed a continuous siege on the city, exacerbating the humanitarian and health crisis.
On June 13, 2024, the UN Security Council issued Resolution 2736, calling on the Rapid Support Forces to lift the siege and blockade of El Fasher and to withdraw all forces threatening the safety and security of civilians.
International organizations have continued to complain about their inability to provide relief to civilians due to the security situation, the danger their personnel are exposed to, and the obstacles they face from the warring parties.
Recently, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, announced, after continuous contacts, the commitment he received from the parties to the conflict in Sudan to grant "full access" to deliver aid to El Fasher and Zamzam camp in North Darfur. He confirmed that the organization is mobilized to reach and support civilians facing critical situations.
The Transitional Sovereignty Council announced on Monday that the government had agreed to establish UN logistical supply bases around El Fasher, North Darfur, to facilitate humanitarian work.
The Sovereignty Council said in a press statement, "The Government of Sudan has agreed to the UNs request to establish logistical supply bases around El Fasher, in the areas of Mellit and Tawila, to facilitate humanitarian work."
The city of Mellit is located approximately 56 kilometers north of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, and is controlled by the Rapid Support Forces.
The city of Tawila, located 70 kilometers west of El Fasher, is under the control of the Sudan Liberation Movement-North (SLM-N) led by Abdul Wahid al-Nur.
Does this commitment by both sides indicate that this step means that El Fasher is the final battle, forcing everyone to move toward a ceasefire and the beginning of a path to peace in Sudan?
Writer and academic Abdullah Adam Khater says that the United Nations announcement of the success of the international organizations mobilization to reach civilians facing a critical situation has profound and fundamental implications that must be addressed in this context.
He told Citizens that the first indication is that the parties supporting the war have allowed humanitarian aid to reach El Fasher, Zamzam camp and other camps, in recognition of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the region. This means that the parties themselves have realized that war and weapons as a means will in no way mean achieving a victory that achieves humanity for any of the parties. Therefore, this approval is an entry point for the Sudanese parties to preserve their humanity and that they can seek to resolve the crisis problems by means other than war and the use of starvation as a weapon in battles.
Khater added that the most important indication is that the call of the human conscience has emerged very clearly for El Fasher, which has become a primary target and a daily target for fire, and a city where prominent figures in knowledge, society, culture, the economy, and the arts are killed. He pointed out that this humanitarian call is supported by all Sudanese in all regions. "Sudanese national forces were keen to highlight this call through various means, both inside and outside Sudan, and to express this issue extensively in a direct letter to the United Nations." He said that this fully played its role in pressuring the parties and also international organizations, especially the United Nations, to continuously strive to respond to the humanitarian situation in El Fasher. Khater said, "In addition, there is an equally important indication: the war, which has become part of the painful memories in various regions of Sudan, whether in Khartoum or other central regions, is also on its way to becoming a painful memory, not only in El Fasher, but throughout Darfur. This is because the solution will be the same for the Darfur region, within a democratic federal framework, within the framework of the citizens interests, the unity and diversity of Sudan, and all the issues that represent a solution to Sudans problems."
He added, "Perhaps todays announcement is the beginning of the road to ending the war in Sudan, but ending the war is not easy, and the Sudanese must be more prepared to address the issues with greater rigor and humanity."
For his part, writer and political activist Montaser Ibrahim believes that the possibility of a ceasefire is unlikely in light of the political escalation on both sides.
Ibrahim told Citizens that the Rapid Support Forces alliance has not yet crystallized enough to establish a presence on the ground. He expected this alliance to escalate on other fronts and seek victories to prove its presence.
On the other hand, Ibrahim believes that the Joint Forces Alliance may be the best option. He is heading toward creating a front that is being tossed about by waves of rumors and media squabbling, and is in a state of clinical death.
He added that the prospect of a solution is unlikely in the near future, in addition to the international escalation and the growing hostilities of the Port Sudan government with neighboring countries and countries that could have been effective in moving toward a ceasefire or pushing toward negotiations. He added, "All of this, of course, reveals the influence of international and regional powers in this conflict."
According to the United Nations, 450,000 people have recently fled the city of El Fasher due to the escalation of fighting and the intensity of military confrontations between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces.
About a week ago, the Rapid Support Forces announced control of Zamzam Camp, the largest displacement camp in Darfur.
More than 300 civilians were killed last week in clashes around the Zamzam and Abu Shouk displacement camps and El Fasher, according to local sources.
The Sudanese army controls El Fasher, and fighting alongside it are armed Darfuri movements that signed the Juba Peace Agreement with the Sudanese government in 2020. Most notable among these are the Sudan Liberation Movement, led by Minni Arko Minawi, and the Justice and Equality Movement, led by Gibril Ibrahim.
El Fasher is the capital and largest city of the Darfur region, which comprises five states. It is the only state capital among the regions other states that did not fall into the hands of the Rapid Support Forces.
