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Sudan in the Global Media Today

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RSF in North Kordofan
Several international newspapers and websites have covered the Rapid Support Forces attacks on villages in North Kordofan State, which began last Saturday.

The British newspaper The Guardian quoted the Emergency Action Group as saying that the Rapid Support Forces killed approximately 300 people in their attack on several villages around the town of Bara, which they control in North Kordofan State.

The newspaper reported that 200 people were killed in one village in Shaq al-Num, either by burning or shooting, and that looting raids on other villages resulted in the deaths of 38 civilians, while dozens were missing.

The following day, the organization stated in its statement that the Rapid Support Forces attacked the village of Halat Hamid, killing 46 people, including pregnant women and children.

The newspaper indicated that more than 3,400 people were forced to flee, according to the United Nations.

The British newspaper reported that the United States and human rights groups have accused the Rapid Support Forces of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Its soldiers have carried out a series of violent lootings in the territories they control across the country.

According to the newspaper, the Rapid Support Forces leadership affirms that it will bring those responsible for these acts to justice.

The Daily Mirror reported the same story, citing the same source.

Trump and Peace in Sudan
National Security magazine, by Alexander Brown, published an article titled "Test for Trump: After Congo, Can the US Mediate Peace in Sudan?"

The writer pointed to the Washington-engineered peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which he considered a victory for the US administration. He said that the agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda represents an opportunity for the United States, as well as an opportunity for Washington to expand its African engagement to include another major regional conflict, Sudan.

He wrote, "Washington has been slow to act so far." The Trump administration, like its unfortunate predecessor, has largely ignored the escalating crisis, failing to even appoint special envoys for Sudan itself or the wider Horn of Africa region. It has also turned a blind eye to the role of external supporters of the conflict, particularly the support provided by the United Arab Emirates to the Rapid Support Forces. Earlier this year, the United States concluded a deal to sell the UAE more than 1.6 billion in weapons, without mentioning how Abu Dhabi regularly supplies the accused group with money, weapons, and drones.

Brown considered achieving peace in Sudan to be of paramount importance. He said that instability fuels the threat of Islamist terrorism, which is already on the rise on the continent. He noted that Sudan was once a base for terrorists, most notably al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and his entourage. “Preventing the resurgence of such groups is clearly in the United States’ interest. Continued fighting also harms global commercial interests, given Sudan’s strategic location on the Red Sea.” Another concern is the potential for the war to merge with other neighboring crises, such as the ongoing crisis in neighboring South Sudan, which could have continent-wide repercussions.

Ethiopian Militias in Al-Fashaga
Citizen Detective reported on Monday that Ethiopian militias had taken control of the Al-Fashaga area in Gedaref State. The website said that Sudanese farmers and activists reported on Monday that Ethiopian militias had launched cross-border raids on agricultural villages, disrupting the planting season in a country at war and suffering from a severe hunger crisis.

Quoting Agence France-Presse, the website said that several villages in the disputed area were attacked, and that the militias entered villages along the border, fired automatic weapons, and looted livestock and agricultural equipment before withdrawing into Ethiopian territory.

According to the website, the local resistance committee, one of hundreds of volunteer civilian groups coordinating aid across Sudan, reported on Monday that three villages in Gedaref State had "witnessed repeated violations." "Dangerous" by Ethiopian militias.

Literary Award for Leila Aboulela
The Indian Express newspaper covered the news that Sudanese-Scottish writer Leila Aboulela has won the prestigious 2025 Pinter Prize for Literature. The newspaper said she joins a prestigious list of writers, such as Harold Pinter, who have cast "an unwavering gaze on the world."

According to the newspaper, Aboulela described the honor as a "complete surprise," saying that the award broadens and deepens the meaning of freedom of expression and the stories that are heard. She added: "For me, a Sudanese Muslim immigrant writing from a religious perspective, exploring the limits of secular tolerance, this honor feels very significant."

Leila Aboulela will formally receive the award at a ceremony at the British Library on October 10, where she will also announce the courageous writer, someone who has been persecuted for their work defending freedom of expression, with whom she will share the honor.