14-20 December Sudan News Summary: fighting and displacement in Kordofan, atrocity reports from Al Jezira

21 Dec

Arabic news roundup

By William Greenwood

Dozens of people were killed and others wounded on Thursday as a result of aerial and artillery bombardment for the third consecutive day, targeting residential neighborhoods in the city of Dilling and surrounding areas, with attacks causing widespread destruction of property and panic among residents.
For about three days the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, in coordination with its allies in the RSF, has escalated its attacks on Dilling, the second largest city in South Kordofan State.
Using heavy artillery and drones, the attacks have resulted in a large number of deaths, as well as widespread destruction of homes and service facilities.
Dilling, which has been overcrowded with displaced people since the early months of the war, is under a suffocating siege imposed by the RSF and the SPLM-N.
Health centres and the city’s main hospital are facing a critical shortage of medicine and medical personnel, and a number of healthcare workers have left the area due to the deteriorating security situation.
Most residents of the northern and western neighbourhoods evacuated their homes and fled to the city centre, while others preferred to flee towards El Obeid in North Kordofan and other areas under the control of the SPLM-N, due to the continued indiscriminate shelling of their homes.
From: Sudan Tribune

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that more than 50,000 people have been displaced in the Kordofan region and predicted that between 90,000 and 100,000 could be displaced if fighting continues in Kadugli.
Three days ago, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned of escalating risks to civilians in Kordofan as hostilities intensify, stating that the situation is rapidly deteriorating and leading to new mass displacement.
OCHA called on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians, noting that the conflict has displaced more than 1,700 people between last Thursday and Saturday from various areas in South Kordofan.
The head of the IOM mission in Sudan, Mohamed Rifaat, said that more than 50,000 people have been displaced in the Kordofan region of Sudan since October 25th amid the escalating violence.
In White Nile State, the number of newly displaced people from the Heglig area of West Kordofan to Kosti has risen to approximately 1,700 displaced people, mostly children and women, have fled after a gruelling journey to escape fighting and the lack of basic necessities.
The state's Humanitarian Aid Commissioner, Lamia Abdullah, said that food supplies in the camps for those displaced from the Heglig area to Kosti are insufficient due to the massive influx of displaced people, which exceeds the state's capacity.
From: Dabanga

English news roundup

By Samuel Hunt

Investigations by Lighthouse Reports and CNN reveal that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) carried out systematic killings of civilians from the Kanabi community in Al Jazira state.
Satellite imagery shows bodies dumped in irrigation canals, confirming mass killings and attempts to conceal the atrocities.
Survivors and witnesses report widespread violence, destruction of villages, and intimidation of remaining civilians.
The attacks were coordinated and deliberate, indicating an organised campaign of violence and potential war crimes.

After three years of civil war 21 million people now face acute food insecurity, more than 9.5 million are internally displaced, and 4.35 million have fled the country; 10 million children are out of school due to destruction and insecurity.
The conflict has severely undermined health services, with the World Health Organisation reporting more than 1,600 people killed in attacks on healthcare facilities this year, including hospitals and clinics, and dozens more wounded.
UN officials and humanitarian partners warn that the scale of need far outstrips available aid, with millions reliant on assistance that is increasingly difficult to deliver amid ongoing fighting and access restrictions.

Bill Greenwood