The Truth Perspective | Ibrahim Shglawi<\/p>\n
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El-Fasher Reorganizes the Cards<\/p>\n
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Recent developments in the city of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, point to a potential shift in the nature of the Sudanese conflict, and in the international community\u2019s approach to the war that has been raging since April 2023. With the deepening humanitarian catastrophe, mounting regional and international pressure, and the emergence of UN efforts to contain the crisis, Sudan appears to be approaching a political and security turning point\u2014one that could redraw the conflict map or at least test the sincerity of all parties toward peace.<\/p>\n
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For over a year, El-Fasher has been under a suffocating siege imposed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in an attempt to overthrow the last remaining stronghold of the Sudanese army in Darfur, paving the way for the parallel government announced in Nairobi. This siege has led to food scarcity, the collapse of the healthcare system, and severe shortages in drinking water. These conditions have triggered mass displacement from neighborhoods and surrounding camps\u2014most notably Abu Shouk\u2014alongside the gradual collapse of shelter centers.<\/p>\n
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The United Nations adopted a firmer stance earlier, most notably through Security Council Resolution 2736 issued in June 2024, which called on the RSF to lift the siege on El-Fasher and withdraw its fighters. This resolution represents the first formal international acknowledgment of the gravity of the situation in the city and opens the door for potential direct UN intervention should the militia and its backers continue their intransigence.<\/p>\n
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Eyewitness accounts reveal an almost total collapse of daily life. Under artillery shelling and skyrocketing prices of essential goods, food has become rare. Charitable kitchens\u2014once a source of free meals\u2014have become lifelines for many, with a previously free meal now reportedly costing up to 1,000 Sudanese pounds, according to local media.<\/p>\n
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Amid this bleak reality, the recent UN initiative emerged as a test of the parties\u2019 willingness to explore non-military options. The phone call between UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres and Sudan\u2019s Sovereign Council head Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan included Guterres\u2019 support for appointing Dr. Kamal Idris as Prime Minister and Al-Burhan\u2019s reaffirmation of his commitment to forming an independent government. This reflects an intention to support political transition and restore peace and security.<\/p>\n
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More importantly, Guterres proposed a one-week humanitarian truce in El-Fasher\u2014a proposal that received official approval from Sudan\u2019s Sovereign Council, allowing a small window for humanitarian organizations to operate.<\/p>\n
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The RSF\u2019s rejection of the truce exposed its lack of seriousness. RSF advisor Al-Basha Tabeeg described the truce as a \u201cpretext to deliver ammunition to besieged forces,\u201d accusing the army of using civilians as \u201chuman shields\u201d and claiming that real humanitarian work is carried out by their so-called \u201cTasis Forces.\u201d<\/p>\n
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This rejection clearly demonstrates the militia\u2019s disregard for the humanitarian tragedy and points to a deeper dilemma: the scorched-earth policy the RSF has pursued since the war\u2019s outbreak\u2014targeting civilians, displacing them, and blocking all humanitarian efforts.<\/p>\n
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Amid military escalation, signals from negotiation fronts are mixed. In Brussels, Saudi Arabia recently reaffirmed its commitment to reviving the Jeddah platform during a meeting of the advisory group, calling for an end to the war and the prevention of foreign interference. Similarly, comments by RSF advisor Ezzeldin Al-Safi to Asharq Al-Awsat suggested a preliminary willingness to negotiate, albeit tied to clear guarantees and a pre-agreed mediation framework.<\/p>\n
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Meanwhile, leaks about unofficial talks between Sudan and the UAE through backchannels reveal deep disagreements over the inclusion of militias in governance. Khartoum strongly opposes granting the RSF any permanent political or military representation, placing the talks at a deadlock.<\/p>\n
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On the humanitarian front, a European humanitarian airlift recently delivered aid to Darfur\u2014a development signaling the start of a new relief path that could change realities on the ground, particularly if expanded or turned into a sustainable corridor under UN supervision.<\/p>\n
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The facts suggest that all parties\u2014including the UN\u2014are reassessing their positions in light of a strategic deadlock marked by mutual military exhaustion and catastrophic humanitarian decline. The army clings to centralized authority, while the RSF seeks de facto legitimacy by seizing El-Fasher. UN efforts and the formation of a civilian, independent government may present a last opportunity for a political solution\u2014on condition that a ceasefire is secured, Sudan\u2019s sovereignty preserved, and a neutral mediation mechanism is established to support the transition and restore security.<\/p>\n
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From the lens of #TheTruthPerspective, UN efforts in El-Fasher and growing international positions could mark the beginning of a new phase centered on \u201crestoring peace and security.\u201d However, this remains contingent on a Sudanese will that transcends military calculations and puts civilian suffering first. It requires halting regional support for the militia and making effective use of humanitarian corridors, as recently announced by Sudan\u2019s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Al-Harith Idris.<\/p>\n
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Today, El-Fasher is not a battlefield, but a true test of the will for peace.<\/p>\n
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Stay safe and well.<\/p>\n
Sunday, June 29, 2025<\/p>\n
Shglawi55@gmail.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Truth Perspective | Ibrahim Shglawi El-Fasher Reorganizes the Cards Recent developments in the city of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, point to a potential shift in the nature of the Sudanese conflict, and in the international community\u2019s approach to the war that has been raging since April 2023. With the deepening humanitarian …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18242,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[92],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aswatnews.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18322"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aswatnews.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aswatnews.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aswatnews.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aswatnews.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18322"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/aswatnews.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18322\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18323,"href":"https:\/\/aswatnews.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18322\/revisions\/18323"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aswatnews.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18242"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aswatnews.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aswatnews.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aswatnews.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}