Paramilitary Units Seize Strategic Towns in Sudan

Amid a landscape marked by turmoil and tragedy, paramilitary forces engaged in combat with Sudan’s military have claimed control over two pivotal towns. Meanwhile, the capital grapples with a devastating choleral outbreak, tragically claiming 70 lives just this week.

For over two years, Sudan, Africa’s third-largest country, has been embroiled in a relentless power struggle. At the heart of this conflict stands the military, commanded by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, pitted against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

How did the health crisis worsen? A series of drone strikes over recent weeks, attributed to the RSF, have left Khartoum’s essential water and power facilities in ruins. This has intensified what was already a critical health situation.

On Thursday, the RSF announced its successful capture of Dibeibat in South Kordofan and Al-Khoei in West Kordofan. These towns, strategically located near South Sudan’s border, hold significant importance.

“The liberation of Dibeibat, followed by Al-Khoei, signifies more than just a field triumph; it reinforces our control over the Kordofan region,” said an RSF spokesperson.

Al-Khoei, just about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from El-Obeid—a critical junction between Khartoum and Darfur—was fleetingly reclaimed by the army earlier this month. Residents have verified to AFP that Dibeibat, a vital link between North and South Kordofan, now lies under RSF control.

This conflict has effectively bifurcated Sudan. The military holds sway over the central, eastern, and northern territories, whereas the paramilitaries dominate almost all of Darfur as well as parts of the south.

The toll is staggering: tens of thousands dead, 13 million displaced, culminating in what the United Nations describes as the planet’s gravest humanitarian debacle.

Cholera Outbreak Deepens

Last week, the government—supported by the military—claimed to have ousted RSF forces from their final bastions in Khartoum state, following the recapture of the capital’s heart two months prior. Khartoum remains a conflict zone, its health and sanitation systems in shambles.

An astounding 90% of hospitals in major conflict zones have been rendered inoperative due to the ongoing warfare. As it stands, the capital is engulfed in a dire health crisis.

A cholera outbreak claimed 70 lives on Tuesday and Wednesday, reported the Khartoum state health ministry on Thursday. Additionally, over 2,100 new infections emerged within that same period.

Nevertheless, the U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA has expressed difficulties in gauging the outbreak’s true scale, citing considerable discrepancies in official data.

This week alone, the federal health ministry recorded 172 cholera-related deaths. A staggering 90% of these occurred in Khartoum state. Authorities have noted an 89% recovery rate among those in isolation, yet warned of escalating cases due to worsening environmental conditions.

Cholera vaccination efforts have commenced in Jebel Awila, Khartoum’s hardest-hit district, noted U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres’ spokesperson. Concurrently, the World Health Organization has delivered over 22 metric tons of cholera and emergency health supplies, according to spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.

‘On the Brink’

Though cholera is endemic to Sudan, the frequency and severity of outbreaks have escalated since the conflict’s onset. Since August, health authorities have documented more than 65,000 cases and over 1,700 deaths spanning 12 of Sudan’s 18 states.

“Sudan teeters on the brink of a large-scale public health catastrophe,” remarked Eatizaz Yousif, Sudan director for the International Rescue Committee. “Conflict, mass displacement, destroyed critical infrastructure, and limited access to clean water are spurring a resurgence of cholera and other deadly illnesses.”

Humanitarian organizations caution that without immediate intervention, disease proliferation will likely intensify as the rainy season approaches next month, further hindering aid access.

The Sudanese government additionally confronts U.S. sanctions following allegations from Washington accusing the military of deploying chemical weapons in its fight against the RSF last year.

In response, Sudan’s foreign ministry on Thursday announced the establishment of a national committee to scrutinize these allegations, simultaneously conveying disbelief in the U.S. administration’s accusations.