Recent victories by Sudan's Rapid Support Forces are likely to strengthen the negotiating position of the paramilitary group that has been fighting the army since April, but do not amount to a game changer in a war that neither side is likely to win, Sudanese analysts told The National.
The RSF on Tuesday announced the capture of Zalingi in Darfur, less than a week after it took Nyala, also in Darfur and Sudan's second-largest city with a population of about four million.
In both cases, the cities fell after the RSF defeated and captured the local army garrisons.
RSF fighters are also believed to be close to defeating the army in El Fasher in Darfur and El Obeid in the neighbouring Kordofan region.
“The question is how far can the Rapid Support Forces sustain its advances and whether the resentment felt by most Sudanese towards it can be overcome,” said military and security analyst Omar Arbab.
“They want to match the large swathes of territory still under army control in the centre, east and north of the country to improve their position in Jeddah,” he said, alluding to the venue of ceasefire negotiations sponsored by Saudi Arabia and the US.
War crimes accusations
The RSF's forerunner is a notorious militia called the Janjaweed that is accused of war crimes in Darfur during the civil war in the 2000s. In the conflict, it fought on the side of the government of now-ousted dictator Omar Al Bashir.
The International Criminal Court is investigating a new set of crimes allegedly committed by the RSF and allied militias in the summer when hundreds from the ethnic African Masalit tribe were killed and thousands forced to flee their homes in Darfur and take refuge in Chad.
In Khartoum, RSF fighters are accused of widespread looting, evicting civilians from their homes, and sexual assault. They are also accused of the unlawful detention of hundreds of civilians.
“The paramilitary enjoys the support of powerful Arab tribes in Darfur, giving it a level of popular acceptance that can help its drive to expand its control there,” according to Osman Al Mirghany, a prominent Sudanese analyst and editor of the Khartoum daily Al Tayar.
However, he explained, the deep opposition felt by heavily armed African tribes towards the RSF could be a major stumbling block for the paramilitary to seize the entire Darfur region, which is the size of France and borders Chad, Libya, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.
An RSF-controlled Darfur would also tempt foreign rebel groups already in the region – mostly from Chad and Central African Republic – to increase their presence, undermining security and stability and posing a challenge to the RSF's authority, according to Mr Al Mirghany.
Deadlock in Khartoum drives RSF shift to Darfur
Neither side has been able to gain an edge over its rival in Khartoum, while RSF fighters control most districts, the army uses heavy artillery and air strikes to pummel the paramilitary's positions.
“The shift to Darfur to take territory may in part be attributed to the RSF's failure to break the stalemate in Khartoum, where it has suffered heavy casualties at the hands of the army,” said Mr Al Mirghany.
The army has so far been unable to dislodge RSF fighters from their positions deep in the capital's residential districts.
“The crude firepower used by the army has failed to change the situation on the ground in Khartoum because this tactic is not effective in urban warfare,” said Wael Mohammed El Hassan, another Sudanese analyst. “That, and the loss of several of its Khartoum bases, has cost the army its prestige.”
The war in Sudan broke out over differences between army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan and RSF commander Gen Mohamed Dagalo, his one-time ally and deputy in Sudan's ruling military council, over the implementation of a democratic transition plan.
Their dispute escalated into an armed struggle for military and political supremacy that has displaced about six million of Sudan's estimated 48 million population, killed thousands and destroyed much of the infrastructure in the vast and impoverished Afro-Arab nation.
It has also created uncertainty over the democratic transition Sudan embarked upon after Al Bashir's regime was toppled in 2019 after about 30 years in power.
Mediation by Saudi Arabia and the US produced a series of ceasefire agreements that all collapsed. The process was suspended this summer but negotiations resumed last week in Jeddah.
The analysts said the renewed talks were likely to produce a deal within days on a temporary truce that would allow humanitarian aid to reach the millions of Sudanese affected by the war.
The next phase, they said, would deal with resolving the differences between the two sides over the assimilation of the RSF into the armed forces, something that Gen Dagalo has long resisted and Gen Al Burhan insisted on.
There has been no word from the Saudi or US negotiators on the progress of the talks.
EMILY%20IN%20PARIS%3A%20SEASON%203
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
EXPATS
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Price: from Dh498,542
On sale: now
Company%20profile
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The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces
- Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
- Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
- Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
- Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
- Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
'Of Love & War'
Lynsey Addario, Penguin Press
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER
Directed by: Michael Fimognari
Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo
Two stars
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The biog
Favourite books: 'Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life' by Jane D. Mathews and ‘The Moment of Lift’ by Melinda Gates
Favourite travel destination: Greece, a blend of ancient history and captivating nature. It always has given me a sense of joy, endless possibilities, positive energy and wonderful people that make you feel at home.
Favourite pastime: travelling and experiencing different cultures across the globe.
Favourite quote: “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders” - Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.
Favourite Movie: Mona Lisa Smile
Favourite Author: Kahlil Gibran
Favourite Artist: Meryl Streep
