Last month, the Sudanese Armed Forces announced that they had taken control of much of the capital, Khartoum. For nearly a year, the city had been largely under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, following the eruption of war in April 2023.
For many Sudanese, this turning point offered a glimmer of hope. After months of devastation, perhaps now there could be room for dialogue, even a political settlement to end a conflict that has produced the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Thousands are dead, millions have been displaced and nearly half of Sudan’s population faces acute hunger.
But that hope was swiftly crushed. Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, the head of the army, declared there would be no negotiations. The SAF, he said, would continue fighting “until the end”. His statement was reinforced by the military’s official position: total victory, with no compromise.
It is a catastrophic stance, and a tragically familiar one.
Since independence in 1956, Sudan has endured more years at war than at peace. These conflicts have not been driven by foreign actors, but by Sudan’s own rulers. Military governments, which have run the country for most of its post-colonial history, have suppressed diversity, denied justice and turned their guns on their own people.
The most destructive of these regimes was led by Omar Al Bashir and his Islamist backers, who seized power in 1989. Over three decades, they entrenched a system of exclusion and corruption, dominated key sectors such as oil, gold and banking, packed the military with loyalists and brutally imposed Sharia law, even in non-Muslim areas. This fuelled Sudan’s eventual partition and contributed to the spread of violent extremism throughout the region.
Their legacy continues to shape today’s war. Islamists were instrumental in obstructing the civilian transition that followed Sudan’s 2019 revolution. They later aligned with the RSF to topple the civilian-led government. Today, many of these same actors are fighting alongside the SAF and calling not for peace, but for a permanent war.
This agenda is not just a threat to Sudan, but also to the wider region.
Extremist figures are using this crisis to advance their own interests. They have attempted to shift attention away from the root causes of war – systemic inequality, discrimination and the militarisation of politics – including by blaming foreign actors. One recent example is Sudan’s case at the International Court of Justice against the UAE, accusing it of supporting the RSF.
This legal campaign is deeply flawed. The UAE, while not above criticism, has been a crucial humanitarian and economic partner across the Horn of Africa. Singling it out, while ignoring the roles of other states that support the SAF, suggests a selective and political agenda. Worse still, this campaign appears to be driven by Islamist hardliners, who are scapegoating the UAE to distract from their own involvement and their ties to the expansionism of other powers in Sudan.
This is not justice. It is political theatre, and it does nothing to help the Sudanese people.
Sudan needs inclusive leadership that reflects the country’s ethnic, cultural and religious diversity. And it needs to break with the failed model of exclusion and militarism that brought it to this point
The SAF also lacks the credibility to appeal to international courts. For more than two decades, it has refused to co-operate with the International Criminal Court, which still seeks the arrest of former president Al Bashir and other fugitives currently protected by the army. If the military were serious about justice, it would begin with domestic accountability. Instead, it pursues symbolic legal action against perceived rivals, while shielding those responsible for past atrocities.
The sad truth is that the military remains trapped in the old logic of war, believing that peace can only come through force. But that belief has already brought Sudan to the brink of collapse. The symbolic victory of retaking Khartoum means little if the country continues to fall apart.
What Sudan needs now is not another military government. It needs a real peace process, one that silences the guns, returns displaced communities to their homes and begins the task of national recovery. It needs inclusive leadership that reflects the country’s ethnic, cultural and religious diversity. And it needs to break with the failed model of exclusion and militarism that brought it to this point.
Reverting to army rule, with Islamist factions pulling the strings and insurgencies simmering across the country, would not be a new beginning. It would be a repeat of the very history that led to this disaster.
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
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ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
The Little Things
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto
Four stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Essentials
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Seattle from Dh6,755 return in economy and Dh24,775 in business class.
The cruise
UnCruise Adventures offers a variety of small-ship cruises in Alaska and around the world. A 14-day Alaska’s Inside Passage and San Juans Cruise from Seattle to Juneau or reverse costs from $4,695 (Dh17,246), including accommodation, food and most activities. Trips in 2019 start in April and run until September.
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Meydan race card
6pm Dubai Trophy – Conditions(TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
6.35Dubai Trophy – Conditions(TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
1,800m
7.10pm Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
1,800m ,400m
7.45pm Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
8.20pm Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m
8.55pm Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m
9.30pm Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m
Company profile
Name: Oulo.com
Founder: Kamal Nazha
Based: Dubai
Founded: 2020
Number of employees: 5
Sector: Technology
Funding: $450,000
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
