Sudan Strengthens Ties with Russia as Eyes on Arms, Human Crisis

Sunday August 25 2024

By MAWAHIB ABDALLATIF

Two things happened in Sudan this week. The military government announced it had opened a new inlet for humanitarian supplies, douling them and partially alleviating blockages to IDP camps. But Khartoum also received new weaponry from Russia and Iran, two of its allies it picked up after war erupted in April last year.

The two diametrically opposed incidents reflect the general picture of the war in Sudan: Hopes for civilians have often been dashed by one move by a warring faction; either the Sudan Armed Forces (Saf) or the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The announcement of a new border inlet via Chad was made even in Geneva where the US is pushing for dialogue for ceasefire but which has been skipped by the Saf. The delivery of weapons, on the other hand, was clandestine, only leaked through sources at the military.

Local website Darfur 24 first reported the delivery on Tuesday and Saf senior sources later confirmed receipt of seven Russian fighter jets in Sudan from last week via Port Sudan. Sudan military chiefs said the new weaponry of jets had already been deployed to the warfront, elevating advantage for the Saf as it battles to reconquer crucial regions in North Darfur, where famine has also been reported.

The warplanes, a sources told The EastAfrican, were also in operation in areas north of Khartoum where a new battle erupted.

The source also indicated Sudan had received Iranian ‘Mohajer’ reconnaissance drones earlier this month to boost Saf aerial capabilities amid this brutal conflict. Arms shipments to Sudan’s war from abroad aren’t new.

But in the past, Saf which demands to be labelled as the legitimate government, accused countries such as the UAE of fueling RSF with weapons and other supplies, claims Abu Dhabi denied, including on the floor of the UN Security Council in July.

Yet Russia and Iran aren’t just rumoured partners. In October last year, Khartoum resumed diplomatic ties with Iran which it had cut in the past over a feud with Gulf states.

In May 2023, Sudanese Army Assistant Commander Yasir Al-Atta had indicated Sudan would reach an agreement with Russia on establishing a naval base on the Red Sea. This was then reaffirmed by Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Deputy Chairman Malik Agar during the International Economic Forum in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in June, where he stated, “There is growing interest in reviving an agreement to establish a Russian naval centre on the Red Sea.”

Discussions about this base had been ongoing for years. In 2017, former Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an agreement to build a Russian naval base capable of accommodating several hundred soldiers and four warships.

However, the volatile political situation in Sudan prevented the Sudanese parliament from ratifying the deal.

The supply of weapons signals something else: A significant shift in Moscow’s stance toward Sudan, especially since the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted in April 2023.

Initially, Moscow supported the RSF, relying on agreements with the Russian private military Wagner Group to secure gold mining rights in Sudan, a crucial source of foreign currency for Russia amidst Western sanctions.

However, it now appears that Russia is seeking to broaden its support to include the Sudanese army in exchange for a strategic foothold on the Red Sea. Recently, Mikhail Bogdanov, Russian President’s Special Envoy to Africa and the Middle East pledged extensive and unlimited military support to the Sudanese army.

Sudan’s war strategy, however, is dogged by a worsening humanitarian crisis on home soil. Famine was reported in July 2024 in Zamzam camp in North Darfur near El Fasher city where fighting blocked delivery of aid.

A report by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) on Thursday said heightened hostilities and lack of humanitarian access means famine situation could go on until October. The report, Regional Focus of the 2024-Global Report on Food Crises says some 755,000 people are already in critical situation.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Thursday the main supply routes around Al Fasher remain inaccessible, and humanitarian and commercial trucks cannot bring necessities such as food and medical supplies.

“In the short-term, we urge the parties to the conflict to open more supply routes to ensure the safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance and the movement of essential commercial goods to Al Fasher, Al Obeid, Sennar, Al Jaziera, and other areas affected by fighting,” ICRC said.

Sudan had last week reopened the Adré crossing between Chad and Sudan for three months to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Darfur region. And RSF said it will not impede aid workers into areas they control, a crucial step if upheld.

In Geneva talks, skipped by the Saf, participants including the United States, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, the United Nations, and the African Union—have called for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.

In a joint statement on Tuesday, the parties emphasised the importance of ensuring compliance with international humanitarian law and implementing the commitments of the Jeddah Declaration, which includes the responsibility of the warring parties to protect civilians and critical infrastructure such as hospitals and schools.

Willingness to participate

The participants also welcomed the RSF’s participation in the talks and its willingness to meet with the Sudanese army delegation by any means possible. They urged the RSF to open areas under its control, such as Sennar, to facilitate delivery of humanitarian aid to up to 12 million Sudanese across multiple states.

Meanwhile, the Coordinating Council of Civil Democratic Forces known as Taggadum’ led by former prime minister Abdalla Hamdok welcomed the approval by both warring parties to open vital corridors for delivering humanitarian aid.

The civilian movements said on Wednesday, the delivery of food and medical supplies was crucial to all Sudanese without discrimination or exception, as the country faces a catastrophic humanitarian crisis threatening the lives of over 20 million people.

One new development though is that as Saf skipped Geneva, citing ‘unwelcome guests’, they did agree to send representatives to new agenda setting talks scheduled for Cairo next week to continue pushing for direct talks between warring factions. It may also be the last shred of hope to rescue Sudan as Khartoum retains some kind of trust in Cairo.