U.S.-brokered peace efforts for Sudan have encountered new obstacles after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) rejected demands to withdraw from cities under their control and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) insisted that any agreement must begin with the RSF's withdrawal.
Mediators are working to revive talks for a proposed 90-day humanitarian truce in Sudan led by U.S. Senior Advisor Massad Boulos, but disagreements between the SAF and the RSF continue to stall progress. The SAF is demanding a full RSF withdrawal, while the RSF says the conditions amount to surrender.
"The military's recent gains in Kordofan have strengthened its position in the negotiations. They could also help civilians return to their homes and improve humanitarian access," said Mohiedeen Mohamed, an analyst.
The SAF had consolidated control of the Export Road linking El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State, with Khartoum, despite intensified drone attacks by the RSF, according to military sources.
Mediators hope that a truce will create opportunities for aid deliveries and confidence-building measures. However, ongoing fighting across several fronts complicates the prospects for progress.
"Recent fighting in Kordofan has reshaped the battlefield and prompted both sides to reinforce their positions. That shows neither is ready to make concessions, making a humanitarian truce unlikely to improve conditions on the ground," said Abdolmoniem Abuidrees, another analyst.
Since April 2023, fighting between the SAF and the RSF has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions both within Sudan and across its borders. An estimated 33.7 million people will need humanitarian aid this year, according to the UN.
U.S.-brokered peace efforts for Sudan face new obstacle amid ongoing hostilities
A 100-bed Ebola treatment center is expected to open this week in Bunia, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, as a rapidly expanding outbreak strains health services in a region already affected by conflict and displacement.
At the Kigonze displacement site in Bunia, International Medical Corps has set up an eight-bed transit center to identify suspected cases, isolate patients and refer confirmed cases for treatment.
"As you can see here behind me, there is a barrier; this is the red zone. When a case is triaged here and suspected of being Ebola, the patient is referred to one of the isolation rooms located behind me. We have a capacity of eight beds here. From that point, we take over their care -- collecting the initial samples for testing. If the test result is negative after 48 hours, we run a second test. If both tests are negative, the person is discharged and returns home, receiving treatment for any other conditions associated with the initial suspicion," said Dr. Francis Bigirimwami Chibanvunya, a doctor at the Kigonze transit center.
The outbreak has compounded a severe humanitarian crisis in Ituri Province, where conflict and violence have displaced nearly 1 million people, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA.
Construction workers are putting the finishing touches on the new treatment center, which is intended to ease pressure on existing facilities operating at full capacity.
"IMC (International Medical Corps) will inaugurate this week the biggest treatment center of the country with a capacity 100 beds. At OCHA, we coordinate partners on the ground on the humanitarian response, but also through the humanitarian fund. We make sure they receive funding quickly to scale up the response," said Ramatoulaye Moussa Mazou, communications officer for OCHA in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The facility will separate suspected and confirmed cases and is expected to employ more than 300 people, expanding the capacity to detect, isolate and treat patients as the outbreak spreads.
"So, the work is nearing completion. It is a 100-bed facility - with a capacity of 100 beds - comprising 60 beds for confirmed cases and 40 beds for suspected cases. More than 300 staff members will be working at the center, and we are counting on the community to help accelerate the process of identifying cases," said Dr. Sambo Sidikou of International Medical Corps.
As of July 30, the DRC had reported 3,605 confirmed cases of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus, including 1,587 deaths, representing a case fatality rate of 44 percent, the WHO said in its latest disease outbreak report.
New Ebola treatment center set to open as outbreak strains DR Congo
