El Obeid / El Rahad /Kadugli — El Obeid and El Rahad in North Kordofan have experienced a period of relative calm over the past two days, thanks to successful communication between civil leaders and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). In Kadugli, South Kordofan, clashes continued between SPLM-N (El Hilu) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). El Dabibat in South Kordofan recently witnessed a large-scale attack, which led to the interruption of services in the town.
In North Kordofan, the state capital El Obeid and the town of El Rahad have experienced relative calm since the beginning of the week. Civilian leaders, notable figures, and intellectuals successfully negotiated an agreement with the RSF, committing to safeguard residents and secure the roads connecting the town with El Obeid.
Mansour Mirghani, a leader from the Badiriya tribe, disclosed to Radio Dabanga that they reached an agreement with RSF leaders to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of power stations. As a result, electricity has been restored in El Obeid. Efforts are underway to initiate maintenance work on the water station and lines.
On the agreement between civilian leaders and the RSF to secure the roads connecting El Obeid with El Rahad, Mirghani noted that "the movement of people and goods has resumed, and measures are being taken to clear the roads of criminal gangs involved in armed robberies". He praised the cooperation of military intelligence in securing the areas under their control.
Last week, El Rahad witnessed clashes between locals and members of the TSG, resulting in 10 deaths and seven injuries. The town faced extensive looting of markets, shops, and both private and public facilities in recent weeks.
According to local sources, the flow of goods in the North Kordofan capital has increased, leading to lower prices for essential commodities like flour. Numerous bakeries and mills have also resumed their operations following the restoration of electricity.
However, the efforts of the Greater Kordofan administration to establish communication with the RSF to ease tensions have reportedly hit a roadblock. A civil society leader who chose to remain anonymous revealed that discrepancies within the civil administration's leadership have resulted in 'the suspension of communication with the forces'.
The two parties are scheduled to convene a meeting on either Tuesday or Wednesday to establish joint mechanisms and channels of communication. Both parties have agreed to refrain from engaging in collective organised actions that could lead to direct confrontations.
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The initiative emphasised avoiding tribal rhetoric that may incite tribal conflicts or tensions, as well as discouraging hate speech and the attribution of armed groups to any specific tribe.
Clashes in South Kordofan
In Kadugli, capital of South Kordofan, artillery shelling persisted on Tuesday between areas recently seized by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North under the leadership of Abdelaziz El Hilu (SPLM-N El Hilu), and the army command there.
A recent large-scale attack on the town of El Dabibat in South Kordofan resulted in a deteriorating security situation, disrupted services, and the suspension of both private and public businesses.
A resident of El Dabibat told Radio Dabanga that "all supplies are now sourced from El Obeid in North Kordofan, Abu Zeid in East Jebel Marra, and Delling in South Kordofan". The recent wave of robberies has brought traffic on the roads to a standstill.
The resident predicted that the agricultural season would face significant challenges, including the disruption of health services, the suspension of business activities, banking services, and the closure of public institutions.
