Heavy rainfall and flash floods have affected thousands of people, including internally displaced people (IDPs), host communities, and refugees, in parts of Kassala State.

Yousif Ibrahim Abubaker Abdalla reports on the current situation of war-ravaged Sudan  

HIGHLIGHTS

– The floods have directly impacted 10,178 newly arrived IDPs from Sennar State hosted in five displacement sites and reception centers in Kassala town and the Gharb Kassala locality.

– OCHA has organized a series of humanitarian coordination meetings on 26-27 July to assess the impact of the floods, coordinate response, identify priorities and gaps, and mobilise additional resources to meet the needs of flood-affected people.

– Heavy rains are projected over the coming days and a rise in the Gash River water levels could lead to further flooding in Kassala town.

– From 1 June to 5 July 2024, ACLED records over 400 political violence events and over 1,280 reported fatalities.

– Most political violence was recorded in Khartoum and North Darfur states during the reporting period, with 150 and 99 events and 246 and 508 reported fatalities, respectively.

Photo courtesy: Impact Initiative

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Initial reports indicate that an estimated 10,180 people, most of whom are newly arrived IDPs from Sennar State, have been affected by recent heavy rains and flooding in Kassala State. The number could be higher as authorities and humanitarian partners continue with assessment among host community, refugees and IDPs who fled to Kassala after the conflict broke out in April 2023. At least five people reportedly died. Three of them drowned in the River Gash, while a child died at a displacement site during the night of heavy rains. Heavy rains and flooding have also affected an unspecified number of people and homes in Aroma, Shamal Al Delta, Reifi Kassala, and Gharb Kassala localities. The newly arrived IDPs from Sennar State were hosted in five gathering sites and reception centres in Kassala town and Gharb Kassala locality.

Floodwater reportedly submerged tents and water and sanitation (WASH) facilities, as well as roads. The majority of the affected IDPs have been forced to live in the open on the roadsides and they do not have access to food, clean drinking water, or safe sanitation facilities amid heightened concerns of a possible spike in water-borne diseases. Priority needs for the flood-affected people, including relocation to shelters and buildings in dryer areas, are food, non-food items, and access to safe water and sanitation (WASH). Kassala hosts at least 253,000 IDPs who were displaced from various parts of Sudan, including Khartoum, Darfur, Kordofan, Aj Jazirah and most recently Sennar, since 15 April 2023. With heavy rains projected over the coming days, the Gash River water levels may rise leading to further flooding in Kassala town.

Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) reported that on 25 and 26 July 2024, heavy rains, and floods across Aroma town in Reifi Aroma locality, Kassala displaced an estimated 500 people (100 families). IOM DTM field teams also reported that about 100 houses were destroyed, and all affected people sought shelter with host communities within the same locality.

According to the Kassala Meteorological Department, 118 mm of rainfall was recorded in Kassala, 74 mm in Gharb Kassala locality, and 95 mm in Wad Sheriffe settlement. These are among the highest amounts of recorded rainfall in many years. The lack of maintenance of the Gash River banks and its tributaries, rehabilitation of irrigation water channels, and lack of repairs of water channels within Kassala town exacerbate the impact of heavy rains on infrastructure. Between 24 July and 31 July, about 13.4 million people in parts of western and eastern Sudan were projected to face exceptionally heavy rainfall, according to the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC). The ICPAC Disaster Operations Centre (DOC) advised communities in flood—prone areas, mainly in Kassala to move to higher ground and exercise caution during this period.

Amid ongoing fighting in the North Darfur capital of El Fasher, the RSF notched up military successes in Sennar and West Kordofan states in early July. The RSF advanced from al-Jazirah toward Sennar and took control of most major cities, except Sennar city, within weeks of its advance in the state. The fall of Sennar cannot be overstated: It borders four other states, in addition to sharing a border with South Sudan and Ethiopia, and contributes significantly to Sudan’s agricultural production. Further west, the RSF took control of El Fula, the capital of West Kordofan, and the strategic town of al-Meiram following mediation by the Misseriya native administration, which persuaded the SAF to withdraw from its bases after a brief clash with the RSF. By controlling large swaths of Sennar state and al-Meiram town in West Kordofan, the RSF now has multiple routes to South Sudan.

Photo courtesy: Doctors Without Borders

Throughout June and early July, the RSF clashed with the SAF and its allies in Sennar, ultimately leading to its near-total control of the state. The RSF’s advances began in Jabal Moya, a mountain range situated at the border between al-Jazirah and Sennar states, whose position gives a strategic advantage to those who control it. Thus, the RSF’s control of Jabal Moya was the tipping point of the SAF’s collapse in Sennar state.

In the last week of June, clashes intensified in the Sennar Sugar Factory, Jabal Moya area, Sennar city, and Wad al-Hadad (see map below). While the SAF and its allies managed to repel the RSF attacks on Sennar city, the RSF overtook Jabal Moya Mountain on 24 June. In response, the SAF launched heavy airstrikes that forced the RSF troops to disperse from Jabal Moya temporarily. Nevertheless, the SAF failed to regain control over Jabal Moya, even as it had the opportunity to capitalize on the RSF troops’ disorganization.

The fall of Jabal Moya to the RSF paved the way for the RSF to wage multiple attacks on Sennar. On 25 June, the SAF deployed reinforcements from the capital Sinja to Sennar city in an effort to defend the city and regain control over the mountain. However, on 29 June, the RSF — led by Abu Aqlah Keikel, the commander who led the offensive on al-Jazirah state that overtook it from the SAF within a week — unexpectedly advanced from Jabal Moya and attacked Sinja city, south of Sennar city. They overtook the 17th Infantry Division headquarters in the northeastern neighborhoods of Sinja without much resistance, forcing the remaining SAF troops to withdraw to the city’s southern outskirts to the 67th Infantry Brigade. A few days later, on 1 July, the SAF withdrew from its remaining bases in the city — the 67th Infantry Brigade and 165th Armored Brigade — allowing the RSF to overtake it. The withdrawal of the SAF troops led the public to question yet again the SAF’s ability to resist the advances of the RSF. A similar withdrawal of the SAF from Wad Madani, the capital city of al-Jazirah, in December 2023 prompted the city’s fall to the RSF.

Following the fall of Sinja, the SAF faced a series of setbacks in Sennar state. The SAF withdrew from multiple bases, and the RSF gained control over the SAF bases in al-Mazmoum, al-Suki, Wad al-Nile, and Dinder. Dinder was the site of intense clashes as the two parties battled for control of the city. Dinder initially fell to the RSF on 1 July and was briefly recaptured by the SAF on 3 July before ultimately falling to the RSF two days later. The loss of Dinder forced the SAF and its allies to withdraw to Gedaref state. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that about 136,000 civilians fled Sennar state from 24 June to 4 July.1 The majority of these civilians fled to SAF-controlled areas in Gedaref and Blue Nile states, as the RSF looted civilians’ properties in multiple villages around Sinja.2

Photo courtesy: NPR

The RSF now has a secure route through al-Mazmoum city to South Sudan from which it allegedly gets fuel, ammunition, and weapons supplies.3 The RSF’s next advances could be north of Dinder city and south from al-Jazirah state into east of Sennar city to complete the siege on Sennar city from all directions and capture the most defended city in the state — the last urban stronghold that the SAF controls in the state. If the RSF seizes the whole of Sennar, then White Nile and Blue Nile states will also be isolated from other SAF-controlled areas. Thus, the RSF could open multiple frontlines in White Nile and Gedaref or advance south toward Blue Nile.

The capture of El Fula and al-Meiram in West Kordofan were two other major successes for the RSF. El Fula is the state capital of West Kordofan, and al-Meiram is an important border down approximately 60 kilometers north of the border with South Sudan. The escalation in these cities was sudden and decisive. Within the span of a day, both El Fula and al-Meiram fell into RSF control after brief but intense clashes likely due to mediation by the Misseriya ethnic group’s native administration in the area. West Kordofan state had largely dodged heavy clashes between the SAF and the RSF, barring the ongoing conflict in Babanusa city, due to the native administration’s mediation in November 2023.

When the RSF besieged El Fula and al-Meiram on 19 June and 3 July, respectively, the Misseriya native administration was unable to convince the SAF to withdraw from its bases and, at the same time, could not stop the RSF from attacking these cities. The administration had hoped to avoid confrontation between the conflicting parties in these cities through mediation. Despite these efforts, the RSF commenced its offensive on 20 June. Subsequently, the SAF withdrew from El Fula city to al-Udayyah, leading the RSF troops to control the city. In al-Meiram, the SAF managed to repel the initial RSF offensive on 3 July, but despite its initial success, the SAF decided to withdraw unilaterally from al-Meiram and go to South Sudan on 3 July.

Photo courtesy: Eye Radio

While these two cities fell to the RSF, the SAF mounted its defenses in Babanusa and, in fact, made small gains and mobilized more troops in al-Nuhud. Since January, the clashes in West Kordofan have been primarily concentrated in Babanusa, where the RSF attempted to overrun the SAF 22nd Infantry Division since February. The SAF successfully defended this base despite the RSF siege, which lasted for months and saw the RSF control most neighborhoods around the base. On 9 June, the SAF expanded its operations outside the base and regained control over several neighborhoods, including two markets in the city. Meanwhile, on 29 June, al-Nuhud witnessed a significant mobilization of more than 10,000 people from the SAF, Central Reserve Police, Darfur Joint Forces, and Popular Resistance to secure the western parts of the state, triggered by the looming threat of an RSF attack.4

Although the RSF maintained a presence in various locations across West Kordofan prior to the latest offensive, the capture of El Fula city marked a significant shift. It became the first city in the state to fall under the RSF’s control, and al-Meiram to the south soon followed. The RSF’s strategy appears to establish civil administrations in the areas it controls, depriving the local government of real powers and instead empowering loyalists. By controlling al-Meiram, the RSF has secured a vital supply route with South Sudan, further solidifying its strategic position.

HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

The UN and humanitarian partners are working with authorities to move and relocate people from the flooded or inundated sites to dry grounds and are also providing hot meals to the flood-affected people. The Kassala State Emergency Committee continues to collaborate and coordinate with the UN and partners and have established a committee co-led by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to ensure effective response.

FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS

The Aleshrag Organisation for Development and Reconstruction provided food to 1,200 IDPs.  The UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and Practical Action have vaccinated 9,000 heads of cattle against hemorrhagic septicaemia and 255,000 sheep and goats against peste des petits ruminants (PPR) and sheep pox. Welthungerhilfe (WHH) completed the distribution of seeds in Reifi Wad Elhilaiw locality, benefiting 500 families in four villages adjacent to the refugee camps and host communities. Each family received 5 kg of sesame and 10 kg sorghum.

WASH

The Aleshrag Organization for Development and Reconstruction will supply 20,000 liters of water daily to IDP sites across the Kassala locality. The national partner is also exploring the possibility of providing water to more than 2,000 people in Reifi Gharb Kassala, near the Al Hafayir area. The National NGO National Planning Organization (NPO) is supplying water to some of the IDP sites that do not have access to safe water.

Health

The World Health Organization (WHO) provided medicines to primary healthcare centers to replenish supplies to the State Ministry of Health last week. In addition, WHO has enough nutrition supplies to cater to the needs of all nutrition sites in Kassala for two months. A mobile clinic is being set up in the surrounding areas where IDPs have settled and is expected to start running shortly.

COORDINATION

OCHA organized an Area Humanitarian Country Team (AHCT) coordination meeting on 26 July and held an Area Inter-Cluster Coordination Group (AICCG) meeting on 27 July to assess the impact of the floods and coordinate the response in Kassala. The AICCG also met the Kassala State Emergency Committee to ensure a coordinated response effort.

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Published under International Cooperation with "Sindh Courier"