SITUATION REPORT – HORN OF AFRICA No. 415, 21 April 2023

Situation in Sudan (per 21 April)

• Diplomatic pressure from the international community including UN, AU and US increased to reach a 72-hour ceasefire starting from 06.00am local time on Friday, coinciding with Muslim celebration of Eid al-Fitr. Previous attempts at a ceasefire failed. 
• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with both Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (SAF) and Mohamed (Hemedti) Hamdan Dagalo (RSF) urging them to uphold the ceasefire across Sudan at least until the end of Eid al-Fitr on 23 April. 
• The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) released a statement on Friday morning saying it agreed to the proposed ceasefire. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) has not responded.
• Shelling and open fighting reportedly continued on Friday in Khartoum despite all the attempts calling for truce.  
• Conducting any humanitarian operation is not possible due to the ongoing fighting across Sudan, confirmed António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in a press briefing. 
• “Warehouses, vehicles and other humanitarian assets have been attacked, looted and seized. Targeting humanitarian workers and assets must end”, said Guterres. 
• He further called on all parties to abide by the international law and ensure safety and security of humanitarian personnel and UN workers who are trapped in the midst of active conflict. 
• The killing of one US citizen in Sudan’s fighting was confirmed by the US State Department as the overall death toll continues to rise. 
• Refugees, i.a. from Eritrea and Ethiopia, are trapped amidst fighting in Khartoum and other cities.
• Between 10,000 and 20,000  refugees fled to Sudan’s Darfur border region to Chad, estimates UNHCR.
• UNHCR staff members in Chad called for support in water, food supplies as well as shelter and psychological support.  
• Resistance Committees in Khartoum are helping people to evacuate out of Khartoum.
• The RSF says it opened a helpline for residents including internationals to “provide humanitarian aid and contribute to evacuations and resolve insecurities” in the areas controlled by the RSF.
• The helpline operates through Telegram messages. 

Situation in Ethiopia  (per 21 April)

• Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed denied allegations  that Ethiopian troops entered Sudan’s border territory. 
• He warned parties to stop spreading false information which seeks to “sully the good neighborly relations” between Ethiopia and Sudan. 
• Mayor of Addis Ababa, Adanech Abiebie, discussed with the Tigray Interim Administration in Mekelle on how to, support rehabilitation and rebuilding processes in Mekelle and other parts of Tigray. 
• Abiebie pledged to provide financial and material support for people affected by war. 
• The Ethiopian Embassy in Khartoum confirmed that the conflict in Sudan resulted in multiple killings and injuries among Ethiopians residing in Sudan. 

Situation in Tigray (per 21 April)

International Situation (per 21 April)

• Additional US military forces and equipment are being sent by the US government to a base in Djibouti to assist with potential evacuation plans of American citizens from Sudan. 
• About 5,000 US military personnel are already positioned in Djibouti’s naval Camp Lemonnier, monitoring the situation in Sudan where about 16,000 Americans currently reside. 
• The Russian mercenary Wagner group has been delivering missiles to the RSF, says CNN.
• Satellite pictures show increased activity in the key Libyan air bases belonging to Libyan general Khalifa Haftar known as being backed by the Wagner group. 
• Haftar as well as Wagner group had been supporting the RSF already before the start of violence, the report says, with flights providing, arriving on 13th of April.
• Chief of the Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, offered to mediate peace negotiations between parties of Sudanese conflict through a message on his official Telegram Channel.  
• German Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock called for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan allowing the provision of humanitarian aid to those in need. 
• Germany is preparing a second attempt to evacuate German diplomats and nationals from Sudan.
• Kenyan president, William Ruto, offered to host a mediation process. Ruto further urged al-Burhan and Hemedti to “give peace a chance”.   
• Salva Kiir, President of South Sudan, has urged both parties of Sudan’s conflict to protect the oil pipelines that transport oil from South Sudan through Sudan’s territory to the international market.