River of Ethiopia and Sudan; major Nile tributary
Across Sudan, fighting between the army and RSF continues to disrupt aid, with El-Obeid and Darfur seeing sieges and drone strikes. Civilians suffer from hunger, water scarcity, disease, and sexual violence, while the UN and human rights groups push for ceasefire and humanitarian access.
Clashes have intensified between Ethiopian federal forces and the TPLF in western Tigray near the Sudan border. Civilians are fleeing, and both sides accuse the other of violating the Pretoria peace deal. The fighting follows months of deteriorating relations since the Pretoria agreement and raises fears of a wider conflict in the region.
The RSF and allied SPLM-N forces have captured Kurmuk as government troops withdraw, with drones and artillery driving heavy fighting across Blue Nile. The army recaptures, secures supply routes, and reports drones targeting Khartoum and other cities as civilians flee.
Sudan’s humanitarian crisis has worsened as conflict, infrastructure damage, and flooding cut vital services. IOM reports rising displacement, attacks on healthcare, and strained water, electricity and transport networks across Khartoum, El Obeid and other regions. Efforts to deliver aid are hampered by logistics and security risks, with millions in need of assistance.
The army has begun absorbing RSF defectors after a wave of defections, with more fighters crossing from Darfur and Kordofan. Security checks and swearing-in are underway, as authorities vet defectors amid ongoing fighting and accusations of war crimes.
The war in Sudan continues to devastate civilians as donor funding shrinks. USAID-funded programs have ended or run out of funds, forcing clinics to close and patients to travel longer distances for care. International aid globally fell in 2025, and MSF warns that without increased support, more patients will face late, life-threatening treatment.
Eritrea has welcomed the lifting of U.S. sanctions, saying the move removes a political impediment to investment and broader cooperation. Officials cite a shift in U.S. policy and ongoing regional security concerns as drivers for renewed engagement, including talks on trade, Egypt relations, and Red Sea security.
Leaders from Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan have called for de-escalation while Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reiterates Addis Ababa’s push for Red Sea access. The region’s tensions have intensified amid renewed fighting in Tigray and accusations of external backing for opposing forces. A multi-country summit in New Alamein has underscored the debate over sea access and coastal governance.
Inter-communal clashes in Rumbek have left many dead and injuries reported as security forces restore order. The interim government says security has been reestablished while calling for restraint from all communities.
Human-rights group Emergency Lawyers has said jets struck an artisanal gold-mining site on Saturday in the disputed Sudan–Egypt border region, killing at least 72 people and wounding dozens. Survivors have described multiple strikes and bodies on the ground; Egypt has not commented and independent verification remains difficult in the remote area.
The conflict between Sudan's SAF and RSF has intensified in North Kordofan and Blue Nile, displacing thousands as humanitarian needs rise. An arms embargo extension for Darfur underscores a fragile international response amid a broader, worsening humanitarian crisis affecting millions across the country.