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Sudan News Monitor #2 ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
News Monitor #2 13 August 2026تتوفر النسخة العربية من المرصد الإخباري أسفل النسخة الإنجليزية
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SUDAN NEWS ROUND-UPThe Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) consolidated control over the Omdurman–El Obeid export road following recent gains in North Kordofan, including Bara, Um Siyala and Jabrat Al-Sheikh. The advances have disrupted RSF supply routes and increased the army's operational options toward Darfur and West Kordofan.
Several Sudanese states are experiencing a complete power outage after the Merowe Dam power plant went offline following a fire that broke out in the main feeders; power was later restored on a limited basis to some areas in Khartoum State. The city of Port Sudan has faced a severe water crisis accompanied by a sharp rise in water prices, and power outages lasting more than 20 hours a day, amid persistently high temperatures and a lack of alternatives.
The increasing use of drones against civilian and civilian infrastructure is disrupting markets, electricity, transport and other services, contributing to worsening food insecurity. In North Kordofan, UN reporting documented 21 drone-related incidents between 1 and 19 July, with attacks affecting residential areas, schools, fuel stations, electricity infrastructure and markets.
As the Quintet faces setbacks to its attempts at a national dialogue, SAF’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has held consultations with political and civil society figures to prepare for a proposed Sudanese dialogue conference, with discussions focusing on steps to create a conducive environment for talks, including suspending death-penalty charges against political opponents and ending hostile media campaigns.
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HUMAN RIGHTSA Sudanese court in Dongola sentenced six police officers to death after convicting them of torturing a detainee to death. The ruling follows repeated allegations of torture by police officers in Sudan and remains subject to appeal. Activists in West Kordofan accused the RSF of widespread violations against civilians in El Nahud following the arrival of military reinforcements. The reported abuses include assaults on civilians, arrests of people accused of supporting the army, and restrictions on internet services. Mass graves containing the remains of 25 civilians, including women, children and hospital staff, were reportedly discovered in Kurmuk, Blue Nile, following the town's recapture from the RSF.
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PEACE PROCESS & MEDIATION EFORTSDisagreements among Sudanese political forces over consultations convened in Addis Ababa by the Quintet mechanism have raised concerns about prospects for an inclusive political process to end the war. Burhan held consultations with political and civil society figures for preparations of a proposed Sudanese dialogue conference. Participants reportedly agreed on the need for a preparatory committee of independent figures to determine the conference’s participants, agenda, venue and timing, while also discussing measures to create an environment conducive to dialogue, including suspending death-penalty charges against opposition figures and halting hostile media campaigns. The consultations come amid stalled efforts by the Quintet - UN, African Union, EU, IGAD and the Arab League - to establish an inclusive political process. Its latest consultations in Addis Ababa failed to bridge differences among Sudanese political groups. The National Umma Party participated despite an internal decision to boycott the process, while other civilian groups continued to question the consultations' composition and approach. The Democratic Bloc renewed its support for an inclusive Sudanese dialogue and called for a comprehensive political process to end the war. The bloc also backed efforts to establish a ceasefire while maintaining its position on Sudan's unity, sovereignty and state institutions. Sudanese and international civil society representatives concluded a policy advocacy workshop in Nairobi on 5 August, condemning continued violations against civilians, mass displacement, ethnic violence and external support to the warring parties. The final statement called for stronger international civilian protection and raised concerns over alleged chemical weapons use by the SAF. Women’s groups called for a review of the Quintet’s efforts and for women to be meaningfully included at every stage of the process.
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REGIONAL & INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY The three African members of the UN Security Council convened an Arria-formula meeting on “Safeguarding Education in Sudan: Investing in Peace, Recovery and Stability” on 7 August, where Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed highlighted the disproportionate effect the war has had on children, with 8 million not in school and over three-quarters of schools impacted. Sudan’s Deputy Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, Malik Agar, praised Egypt’s support for Sudan during the war at a ceremony in Port Sudan to bid farewell to Egypt’s ambassador to Sudan, Hany Salah, highlighting Egypt’s continued diplomatic presence and the resumption of EgyptAir flights to Port Sudan on 5 August. Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem met his Turkish counterpart in Ankara, marking their second meeting in less than two months. Türkiye has intensified high-level engagement with Port Sudan authorities as SAF battlefield gains create new opportunities for Ankara to strengthen its position along the Red Sea. A new defence pact between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan could add another layer to the regional security dynamics surrounding Sudan, as Riyadh, Ankara and Islamabad deepen military and security cooperation. Analysts described the agreement as part of broader regional efforts to strengthen security cooperation, while Sudan-focused commentary suggested it could influence the competing regional alignments supporting the SAF and RSF. Port Sudan authorities have continued discussions with regional partners over security in the Red Sea and the protection of maritime routes. The developments come amid Saudi efforts to establish a multinational maritime defence coalition covering strategic shipping lanes in the region. Twenty-one U.S. Senators urged the Trump administration to use its leverage to prevent further atrocities in Sudan, including by restricting certain arms sales to external actors. The lawmakers specifically raised concerns over the situation in El Obeid. Pope Leo XIV called on Sudanese authorities to guarantee humanitarian corridors for civilians and urged the international community to support efforts toward an immediate ceasefire. The appeal specifically highlighted the deteriorating situation in El Obeid. The UN Security Council held closed consultations on Sudan on 5 August amid escalating hostilities and increased humanitarian needs. A particular focus was on the Darfur and Kordofan regions as well as Blue Nile state.
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Khartoum RSF drones targeted Omdurman, Khartoum and Bahri for a second consecutive day on 13 August, with SAF’s air defences intercepting the drones. Similar attacks were reported in Atbara, Ad-Damir and El Obeid on 12 August. No immediate casualties or material damage were reported in Omdurman. North Darfur
Satellite imagery and OSINT data indicates that SAF may have carried out airstrikes against a smuggling route running from southeastern Libya through Chad into RSF-controlled North Darfur. The analysts identified around 19 burn scars along the route and assessed that the strikes may have targeted a convoy believed to be linked to the RSF. A drone strike, reportedly carried out by SAF, targeted the Customary Court in Al-Zawiya Ghara, North Darfur, on 2 August, killing at least 35 people, including four tribal leaders and two RSF commanders, and injuring others. Reports say the strike hit a gathering of civilians inside the court, while Emergency Lawyers said all victims were inside the court building or its immediate surroundings. A drone strike reportedly attributed to the SAF targeted several areas of Kabkabiya, North Darfur, on 10 August, killing and injuring civilians as well as RSF members, according to residents.
West Darfur Fighting between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Joint Forces in West Darfur displaced 6,650 people from 11 villages in Sirba locality on 4 August, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Most of those displaced crossed into Chad, while others moved to different areas within Sirba, as insecurity remained volatile in the area. SAF allies repelled a major RSF attack on the strategic area of Bir Saliba in West Darfur, according to Darfur Governor Minni Minnawi. A prominent RSF commander, Mahdi Jebel Moon, was killed during fighting with Joint Forces north of El Geneina in West Darfur. His death was acknowledged by RSF-affiliated platforms, while conflicting claims remained over control of the surrounding area.
South Darfur Military mobilisation continued across South Darfur as the RSF sought to reinforce positions following battlefield losses elsewhere in western Sudan. The developments form part of wider efforts by the group to maintain its territorial and military position across Darfur. Hospitals and other health facilities in Nyala have stopped issuing referrals for critically ill patients to seek care in SAF controlled areas. Though there has been no official directive, reports say that Tasis is not issuing transfer letters.
East Darfur Residents of Al-Dariga village in Adila locality face a worsening water crisis as the area’s only well nears collapse and serves both people and livestock, prompting local organisations to appeal for urgent humanitarian intervention.
North Kordofan Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab identified 344 new tents at El Obeid’s main IDP camp between 19 July and 4 August, alongside around 45 new grave mounds at Zindi cemetery, while humanitarian agencies report roughly 105,000 displaced people in the city amid shortages of food and malnutrition supplies. RSF renewed attacks on El Obeid on 12 August, with drone strikes hitting different parts of the city. SAF defenses reportedly intercepted drones launched by the RSF over el-Obeid earlier this week. An attack by RSF on Al-Tamid in North Kordofan killed four people and injured others, according to the Sudan Doctors Network. The attack, carried out by RSF forces on motorcycles, also involved the looting of civilian property. Emergency Lawyers reported that on 10 August, an armed vehicle affiliated with SAF attacked civilians northeast of Jabra Al Sheikh, killing 5 and injuring more than 10, including women and children.
South Kordofan A tribal leader in South Kordofan's Nuba Mountains accused forces affiliated with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, of attacking Otoro villages around Kauda and detaining four aid workers.
Blue Nile SAF officials reported discovering a mass grave containing at least 25 bodies, including women, children and hospital staff, in Kurmuk, Blue Nile State, and accused the RSF of executing the victims during its occupation of the town; the RSF has not commented. RSF and its allies claimed control of the city of Qaysan in Blue Nile on 12 August. Sudan War Monitor reported that the attacks to claim the city were launched in Ethiopia. 13 August, RSF claimed it had regained control of Kurmuk, days after SAF’s earlier recapture of the town; the competing claims underscore continued fighting and shifting control in Blue Nile State. HUDO Centre reported an outbreak of dengue fever in Damazin that began in early July.
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HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS & DISPLACEMENTDrone attacks are increasingly disrupting humanitarian aid and commercial food supplies across Sudan, contributing to worsening food insecurity, particularly in Darfur, Kordofan and Blue Nile. Between January and June 2026, 522 air and drone strikes were recorded, 38% more than the previous year, while attacks on markets, humanitarian and commercial convoys, roads and other critical infrastructure have disrupted food deliveries and driven up transport and commodity costs. According to statistics from the Sudanese Initiative to Support and Advocate for People with Disabilities, there are approximately 500 people with special needs in the Kyeriandongo refugee settlement in Uganda who suffer from a lack of basic services and face difficulties accessing health care, education, and assistive devices. UN Women reported that the number of women and girls requiring gender-based violence services is now 12.7 million, four times the level since the conflict began. The situation in El Obeid has deteriorated amid continued insecurity, shortages of food and medical supplies, and displacement from surrounding areas. Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab reported that approximately 105,000 displaced people were in the city and observed continued expansion of the main IDP camp. The IOM reported that 6,650 people were displaced from 11 villages in Sirba locality, West Darfur, on 4 August following escalating insecurity and fighting around Bir Saliba that continued all the way to 8th of August. Food and consumer prices have surged across Omdurman, with residents reporting increases of 20 to 25 per cent over the past month and some essential goods rising by more than 40 per cent. Human rights defenders and affected families reported that Egyptian security forces have detained young Sudanese men in Cairo, Alexandria and Aswan, allegedly as part of efforts to pressure their families to leave the country. According to Ayin, young men have been detained during street sweeps, residential raids and at cafés before being held in police stations and facing deportation. Renewed fighting between the Ethiopian army and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) near the Ethiopia-Sudan-Eritrea border has driven refugees into Sudan and reportedly resulted in projectiles striking refugee camps inside Sudan. Sudan's Ministry of Interior confirmed that the cross-border fighting caused deaths and injuries in a number of refugee camps, highlighting the risks posed to Sudanese-hosted refugees by renewed conflict in neighbouring Ethiopia.
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ECONOMY, INFRASTRUCTURE & NATURAL RESOURCESSudan's official gold exports during the first six months of 2026 matched the total volume officially exported during all of 2025, according to the Minister of Minerals. The government attributed the increase to tighter controls and efforts to channel gold production through formal banking systems. A new piece from CSIS, argues that with the lack of political will to address upstream illicit gold flows, primarily through UAE, the focus should now be on pressuring downstream companies to do due diligence and use gold traceability systems to ensure gold wasn’t mined in Sudan. In a purported attempt to address widespread gold smuggling, Sudan's Security and Defence Council announced special courts for crimes involving drugs, arms and gold smuggling, while also banning SAF and allied forces from operating in mining zones. An article in the Financial Times provided a comprehensive overview of UAE’s activities and ambitions across Africa, highlighting that UAE is the largest foreign investor in Africa and that economic projects often overlap with security operations, as is the case in Sudan, where gold is funding armed groups and illicit networks tied to the war. Sudanese authorities exempted solar energy systems from customs duties as the country continues to face widespread electricity shortages. Sudan and Egypt agreed on a 16-month plan to rehabilitate the Jebel Aulia Dam south of Khartoum. A temporary bridge is expected to be completed within four months to restore traffic, followed by broader rehabilitation works.
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REPORTS & ANALYSISThe Economist argued that recent shifts in Sudan's battlefield and regional dynamics could create a narrow opportunity for renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war. The SAF's recent advances, including the recapture of a key highway linking Khartoum to El Obeid and Kurmuk, have strengthened its negotiating position, while heightened tensions around the Red Sea have increased the strategic importance of Sudan's coastline to Saudi Arabia and potentially raised the costs of continued external support for the conflict. The war and economic crisis have severely damaged Khartoum's Sunut Forest. The 1,500-hectare forest, a Ramsar-recognised wetland ecosystem and important habitat along the White Nile, is now the focus of restoration efforts, including a July initiative that distributed around 2.5 tonnes of pasture and tree seeds across 1,250 acres in Omdurman and East Nile. In a recent opinion piece, the Critical Threats Project called on the U.S. administration to designate the RSF as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, arguing that such a move could target networks supporting the group and increase pressure on it to negotiate. The article said recent RSF military activity, including its campaign around El Obeid, demonstrated the need for stronger international pressure alongside efforts to bring the warring parties to negotiations In an essay in the New Humanitarian, Norwegian Refugee Council’s former advocacy manager in Sudan reflected on her time working with communities, saying, “If I had more than a minute, and if Sudan were more than a headline, I would also share stories that feel close to me.” TRAID released a report, Scarred in Silence, documenting the experiences of children affected by the conflict in Sudan through their own drawings, stories and testimonies.
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WHAT WE’RE READINGIn a way few others could do, Sudanese scholar Magi El-Gizouli blends memoir, analysis and history in a new two part essay, providing an intimate portrait of the war wrought by hundreds of years of history that have fostered a cultural and economic environment ripe for conflict and devastation. In the latest issue of Atar, the Sudan Facts Center for Journalism focuses on how three years of war has remapped Sudan geographically, but also its economically, socially and politically
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مرحبًا بكم في العدد الثاني من «مرصد أخبار السودان»، وهي نشرة إخبارية تصدر مرتين أسبوعيًا وتقوم بإعدادها منظمة PAEMA. تهدف هذه النشرة الإخبارية إلى مشاركة أهم التطورات في السودان مع جمهور واسع يضم صانعي السياسات، والممارسين، والمدافعين عن حقوق الإنسان، والعاملين في المجال الإنساني، والصحفيين، والباحثين، وأي شخص آخر مهتم بفهم أفضل للأوضاع السياسية والإنسانية والاقتصادية السائدة في السودان.
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ملخص أخبار السودان:عززت القوات المسلحة السودانية سيطرتها على طريق الصادرات الممتد بين أم درمان والأبيض عقب المكاسب التي حققتها مؤخرًا في شمال كردفان، بما في ذلك بارا وأم سيالا وجبرة الشيخ. وقد أدى هذا التقدم إلى تعطيل طرق إمداد قوات الدعم السريع وزيادة الخيارات العملياتية المتاحة للجيش باتجاه دارفور وغرب كردفان.
تشهد عدة ولايات سودانية انقطاعاً تاماً للكهرباء بعد توقف محطة توليد الكهرباء التابعة لسد مروي عن العمل إثر اندلاع حريق في خطوط التغذية الرئيسية؛ وقد أعيد التيار الكهربائي لاحقاً على نطاق محدود إلى بعض المناطق في ولاية الخرطوم. وتواجه مدينة بورتسودان أزمة مياه حادة مصحوبة بارتفاع حاد في أسعار المياه، وانقطاعات في التيار الكهربائي تستمر لأكثر من 20 ساعة يومياً، في ظل ارتفاع مستمر في درجات الحرارة ونقص في البدائل.
أدى الاستخدام المتزايد للطائرات المسيرة ضد المدنيين والبنية التحتية المدنية إلى تعطيل الأسواق وإمدادات الكهرباء والنقل والخدمات الأخرى، مما ساهم في تفاقم انعدام الأمن الغذائي. وفي شمال كردفان، وثقت تقارير الأمم المتحدة وقوع 21 حادثة مرتبطة بالطائرات المسيرة في الفترة ما بين 1 و19 يوليو، حيث استهدفت الهجمات المناطق السكنية والمدارس ومحطات الوقود والبنية التحتية للكهرباء والأسواق.
في الوقت الذي تواجه فيه الخماسية عقبات في محاولاتها لإجراء حوار وطني، أجرى عبد الفتاح البرهان، مشاورات مع شخصيات سياسية ومن المجتمع المدني للتحضير لمؤتمر الحوار السوداني المقترح، حيث ركزت المناقشات على الخطوات اللازمة لتهيئة بيئة مواتية للمحادثات، بما في ذلك تعليق تهم الإعدام الموجهة ضد المعارضين السياسيين ووقف الحملات الإعلامية العدائية.
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الشؤون الدبلوماسية الإقليمية والدولية
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الاقتصاد والبنية التحتية والموارد الطبيعية
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التقارير والتحليلاتفي تقرير لـالإيكونوميست أن التغيرات الأخيرة في ساحة المعركة في السودان والديناميات الإقليمية قد تتيح فرصة ضيقة لتجديد الجهود الدبلوماسية لإنهاء الحرب. فقد عززت التقدمات الأخيرة التي أحرزتها القوات المسلحة السودانية — بما في ذلك استعادة السيطرة على طريق سريع رئيسي يربط الخرطوم بالأبيض — موقفها التفاوضي، في حين أدى تصاعد التوترات حول البحر الأحمر إلى زيادة الأهمية الاستراتيجية للساحل السوداني بالنسبة للمملكة العربية السعودية، وربما رفع تكاليف استمرار الدعم الخارجي للصراع. وقد ألحقت الحرب والأزمة الاقتصادية أضراراً جسيمة بغابة السنط في الخرطوم. وتعد هذه الغابة، التي تبلغ مساحتها 1,500 هكتار، نظاماً بيئياً رطباً معترفاً به بموجب اتفاقية رامسر وموطناً هاماً على طول نهر النيل الأبيض، وهي الآن محور جهود إعادة التأهيل، بما في ذلك مبادرة أُطلقت في يوليو لتوزيع حوالي 2.5 طن من بذور المراعي والأشجار على مساحة 1,250 فداناً في أم درمان وشرق النيل. في مقال رأي نُشر مؤخرًا، دعا «مشروع التهديدات الحرجة» الإدارة الأمريكية إلى تصنيف «قوات الدعم السريع» كمنظمة إرهابية أجنبية، بحجة أن مثل هذه الخطوة قد تستهدف الشبكات الداعمة للجماعة وتزيد الضغط عليها للدخول في مفاوضات. وجاء في المقال أن الأنشطة العسكرية الأخيرة لـ«قوات الدعم السريع»، بما في ذلك حملتها حول الأبيض، أظهرت الحاجة إلى ضغط دولي أقوى إلى جانب الجهود المبذولة لإقناع الأطراف المتحاربة بالدخول في مفاوضات وفي مقال نُشر في منصة ”نيو هيومانيتاريان“، استرجعت المديرة السابقة لشؤون المناصرة في المجلس النرويجي للاجئين بالسودان تجربتها في العمل مع المجتمعات المحلية، قائلةً: «لو كان لديّ أكثر من دقيقة واحدة، ولو كان السودان أكثر من مجرد عنوان رئيسي في الصحف، لشاركتُ أيضًا قصصًا تشكل جزءًا من حياتي». أصدرت منظمة «ترايد» تقريرًا بعنوان «ندوب في صمت»، يوثق تجارب الأطفال المتضررين من النزاع في السودان من خلال رسوماتهم وقصصهم وشهاداتهم.
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توصيات للقراءةبطريقة لا يستطيع غيرها القيام بها إلا القليلون، تمزج الباحثة السودانية ماجي الجزولي بين السيرة الذاتية والتحليل والتاريخ في مقال جديد من جزأين، لتقدم صورة دقيقة للحرب التي تسببت فيها مئات السنين من التاريخ التي أوجدت بيئة ثقافية واقتصادية مهيأة للصراع والدمار. في العدد الأخير من مجلة «أتر»، يركز مركز «سودان فاكتس» للصحافة على الكيفية التي أدت بها ثلاث سنوات من الحرب إلى إعادة رسم خريطة السودان جغرافيًا، وكذلك اقتصاديًا واجتماعيًا وسياسيًا.
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إذا كان هناك أي موضوع محدد ترغبون في متابعته من خلال هذا المرصد الإخباري، أو إذا كانت لديكم أي ملاحظات، يسعدنا أن نتلقى رسائلكم. يرجى مراسلتنا على البريد الإلكتروني: sudannews@paema.ngo
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