Sudan: Country Report – an update The situation in South Kordofan and Blue Nile 15 October 2018 (COI between 2nd April 2016 and 3rd September 2018) © Asylum Research Centre, 2018 ARC publications are covered by the Creative Commons License allowing for limited use of ARC publications provided the work is properly credited to ARC, it is for non-commercial use and it is not used for derivative works. ARC does not hold the copyright to the content of third party material included in this report. Reproduction or any use of the images/maps/infographics included in this report is prohibited and permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder(s). Please direct any comments to [email protected] Cover photo: © Jarretera/shutterstock.com 2 CONTENTS [hover over number for hyperlink to section] Explanatory Note ......................................................................................................................... 8 Sources and databases consulted ............................................................................................... 10 List of Acronyms ........................................................................................................................ 14 1. Background information ..................................................................................................... 15 1.1. Geographical information [Maps of Sudan, South Kordofan and Blue Nile] ....................... 15 1.2. Current state of the conflict ............................................................................................. 17 1.2.1. Brief overview ........................................................................................................................ 17 1.2.2. Territorial control ................................................................................................................... 23 1.2.3. Peace negotiations/ceasefires ............................................................................................... 23 2. Actors involved in the conflict ............................................................................................. 26 2.1. Government forces .......................................................................................................... 26 2.1.1. Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) ............................................................................................... 26 2.1.2. Rapid Support Forces (RSF) .................................................................................................... 26 2.1.3. National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) .................................................................. 27 2.1.4. Law enforcement ................................................................................................................... 28 2.1.5. Paramilitary militias ............................................................................................................... 29 2.1.6. Popular Defence Forces (PDF) ............................................................................................... 31 2.1.7. Military service....................................................................................................................... 31 2.1.8. Defection from government forces ....................................................................................... 32 2.1.9. Forced recruitment of young men ......................................................................................... 33 2.1.10. Human rights abuses committed & immunity enjoyed by government forces .................. 33 2.2. Armed opposition groups ................................................................................................ 38 2.2.1. Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army – North (SPLM/A-N) ....................................... 38 2.2.2. Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) ........................................................................................... 40 2.2.3. Human rights abuses committed by armed opposition groups ............................................ 41 3. Security situation: Impact of the conflict on civilians............................................................ 42 3.1. Aerial bombing campaigns and ground attacks................................................................. 42 3.2. Casualties caused by aerial bombing campaigns and ground attacks ................................. 47 3.2.1. Two Areas .............................................................................................................................. 47 3.2.2. South Kordofan ...................................................................................................................... 47 3 3.2.3. Blue Nile ................................................................................................................................. 49 3.3. Unexploded ordinance (UXO) .......................................................................................... 49 3.3.1. Two Areas .............................................................................................................................. 49 3.3.2. South Kordofan ...................................................................................................................... 49 3.3.3. Blue Nile ................................................................................................................................. 50 3.4. Forced displacement ....................................................................................................... 50 3.4.1. Two Areas .............................................................................................................................. 50 3.4.2. South Kordofan ...................................................................................................................... 50 3.4.3. Blue Nile ................................................................................................................................. 51 3.5. Denial of humanitarian access ......................................................................................... 52 3.5.1. Two Areas .............................................................................................................................. 52 3.5.2. South Kordofan ...................................................................................................................... 54 3.5.3. Blue Nile ................................................................................................................................. 54 3.6. Access to health care ....................................................................................................... 55 3.6.1. Two Areas .............................................................................................................................. 55 3.6.2. South Kordofan ...................................................................................................................... 55 3.6.3. Blue Nile ................................................................................................................................. 58 3.7. Food insecurity ................................................................................................................ 61 3.7.1. Two Areas .............................................................................................................................. 61 3.7.2. South Kordofan ...................................................................................................................... 62 3.7.3. Blue Nile ................................................................................................................................. 63 4. Rule of Law and access to justice ......................................................................................... 64 4.1. Local conflict resolution mechanisms ............................................................................... 64 4.2. Arbitrary arrest and detention ......................................................................................... 66 4.3. Unlawful or disproportionate punishment for crimes ....................................................... 69 4.4. Death penalty ................................................................................................................. 70 4.5. Detention conditions ....................................................................................................... 72 4.5.1. Torture in detention .............................................................................................................. 75 5. Human rights situation: civil and political rights................................................................... 78 5.1. Freedom of expression, association, and assembly ........................................................... 78 5.1.1. Political opposition parties and activists ............................................................................... 79 5.1.2. Lawyers as political opposition members and activists ......................................................... 84 5.1.3. (Suspected) members of the SPLM/A-N ................................................................................ 86 5.1.4. Individuals (perceived to be) associated with or supportive of the SPLM/A-N ..................... 86 4 5.1.4.1. Two Areas ........................................................................................................................... 87 5.1.4.2. South Kordofan .................................................................................................................