BRUSSELS | 9 June 2026 (IDN | EEPA) — The following are the situation reports on Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan and Eritrea elected for Vice-Presidency of UN GA.
Situation in Ethiopia (per 9 June)
- Drone strikes targeting Gemehalo and Tekemati localities just outside of Sheraro town, Tigray, hit units of Army 13 of the Tigray Defense Force (TDF) who were travelling to Sudan through Eritrea on 5 June. The wounded soldiers have reportedly been taken to hospitals in Sheraro and Shire.
- The Office of the President of Tigray has accused the federal government of carrying out the strike and thereby violating the Pretoria Agreement.
- The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has linked the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) to the recent killings in Arsi Zone on 30 May and 1 June. The OLA has denied these allegations, pointing instead to communal tensions orchestrated by federal and Oromia regional authorities.
- As of 6 June, 825 out of 1138 constituencies in Ethiopia had declared election results. The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has linked the delay in the transmission of results to the distance between polling stations and constituencies, and the large number of candidates and polling stations.
- The Office of Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has rejected claims that the results of the general election were predetermined, accusing armed groups of coordinated efforts to disrupt the electoral process.
- A fighter jet was reportedly seen to circle over Mekelle, Tigray, on the day of federal elections on 5 June. It was the first military aircraft activity since signing the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement which ended the two-year Tigray war.
Situation in Sudan (per 9 June)
- At least 15 people were killed in a drone strike in Abu Zaeima, North Kordofan State. The drone strike was part of a series of attacks that took place on 5 and 6 June in Hamrat El Sheikh locality. A separate drone strike in El Obeid killed one person on 6 June.
- Drone strikes around Kubum in South Darfur killed 9 people on 4 June.
- Fighting between the Salamat and Beni Halba tribes in South Darfur has continued and is deepening a humanitarian crisis, with houses burnt down, bodies lying along the roads, and full neighbourhoods destroyed.
- The violation is a result of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)’s reshaping of local power structures, leading to competition in RSF’s group order as local influence has increased political and economic rewards.
- A series of coordinated drone attacks by the RSF targeting Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) military sites in Khartoum State, South Kordofan State, and the Blue Nile Region, were launched on 5 June.
- The RSF has reportedly repositioned forces across Kordofan and tightened security in parts of Darfur, withdrawing frontline units and sending reinforcements from Nyala and El Fasher.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has started operating direct flights between Port Sudan and Khartoum.
- The RSF have established parallel high school certificate examinations in Darfur and Kordofan, furthering the political and administrative fragmentation in Sudan.
- A surge in communal tensions in Kassala State has led to the adoption of security and regulatory measures by the state’s security committee.
- 19.5 million people in Sudan faced food insecurity between February and May 2026, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), with a risk of famine identified in 14 areas across North Darfur, South Darfur, and South Kordofan.
- Sudanese people are afraid of being arrested by either of the warring sides, preventing them from speaking about the situation on the ground in fear of retaliation even through trusted and secured channels.
Situation in South Sudan (per 9 June)
- UNHCR has warned of a grave protection crisis unfolding in Jonglei State, South Sudan, where 140,000 people have been displaced since December 2026 due to ongoing conflicts. The situation will likely worsen over coming months with expected flooding as they enter the rainy season.
International and regional situation (per 9 June)
- The consultative meetings in Addis Ababa attended by Sudanese political and civil forces aimed to establish a roadmap for Sudanese dialogue while critics stated that it deepened polarisation.
- The United Nations (UN) Special Envoy to Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, has asked SAF leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, to support the Addis Ababa consultations.
- Eritrea has been elected as one of the Vice-Presidents of the UN General Assembly’s 81st session, running for a year from September 2026.
- Eritrea has been elected to serve on the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the 2027-2029 term.
- Eritrean President, Isaias Afwerki, is on a three-day visit to Cairo, Egypt, to discuss bilateral and regional issues with President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi.
- The State of Eritrea has addressed a letter to the UN on “Tsimdo”, which is described as a “Community-based Peace Initiative”. The letter was sent as a response to Ethiopia’s allegation that Eritrea is supporting armed groups in Ethiopia.
- The Arab League Council’s emergency meeting on the airstrikes against Khartoum, convened at the request of Sudan’s ambassador to the Arab League, Imad al-Din Adawi, was cut short over accusations against Ethiopia and external support to the RSF.
Links of interest
News: Residents report drone strike near Sheraro town in Northwestern Tigray
Ethiopia, Tigray: Drone Strike Reported as TPLF Leader Warns About Another Devastating War
News: Rights Commission links Oromo Liberation Army to deadly attack in Arsi despite group’s denial
National Election Board Says Most Constituencies Declared Election Results
Fighter jet reported over Mekelle in first such sighting since the Pretoria agreement
Rights group says drone strike kills 11 in central Sudan market
15 civilians killed in North Kordofan drone attacks
RSF Tightens Security, Redeploys Forces Following Commanders’ Defections
RSF launches coordinated drone attacks on Omdurman, Damazin and Abu Jubeiha
Sudan: ICRC RED aircraft makes first Port Sudan–Khartoum flight since war began
Sudan’s paramilitary RSF holds parallel high school exams in Darfur and Kordofan
Kassala security committee imposes strict measures following communal tensions
The “Addis Ababa Document” sparks new disagreements between the Sudanese parties
UN envoy urges Sudan’s army chief to support five-party political talks
Eritrea elected as UN General Assembly Vice-President for 81st Session
ፕረዚደንት ኢሳይያስ ኣፈወርቂ ካይሮ ኣትዩ (President Isaiah Afewerki arrives in Cairo)
Arab League splinters over Sudan
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