Situation in South Sudan (per 2 March)
- A group of unidentified men attacked a town in South Sudan’s Ruweng Administrative Area on Sunday, resulting in 122 deaths, of which 82 were civilians. Two officials were among those killed.
- The attackers consisted of youth from Mayom County in neighbouring Unity State; they reportedly stormed the town and fought for three hours.
- Médecins Sans Frontières (MFS) reported that 26 of its staff members are missing after a recent surge of violence in Lankien and Pieri, Jonglei State.
- Over the last few days, the South Sudanese security forces arrested several high-ranking officials of South Sudan’s financial and petroleum institutions who used to have close ties with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
- No official statement or explanation was provided as to the grounds of the arrests, adding to the political uncertainty and internal tensions.
- There is a strong demand for elections amongst the South Sudanese public, despite awareness of election-related risks, shows a Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung South Sudan policy brief. Postponement of elections could risk harming legitimacy further, but the brief warns of key political and operational gaps.
- In anticipation of the South Sudanese elections scheduled for December this year, the UN Police (UNPOL) together with the UN Mission in South Sudan’s (UNMISS) Field Office of Jonglei State organised a training to increase the safety and electoral protection of both women voters and candidates.
Situation in Sudan (per 2 March)
- The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) pushed back a large offensive launched by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) in the Al-Taqma area this Sunday.
- The SAF claims they were able to inflict heavy losses on the attackers in terms of destruction of combat vehicles and elimination of enemy fighters.
- The RSF and SPLM-N carried out drone attacks on residential areas and neighbourhoods in the town of Kurmuk on Saturday, resulting in the displacement of hundreds of people. The town is strategically located near the border with Ethiopia.
- According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the humanitarian needs of the people in Sudan are the highest in the world, with nearly 34 million people needing aid in 2026.
Situation in Ethiopia (per 2 March)
- Tigray Interim President Tadesse Werede warned at a peaceful demonstration on Friday in Mekelle city that the decision by the Federation and the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia to put five districts under national electoral supervision could ignite renewed war and destabilize all of Ethiopia.
- The Coalition for Ethiopian Unity urges an end to civilian attacks and media closures amid escalating national conflict, highlighting the attacks on civilians in the Amhara region.
- The National Bank of Ethiopia banned birr-paired P2P crypto transactions, citing legal and financial risks amid ongoing economic reforms.
Regional situation (per 2 March)
- Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh warned that the possible establishment of an Israeli military base in Somaliland’s Berbera port would destabilize the Horn of Africa, and he accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of facilitating Israel’s growing regional influence.
- Ethiopia and Djibouti agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation to improve the performance of Doraleh Port, Ethiopia’s main maritime gateway, following discussions between Djibouti’s ambassador to Ethiopia and the Chief Executive Officer of the Doraleh port on 26 February.
- Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed escalated his rhetoric over securing sovereign Red Sea access, staging a military parade last week widely seen as directed at Eritrea, raising fears of renewed conflict along the Ethiopia–Eritrea border.
- The Somali National Army, backed by Ugandan troops under the African Union mission, launched “Operation Rolling Thunder” in Lower Shabelle region to dismantle Al-Shabaab strongholds and disrupt militant supply routes.
- The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative reported that 6.5 million people in Somalia are facing crisis or worse levels of hunger, driven by drought, insecurity, rising food prices.
- Somaliland appointed Mohamed Omar Haji Mohamoud as ambassador to Israel following Israel’s recognition of Somaliland in December, deepening diplomatic tensions with Somalia which rejects the move as a violation of its territorial integrity.
International situation (per 2 March)
- Egypt rejected reports that it offered Ethiopia increased access to the Red Sea in exchange for concessions on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
- The UN Security Council (UNSC) has sanctioned RSF Deputy Commander Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo and three of his senior field commanders for the mass killings, ethnically targeted executions, sexual violence and hostage-taking that they committed during the takeover of El Fasher in October 2025.
- The foreign ministers of the Sudan Core Group on the UN Fact Finding Mission (FFM) expressed their intention to establish a coalition to prevent further atrocities in Sudan and work towards justice, in a joint statement issued on Thursday, following the UN Fact-Finding Mission’s report on El Fasher.
- The European Union announced €63 million in humanitarian funding for Somalia to address worsening drought, conflict-driven displacement, and rising food insecurity affecting millions across the country.
- Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed paid a two-day working visit to Baku, Azerbaijan, to deepen strategic partnerships between Ethiopia and Azerbaijan.
Links of interest
Attack in South Sudan’s Ruweng area kills 122, official says
MSF Says 26 Staff Missing from South Sudan Violence
Wave of Arrests Targets Former Financial Officials in South Sudan
Now or never? Political Conditions for Credible Elections in South Sudan
Sudanese army repels joint RSF-rebel attack on South Kordofan’s Dilling
Sudanese army evacuates hundreds as drone strikes intensify near Ethiopian border
Today’s top news: Afghanistan, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, Niger
Tigray Interim President Warns Current Dispute Could Trigger War, Endanger All of Ethiopia
Ethiopian Coalition Calls to End Attacks, Media Shutdown
Ethiopia’s National Bank Bans Crypto Transactions
Djibouti leader wary of Israel’s presence in the Horn
Ethiopia, Djibouti agree to deepen cooperation at Doraleh Port amid shifting Red Sea geopolitics
Abiy’s vision of Ethiopia includes a seaport in Eritrea. Some see a looming conflict
Somali army, Ugandan African Union forces launch new operation against al-Shabaab in south
Crisis-level hunger in Somalia nearly doubles to 6.5 million people, UN experts warn
Somaliland rebuffs int’l backlash, appoints ambassador to Israel
Egypt denies claims of allowing Ethiopia Red Sea access for Nile dam concessions
UN Sanctions RSF Deputy Leader, Field Commanders over El Fasher Atrocities
UN Fact Finding Mission report on El Fasher: Sudan Core Group foreign ministers’ statement
EU announces €63 million in humanitarian aid for Somalia
Ethiopia and Azerbaijan Elevate Strategic Partnership Through Multi-Sector Cooperation
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