Marches sweep Sudanese cities in support of the armed forces

Several cities and towns in Sudan witnessed demonstrations in support of the Sudanese army, while a Sudanese official warned of a worsening water crisis due to resource scarcity amidst ongoing fighting against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The demonstrations took place in Omdurman, Port Sudan, Atbara, and numerous areas in the states of Gezira, Gedaref, Dongola in the Northern State, and Khashm el-Girba in Kassala State. Participants expressed their support for the army and their rejection of foreign interference and the violations committed by the RSF. On the humanitarian front, Al-Atassi Issa, director of the water authority in El Obeid, the administrative capital of North Kordofan State, explained that the city, which hosts approximately one million displaced people, is suffering from a severe drinking water shortage of about 50% due to RSF attacks on water sources. He indicated that the authority is working to reduce this deficit by expanding the drilling of groundwater wells within the city, which currently provide about 3,000 cubic meters of water, but this water requires treatment due to its high salinity. Al-Atassi pointed out that the increasing number of displaced people in El Obeid, resulting from the escalating fighting in the Kordofan states, has negatively impacted the per capita share of water and exacerbated the problems the North Kordofan State government is trying to address. For his part, Muawiya Adam, the Minister of Infrastructure in North Kordofan State, stated that the state faces significant challenges in securing drinking water for the displaced due to limited water resources and the effects of the war, which has noticeably worsened the crisis. Meanwhile, demonstrations that spread throughout the cities featured slogans supporting the army in its confrontation with the Rapid Support Forces.