Sudan is in the grips of a deadly power struggle that threatens to plunge the country into civil war. Since the weekend, at least 185 people have been killed and 1,800 injured in fighting between rival factions. The violence pits the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group, against the army, with both sides using tanks, artillery, and other heavy weapons in densely populated areas.
This sudden outbreak of violence between the nation’s two top generals has trapped millions of people in their homes or wherever they can find shelter, with supplies running low in many areas.
The RSF was created under Sudan’s former President Omar al-Bashir in 2013. It emerged from the so-called Janjaweed militia that his government unleashed against non-Arab ethnic minorities in Darfur a decade earlier, drawing accusations of war crimes.
The group’s head, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, is now fighting against his former ally, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who is the commander of the armed forces. Both generals jointly orchestrated a military coup in October 2021, which disrupted hopes for a return to civilian rule in Sudan.
who leads the RSF?
General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as “Hemedti”, is a powerful Sudanese military commander and politician. He rose to prominence as the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group that was formed in 2013 under the rule of former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. The RSF has been accused of committing war crimes in Sudan’s Darfur region, where it has been involved in a long-running conflict. Dagalo was a key figure in the 2019 coup that ousted Bashir from power and has since played a significant role in the country’s transitional government.
The violence has raised the specter of civil war just as Sudanese were trying to revive the drive for a democratic, civilian government after decades of military rule. The United Nations, the United States, and others have called for a truce. Egypt, which backs Sudan’s military, and Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – which forged close ties to the RSF as it sent thousands of fighters to support the war in Yemen – have also called for both sides to stand down.
On Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres again called on the warring parties to “immediately cease hostilities” warning that further escalation “could be devastating for the country and the region”. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is attending a Group of Seven meeting in Japan, spoke by phone with Burhan and Dagalo separately and underscored the urgency of reaching a ceasefire, according to the State Department’s principal deputy spokesperson, Vedant Patel.
The G7 foreign ministers have also weighed in, condemning the fighting in a joint statement on Tuesday. “We urge the parties to end hostilities immediately without pre-conditions,” it said, calling for them to return to negotiations and reduce tensions.
The RSF has been accused of committing atrocities in Sudan and has been implicated in several conflicts across the region. In addition to Yemen, it has reportedly sent fighters to Libya and has been accused of being involved in a coup attempt in Niger. The group’s reputation for brutality and its links to military regimes in the region have made it a controversial figure.
The violence in Sudan has also sparked concern among human rights groups, who are calling for an end to the fighting. “We are gravely concerned about reports of violence and loss of life in Khartoum and other parts of Sudan,” Amnesty International said in a statement. “The Sudanese authorities must protect the lives and rights of all people in Sudan, including those caught up in the current violence.”
The situation in Sudan is precarious, and it is likely to remain so as neither side appears willing to back down. The UN special representative for Sudan, Volker Perthes, warned on Monday that the warring factions were “not giving the impression that they want mediation for peace between them right away.” This suggests that the fighting could persist, leading to a prolonged conflict that could further destabilize the country and the region.
The ongoing conflict is not only a matter of concern for Sudan but also for neighbouring countries. Sudan is a crucial player in the region, and any instability there has the potential to spill over into other countries, leading to a broader regional crisis. Given the stakes, the international community must take swift action to resolve the crisis.
While a ceasefire is critical to ending the immediate bloodshed, it is only the first step towards a lasting peace. The violence in Sudan has been ongoing for years, with tensions between the military and paramilitary forces, including the RSF, simmering beneath the surface.
The underlying issues that have led to this conflict must also be addressed, including the role of the military in Sudanese politics and the need for an inclusive, democratic government that represents all of Sudan’s diverse communities.
