Concerns about civil war in Sudan – the background in 4 points

What happened?

In northeastern Sudan, a power struggle between the two generals at the head of the country has escalated dramatically. Dozens of civilians and soldiers were killed and hundreds injured in fighting in the capital Khartoum and other places on Saturday and Sunday. Tanks, fighter jets and artillery were deployed in densely populated areas of the city.

The background to the escalation in Sudan is the tensions between Sudan’s de facto president and commander-in-chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and his deputy Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, also known as Hemedti, the leader of the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) . The RSF and the military have effectively ruled the country since the fall of dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019. In the course of the transition to civilian rule, which was recently postponed again, the RSF was to be integrated into the armed forces, leading to a rift between the Allies. RSF leader Daglo accused al-Burhan of staying in power.

Fighting broke out unexpectedly in the capital Khartoum on Saturday morning. The RSF claimed that Sudanese soldiers entered their headquarters in the south of the city. RSF forces attacked the airfield north of the city and the presidential palace. The army used fighter planes and tanks. On Sunday, fighting continued to focus on nearby army headquarters and the state broadcaster building. Both sides repeatedly reported combat successes that contradicted each other. The information provided by both parties could not be independently confirmed.

What is the RSF?

The RSF was founded in 2013 from militias in the western state of Darfur. During the decades-long conflict there, they were seen as ruthless supporters of the Arab-dominated government, which used violence against the African minority. The group and its leader, Daglo, are accused of mass rape and other gross human rights violations. After the overthrow of ruler al-Bashir in 2019, Daglo was considered the most powerful man in Sudan. However, the affairs of state were taken over by al-Burhan, the Inspector General of the Armed Forces. Daglo later became al-Burhan’s deputy on the ruling transitional council.

Is a civil war imminent?

On Sunday afternoon it was still unclear which side has the upper hand. The events raised global concerns about a serious civil war in the state of about 46 million people. Fighting is also said to have broken out in other parts of the country, such as Darfur and the provinces of North Kordofan. Heavy fighting was also reported from the town of Merowe in the north of the country.

The rhetoric of the opponents gave little hope for a quick solution for the time being: Al-Burhan accused the RSF of the attacks in an interview with the television channel Al-Jazeera on Saturday. RSF leader Daglo, on the other hand, called for al-Burhan and his allies to be brought to justice. His rival is responsible for the conflict and will be captured “or die like a dog,” Daglo told Al-Jazeera. The military released a statement on Facebook saying that there would be no negotiations with the RSF and that the group should disband.

What should be done now?

A Sudanese medical organization tweeted on Sunday morning that at least 56 civilians and dozens of soldiers were killed. In addition, almost 600 injured people were counted in hospitals and other care centers, dozens of whom were in danger of dying. Three Sudanese employees of the UN’s World Food Program (WFP) were also killed. The Sudanese armed forces in the afternoon agreed to a UN proposal to create a humanitarian corridor for three hours from 4 p.m. local time to allow aid workers to access the dead and wounded. However, the agreement only exists as long as the RSF also adheres to the agreement, according to the General Command of the Armed Forces.

The situation led to major international efforts to persuade the warring parties to end the violence. The UN Security Council, in rare unanimity, called on the parties to end the bloodshed and begin talks to end the crisis. The most powerful body of the United Nations wants to talk about the situation on Monday.

Several key regional organizations held crisis meetings on Sunday. The foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia called for an end to the violence and the start of negotiations in the country. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi maintain good contacts with both al-Burhan and Daglo. Sudanese army and RSF fighters are supporting the Saudi-led military alliance in the war against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Sudan’s neighbor Egypt, which also has close ties to al-Burhan, is said to be holding behind-the-scenes talks to calm the situation, according to unconfirmed reports. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi also officially offered to mediate on Sunday.

The Pope, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, EU Secretary of State Josep Borrell and Secretary of State Annalena Baerbock also called for an end to the violence over the weekend. (cst/sda/dpa)