Prelims
- Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) launched a renewed offensive against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum and Bahri.
- Ongoing civil war for over 18 months with:
- 20,000+ deaths
- 11 million+ displaced (as of October 2024)
Root Cause of Conflict
- Power tussle between:
- SAF leader: Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
- RSF leader: Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti)
- Started in Khartoum, spread to Omdurman, Bahri, Port Sudan, Darfur, Kordofan
Historical Background
- Anglo-Egyptian Condominium (1899–1956) → Sudan’s independence in 1956
- Internal divide:
- North: Arab-Muslim
- South: Christian-Animist
- Civil Wars:
- First Civil War (1955–72)
- Second Civil War (1983–2005) → Ended with CPA (2005)
- South Sudan seceded in 2011
Omar al-Bashir’s Regime (1989–2019)
- Military coup → 30 years of rule
- Imposed Sharia law, used Janjaweed militias
- Accused of genocide in Darfur (Fur, Zaghawa, Masalit tribes)
- Removed via joint SAF-RSF coup in April 2019
Rise of RSF
- Origin: Janjaweed militias from Darfur conflict
- Institutionalized in 2013
- Gained wealth via gold mines, external links
Post-Bashir Transition
- Formation of Transitional Sovereignty Council
- PM Abdalla Hamdok ousted in 2021 military coup
- December 2022 Agreement aimed for 2-year transition → stalled over RSF integration
Foreign Involvement
- Russia (Wagner Group), China, UAE supplying arms
- External backing fuels the conflict
Why Conflict Persists
- Power struggle: Both SAF and RSF want dominance
- Ethnic polarization: RSF backed by Arab tribes, SAF supported by non-Arab groups (e.g., Masalit)
- Arms embargo violations: UN embargo (since 2004) is ineffective
- Failed peace efforts: e.g., Jeddah Declaration (2023) led by Saudi & US
Prelims Tidbits
- RSF = paramilitary, evolved from Janjaweed
- Darfur Genocide: First sitting president (Bashir) indicted by ICC
- CPA 2005 = Comprehensive Peace Agreement
- Jeddah Talks (2023) = failed peace initiative
- SAF = Official Sudanese Army