Khartoum The serious national crisis with bitter fighting between the army and paramilitaries in Sudan has caused the north-east African country to sink deeper and deeper into chaos. According to doctors, less than 24 hours after the fighting broke out, dozens of people had been killed and hundreds injured – and the trend was rising.
According to media reports, fighting for the general command of the Sudanese army in the capital Khartoum has intensified. In the evening, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced that they had taken over the general command, which the military described as a false claim. On Sunday morning, despite the ongoing fighting, the Sudanese military said they were “close to victory”.
The UN Security Council called on all parties to the conflict to end the bloodshed and to start talks to end the crisis. In addition, humanitarian workers must be given safe access and UN employees must be protected from attacks, the most powerful body in the United Nations demanded on Sunday morning.
The background to the outbreak of violence is a bitter power struggle between the Sudanese ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, leader of the armed Rapid Support Forces. The conflict in the country of 46 million people escalated into fierce fighting between the army and the key paramilitary group within hours on Saturday.
Artillery shelling, among other things, was reported from the capital Khartoum, and there were also reports of air raids by the Sudanese air force on RSF bases. It is unclear who currently has the upper hand in Khartoum.
At least 56 civilian fatalities
A Sudanese medical organization announced on Twitter early Sunday morning that there were at least 56 civilian deaths and dozens of soldiers killed. In addition, almost 600 injuries were counted in hospitals and other care centers, dozens of whom were in mortal danger. The organization called for an immediate ceasefire to protect the lives of innocent people and treat the injured.
Since the overthrow of long-term ruler Omar al-Bashir in 2019 and another coup against a civilian government that was set up as a result – but in fact controlled by the military – in 2021, the army has been in control of Sudan. The RSF were also involved in the putsch two years ago.
The planned transition to a civilian government meant that the paramilitaries would be integrated into the regular armed forces, which led to tensions. Daglo accuses al-Burhan of not wanting to give up his position as de facto head of state and of clinging to power contrary to all agreements.
The RSF claimed on Twitter late Saturday night that they had seized 90 percent of Sudan’s military-controlled areas and invaded the army’s command center. The army rejected this as a false claim.
Guterres: “Cease hostilities immediately”
The escalation of violence sparked concern around the world. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on the parties to the conflict to “immediately cease hostilities, restore calm and engage in dialogue to resolve the current crisis.” Guterres spoke to RSF General Daglo on the phone on Saturday night.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also called for an end to the violence. In a statement, the UN Security Council emphasized the goal of “unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Sudan”.
Al-Burhan accused the RSF of attacks on strategic targets and on his house in an interview with the Al-Jazeera television channel on Saturday. RSF leader Daglo called for al-Burhan and his allies to be brought to justice. His rival is to blame for the conflict and will either be captured “or die like a dog,” Daglo also said at Al-Jazeera. The military circulated a statement on Facebook saying there would be no negotiations with the RSF and the group had to disband.
The RSF had mobilized their units a few days ago after the military again delayed the appointment of a prime minister and thus the handover of power. Observers interpreted the mobilization as a threatening gesture by Daglo against the commander-in-chief al-Burhan. Most recently, Daglo spoke out in favor of a rapid transition to a civilian government, thereby opposing al-Burhan.
The RSF was formed in 2013 from militias in the western state of Darfur. During the decades-long conflict there, they were seen as brutal supporters of the Arab-dominated government, which used violence against the African minority. The group and its leader, Daglo, have been blamed for mass rapes and other gross human rights abuses.
After the overthrow of ruler al-Bashir in 2019, Daglo was considered the most powerful man in Sudan. However, al-Burhan, the inspector general of the Sudanese armed forces, took over the business of government. This retaliated with Daglo and initially refrained from incorporating the RSF into the state military. Daglo became al-Burhan’s deputy in the ruling transitional council.
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