Tensions deepen in civil war-torn Sudan as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced the formation of a rival civilian-led government on Saturday, raising concerns over the potential for permanent division within the country. This development came after a press conference in Nyala, South Darfur, where the RSF-controlled city was used as the backdrop to unveil a 15-member presidential council, with RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, appointed as its president. Abdelaziz al-Hilu, head of the SPLM-N, was named vice president, while Mohamed Hassan al-Taishi, a former member of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, took on the role of prime minister. The announcement also included the naming of new regional governors, which has led to the region now having rival governors from each side of the conflict.
These moves by the RSF have amplified fears of the civil war in Sudan escalating, as it directly challenges the internationally recognized army-led government that was established in May under former United Nations official Kamil Idris. This government remains incomplete, missing key Cabinet positions. In February, an agreement made among paramilitary, rebel, and civilian groups paved the way for the new government’s formation, aiming to establish a secular “New Sudan”. Achieving international legitimacy through such a move would also enable the faction to acquire advanced weapons.
The Sudanese army, under the leadership of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has yet to formally respond but has previously denounced any attempts to create parallel administrations. UN officials have voiced concerns that the RSF’s formation of an alternative government could further fragment Sudan and undermine diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the conflict.
The conflict in Sudan started in April 2023, arising from a power struggle between Burhan and Dagalo, who were once allies that ousted Omar al-Bashir in 2019 before turning against each other in a 2021 coup attempt that disrupted Sudan’s transition to democracy. The country is now effectively split, with the army controlling the north, east, and center, including the recently retaken capital Khartoum, while the RSF holds large parts of Darfur and areas of Kordofan, where the fighting has intensified. Burhan faces US sanctions for the alleged use of chemical weapons in 2024 against the RSF. The ongoing war has resulted in the displacement of up to 13 million people, with large segments of the population nearing famine, as per UN data. Estimates suggest around 150,000 individuals have been killed in the conflict.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/sudan-rsf-forms-rival-government-deepening-fissure/a-73427182?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
