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DW
01-08-2025
- Politics
- DW
Sudan: Is a rival government splitting the country in two? – DW – 08/01/2025
The new rival "Government of Peace and Unity" in Darfur has not been internationally recognized. But observers fear it could bring more civil war, humanitarian suffering and even split the country in two. War-torn Sudan appears one step closer to breaking up. Last weekend, a Sudanese coalition led by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced the establishment of a rival government in Darfur. The announcement had been widely expected after the RSF — which holds nearly all of the Darfur region and parts of the south — and other armed groups had formed the Sudan Founding Alliance (TASIS) in March. At the time, the alliance said it would soon establish a "Government of Peace and Unity" in areas under its control. But now, the newly formed "Transitional Peace Government" with RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo as president claims to have jurisdiction over all of Sudan. In a statement, TASIS said it was committed "to build[ing] an inclusive homeland and a new, secular, democratic, decentralized, and voluntarily unified Sudan founded on the principles of freedom, justice, and equality." Unsurprisingly, the internationally recognized government under the leadership of General Abdel-Fattah Burhan and Prime Minister Kamil al-Taib Idris — who control the capital, Khartoum, along with the north, east and center of the country — has swiftly rejected the rival administration as "artificial construct" and "illegitimate entity." The African Union with its 55 member states also said it would not recognize a "so-called parallel government" in Sudan. The AU pointed out that the establishment of the new government "has serious consequences on the peace efforts and the existential future of the country." Similarly, the UN has warned that the existence of the new administration could deepen Sudan's fragmentation and complicate diplomatic efforts to end the war in Sudan. The war began in April 2023 when Sudan's army chief Burhan and the RSF's Dagalo fell out over the inclusion of the RSF into the Sudanese Armed Forces, or SAF. "By announcing a government structure, the RSF is attempting to force itself into international discussions not as a militia to be disarmed, but as a political stakeholder with parallel governing authority," said Amgad Fareid Eltayeb of the Sudanese think tank Fikra for Studies and Development. "Behind this lies a carefully timed and deeply political maneuver with far-reaching consequences for the narrative battle over legitimacy, governance and international engagement in Sudan's catastrophic war," he told DW. In his view, the announcement was clearly timed to precede a planned meeting of the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Representatives from those four countries had hoped to launch a political dialogue between Sudan's army and the paramilitary RSF in order to issue a joint statement calling for an end of the hostilities and for improved humanitarian access. But that meeting, originally planned for late July, was canceled at short notice. A new date is yet to be determinedm with some diplomats suggesting it could be rescheduled for September. "The UAE inserted a last-minute change to include no presence for both the army and the RSF in Sudan's future transitional process," a diplomatic source told the news agency AFP. Amgad Fareid Eltayeb, who previously served as assistant chief of staff to the former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and as political adviser to the UN special political mission in Sudan, believes the UAE "added the stipulation as camouflage to justify pro-RSF support as they are not genuine about democratic or civilian transition in Sudan." Many other observers agree that the war in Sudan continues to be fueled by international actors. "The mounting evidence of Emirati involvement in arming and financing the RSF has placed Abu Dhabi in an increasingly uncomfortable position," said Amgad Fareid Eltayeb. The UAE have been widely accused of arming the RSF, although Abu Dhabi has denied such allegations. That's despite multiple reports from UN experts, diplomats, US politicians and international organizations. Cairo, one of the fiercest supporters of the SAF, called the last-minute stipulation "totally unacceptable," according to the same source speaking to AFP. The establishment of the rival administration in Darfur comes at a time of intensified fighting in central and south Sudan. None of this spells hope for an end to the war or any improvement for the world's largest humanitarian and displacement crisis. According to this week's report by the UN Refugee Agency, "there are now 12.0 million forcibly displaced due to the outbreak of conflict in Sudan since April 2023, including 7.7 million internally and 4.1 million in neighbouring countries." International bodies estimate that the death toll has surpassed 150,000 people. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video On Wednesday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs raised alarm over the rising toll of hunger, disease and displacement in various conflict-ridden parts of Sudan. Both sides of the war remain sanctioned for war crimes. Earlier this year, the US accused the RSF under General Dagalo of committing genocide, as well as grave human rights violations. The SAF under General Burhan has been accused of deadly attacks against civilians and undermining the goal of a democratic transition. "Both parties to the conflict are obliged to provide aid to population under their control, including allowing humanitarian access," Mohamed Osman, Sudan researcher in Human Rights Watch's Africa Division, told DW. "In most of Darfur where the RSF is in control and where they established their own parallel government, the RSF have shown little regard for human lives and have obstructed or looted aid deliveries," he added. This observation is echoed by Amgad Fareid Eltayeb. "In areas under its sway, the RSF has not established order, justice or public services but has unleashed a reign of terror characterized by systematic sexual violence, massacres, looting and infrastructural devastation," he said. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Al Jazeera
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
RSF paramilitary-led coalition forms parallel government in war-torn Sudan
A Sudanese coalition led by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group has announced it is establishing an alternative government in a challenge to the military-led authorities in the capital Khartoum, with the northeastern African country's brutal civil war in its third year. The group, which calls itself the Leadership Council of the Sudan Founding Alliance (TASIS), said RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan 'Hemedti' Dagalo will chair the 15-member presidential council of the government, which includes regional governors. Sudanese politician Mohammed Hassan Osman al-Ta'ishi will serve as prime minister, TASIS said. 'On the occasion of this historic achievement, the leadership council extends its greetings and congratulations to the Sudanese people who have endured the flames of devastating wars for decades,' the coalition said in a statement. 'It also renews TASIS's commitment to building an inclusive homeland, and a new secular, democratic, decentralized, and voluntarily unified Sudan, founded on the principles of freedom, justice and equality.' The new self-proclaimed government could deepen divisions and lead to competing institutions as the war rages on between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). In May, the Sudanese army said it had completely driven the RSF out of the capital, Khartoum. The fighting since April 2023 has killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly 13 million people, according to United Nations estimates, resulting in one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. In recent months, the violence has been intensifying in the western region of Darfur, where the RSF has been besieging the city of el-Fasher, compounding hunger in the area. Rights groups have accused both the RSF and SAF of rights abuses. Earlier this year, Amnesty International said RSF fighters were inflicting 'widespread sexual violence' on women and girls to 'assert control and displace communities across the country'. Earlier this year, the US imposed sanctions on Hemedti, accusing the RSF of committing 'serious human rights abuses' under his leadership, including executing civilians and blocking humanitarian aid. Sudan has seen growing instability since longtime President Omar al-Bashir was removed from power in 2019 after months of antigovernment protests. In October 2021, the Sudanese military staged a coup against the civilian government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, leading to his resignation in early 2022. Sudan's army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Hemedti had shared power after the coup, but then began fighting for control of the state and its resources in April 2023. Although the rivalry between al-Burhan and Hemedti does not appear to be ideological, numerous attempts to reach a peaceful resolution to the crisis have failed.
