In Sudan, fighting flares up between military
15 April, 2023 Fighting flares up between military in Sudan. April 2023. Photo from social networks
In Sudan, the military formation of the Rapid Support Force began an armed confrontation with the army. The army is under the military government (Sovereign Council) headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Force is under the vice president, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. As part of the proposed transition to civilian rule, the Rapid Support Force would be integrated into the armed forces, but the generals fail to agree on when this should happen, and the dispute has escalated into an armed conflict.
The shooting was heard near the military headquarters in the center of the capital Khartoum. Rapid Support Forces stated they had taken control of the capital's airport and the presidential palace. The army claims that the Rapid Support Forces are trying to capture its headquarters.
"Soldiers of the Rapid Support Force have attacked several army camps in Khartoum and other parts of Sudan," said army Brigadier General Nabil Abdullah. The military seized power in Sudan in 2021 and continues to hold it ever since.
They say they want to transfer power to a civilian government, but the timing of the integration of the Rapid Support Force into the armed forces has become a stumbling block. The Rapid Support Force believes it should be delayed for 10 years, the Army insists on two years.
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Sudan
General Burhan expressed his willingness to negotiate with his nominal deputy, General Dagalo, to resolve the dispute.
Western countries and regional leaders have also called for this.
General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo heads the Rapid Support Force. Photo credits: Sudan media
The U.S. Ambassador to Khartoum, John Godfrey, tweeted that he had woken up to the sounds of gunfire and was now holed up in the embassy with other diplomats.
Before the 2021 coup, military and civilian leaders ruled the country jointly for more than two years. This Sudanese transitional government came to power after the ouster of authoritarian President Omar al-Bashir. Bashir held the power of the country for about 30 years, although the name of his position sometimes changed during this time.
In 2009, he became the first current leader of the state for whose arrest the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued a warrant (Vladimir Putin has recently become the second one). In the end, the International Criminal Court even issued two arrest warrants for Bashir: in 2009 - on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, in 2010 - on charges of genocide.
Omar al-Bashir behind bars. Photo credits: ichef.bbci.co.uk
These allegations related to the massacre of the local non-Arab Darfuri population in western Sudan.
These actions were carried out by the "Janjaweed" formation created by Bashir.
In 2013, Janjaweed soldiers formed the backbone of the Rapid Support Forces.
Bashir was arrested after the overthrow and the new government expressed readiness to extradite him to the International Criminal Court, but had not yet done so.