Rival Sudanese Military Factions Cash Killing Hundreds

By Yousuf Ali

On Saturday April 15, rival factions within the Sudanese armed forces started fighting. In particular, the Rapid support Forces launched attacks in key parts of Khartoum and other important governmental locations in the country. Since then, more than 185 have been killed with thousands of more being wounded. According to Al Jazeera, “ The protagonists in the outbreak of violence are army General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy and the RSF leader, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemedti.

In October 2021, al-Burhan and Dagalo orchestrated a coup, upending a fragile transition to civilian rule that had been started after the 2019 removal of longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir.” Al-Burhan is acting as the de facto ruler of Sudan following the coup against al-Bashir in 2019. Dagalo also helped overthrow al-Bashir despite being a long time ally. In addition to the domestic context, there are connections to foreign powers in the region and beyond.

There have been a variety of reactions from Sudan’s neighbors and others in the Middle East North Africa Region. Many of Sudan’s neighbors including Ethiopia have also experienced conflict. According to Al Jazeera, “Sudan’s relationship with Ethiopia has been strained over disputed farmland along their border; the conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, which drove tens of thousands of refugees into Sudan; and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Regional heavyweights Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which forged close ties to the RSF when it sent thousands of fighters to support the war in Yemen, have called for both sides to stand down.” There as a brief Humanitarian pause for 3 hours on Sunday. International organizations are also urging both sides to stop fighting for the good of the people.

According to Al Jazeera, “The Red Cross and the World Health Organization called on Sudan’s warring parties to guarantee humanitarian access for those in need. “We have thousands of volunteers who are ready, able and trained to perform humanitarian services” in the country, said Farid Aiywar, the Sudan head of delegation for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).”  Many hospitals are not operating due to the conflict as well making a country that is already in a precarious humanitarian situation even worse in that regard.