Sudan is in a state of crisis as two warlords with big ambitions plunge the country in turmoil. The current fighting in the country began on Saturday April 15th. CNN reports that the war is the climax of a conflict that has been simmering for a while between Generals (Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, military ruler and head of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), and General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, aka Hemedti, deputy ruler and head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Hemedti was a Janjaweed (the notorious militia group), Commander in the Darfur conflict that began in 2003. Currently, the RSF numbers about 100,000; SAF is twice that in number, but the RSF appear better trained and armed, especially due to the alliance between Hemedti and the Wagner commandos who supply him with missiles and weaponry. Hemedti also accumulated personal wealth from the civil war in Darfur two decades ago. Both sides  are fighting for control of key institutions and installations such as the Presidential Palace and national television, and Khartoum International Airport, and army headquarters.

History of Their Relationship

Both men have been part of the Transitional Sovereign Council (made up of the military and civilians) which took over the affairs of Sudan, after the overthrow of longtime dictator Omar Bashir (who ruled Sudan for 30 years), to oversee return to civilian rule. The two were also involved in the genocides of Darfur which left over 300,000 dead and millions displaced.

When a popular pro-democracy uprising broke out against Omar al-Bashir in 2019, Al-Burhan and Hemedti used the opportunity of the protests to topple A-Bashir instead. Again, they were both leaders of the 25 October 2021 coup that toppled the transitional civilian government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok who had succeeded Omar al-Bashir.

Ultimately, Omar Bashir is responsible for the present crisis, because he unilaterally transformed the Janjaweed into a so-called Border Intelligence Units, and eventually into the RSF. They served him as a personal army outside the Sudanese Army. He relied on them for suppressing dissent, to prosecute the genocidal war in Darfur, and also the civil war which resulted in the breakup of the country in 2011 when South Sudan seceded.

Immediate Cause of the Fighting

Before the current fighting, the ostensible problem was the integration of the RSF into the Sudanese Army in preparation for a return to civil rule. All the while, the forces of both men were taking up positions in the capital Khartoum. The outbreak of conflict was well-nigh inevitable.

Foreign Involvements

Hemedti has partnered with the Russia-backed militia group, Wagner, as well as Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, since he has provided some fighting men for the war in Yemen.  Al-Burhan is a favorite of the Egyptians, the Americans and the West. Therein is the key to the prolongation of the conflict.

At the same time there are unconfirmed reports that Moscow also has ties with the SAF and its leadership which allegedly granted Russia access to gold mines in exchange for arms and ammunition.

Consequences for Families

Citizens and residents of Khartoum are trapped in the fighting. Over 1500 civilians have been killed, and several thousands more injured. There is acute shortage of food, with shops closed, and no drinking water, nor electricity. Many hospitals and clinics are also closed as they are being bombarded by both sides, even as the combatants trade accusations of who is responsible. Amidst all this, the security situation has worsened as prisons have emptied and their inmates have fled. One such escapee is former Minister Ahmed Haroun who is in jail for human rights crimes committed in Darfur.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced persons have fled to the various border countries including Egypt, Chad, Southern Sudan, and Ethiopia. Thus a new humanitarian crisis is unfolding with these neighbouring countries unprepared to receive the number of refugees.

Many foreign governments have pulled out their citizens from the country. Three ceasefire agreements reached to stop the fighting and allow civilians to evacuate have repeatedly failed. The prospects of further destabilization of the country and the region are high. For example, fresh fighting has broken out in Darfur and its region.

International Peace Efforts

The African Union, the Arab League, and the United Nations, along with countries such as Britain and USA have been involved in arranging the ceasefire and negotiations to end the fighting. It is unclear how effective these efforts, are given that there is no letup in the fighting. The future of Sudan  is uncertain at the moment.