As of today, the World Health Organization estimated more than 1,800 were injured over the weekend, and a death toll of 180 has been recorded. The Ongoing armed-power attacks in Sudan are intensifying on its third day.
Gunfire and explosions were first heard on Saturday in the country’s capital city of Khartoum, when the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group clashed with the national army. In the north of the capital, smoke has been emitting from Khartoum International Airport, the largest airport in the country, and witnesses have reported fighting close to the Army headquarters in the city center. Hostility also occurred near the presidential palace, according to reports from BBC Africa Correspondent Emmanuel Igunza.
A recall of events that led to this past weekend’s turmoil. Sudan’s former president Omar al-Bashir was ousted in 2019 after a 30-year reign by the military, and a Sovereign Council and transitional government alliance between the military and pro-democracy civilian groups governed the country. As per the agreements of this coalition, the military, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was granted power for the first 21 months, then the civilian faction of government was to resume rule until elections could be held.
The recent quarrel dates back to October 2021, following a collaborative coup between the RSF and the army that dismantled the coalition government, and temporarily placed the military in full control of the transitioning government.
Sudanese army leader General al-Burhan, alongside RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who also served as Head Deputy of the army under al-Burhan in the governing coalition, dissolved the alliance due to their perceived threat to peace and unity. When the military council’s reign was coming to an end, General al-Burhan and then Deputy Dagalo quickly dismantled civilian rule and government officials’ arrests were made. Al-Burhan said in a televised statement that he would hold elections in July 2023 and hand power over to “an independent and fair representative government.”
General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also commonly known as Hemedti has long served as the head of the paramilitary group, the RSF. The group gained legitimacy in 2017 as an independent security force after fighting alongside the Sudanese army among Saudi and Emirati troops in Yemen, 2015.
Since the dismembering of the Sovereign council, Dagalo has expressed deep regrets regarding the coup and has approved of a full restoration of a civilian government.
Pro-democracy groups as well as the Sudanese army have insisted on the RSF’s full integration into the national army, but the terms and agreement of such demands have proven to be the cause of another wave of conflict. Dispute over the convergence timeline, the future hierarchy of RSF officials in the national army, and whether the RSF would be under the command of the army-chief, or the country’s Commander-in-chief, who is currently al-Burhan–these are some of the reported ongoing matters.