CAIRO (AP) – A notorious paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, has declared the establishment of a rival government in Sudan. This announcement comes amidst the ongoing turmoil that has enveloped the country for the past two years, marked by a brutal civil war. The RSF is now positioning itself to govern regions it controls, including the strife-torn western Darfur region, where recent violent clashes have taken the lives of over 400 individuals, according to United Nations reports.
Dagalo made this declaration in a recorded speech, stating, “On this anniversary, we proudly declare the establishment of the Government of Peace and Unity.” He further claimed that various factions, notably a part of the Sudan Liberation Movement that holds sway over sections of Kordofan, have joined the RSF in this new administration. The announcement of a "15-member Presidential Council" intended to represent all regions of Sudan reflects a strategic move to intensify his power amid battlefield setbacks that have seen the RSF lose critical urban centers such as Khartoum.
The RSF's recent actions have raised alarms regarding the potential for Sudan's partition or the risk of a prolonged conflict mirroring the situation in neighboring Libya, where rival administrations have been battling over control for over ten years. Sudan’s history is steeped in conflict; the nation lost a significant territory when South Sudan gained independence in 2011 following a civil war that was heavily influenced by the Janjaweed militias, which served as precursors to the RSF, and were implicated in numerous atrocities including mass killings and ethnic violence.
The international community, including the United States, has broadly condemned the RSF's attempts to assert governance in their controlled territories, labeling such efforts as detrimental to peace and stability. Specific comments from the U.S. State Department's Bureau of African Affairs highlighted that “Attempts to establish a parallel government are unhelpful for peace & security for the country," hinting at a significant risk of further destabilization and possible de facto partition.
Since the outbreak of hostilities on April 15, 2023, the civil war has escalated sharply, with reports indicating that at least 24,000 individuals have lost their lives, and estimates suggest the figure could be much higher. The conflict has also resulted in the mass displacement of approximately 13 million people, including around 4 million who have sought refuge across Sudan's borders, while large swathes of the population are now grappling with famine.
The gravity of the situation has been compounded by widespread acts of violence and atrocities, including mass rapes and ethno-nationalist killings which international rights organizations and the U.N. characterize as war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly in Darfur. The announcement of Dagalo’s new venture follows a brutal multi-day assault by RSF forces and allied militias on two camps for the internally displaced in North Darfur, leading to horrific casualties including the deaths of 12 aid workers and many children. The U.N. humanitarian office reported that this violence resulted in a mass exodus of nearly 400,000 people from the Zamzam camp alone.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric emphasized that the situation in Zamzam has become increasingly perilous, stating that the camp has become inaccessible after the RSF took control, severely limiting the movement of those still trapped within its confines, especially vulnerable young people.
