Sudan’s Paramilitaries Declare Rival Government, Escalate Crisis
RSF’s parallel government in Darfur deepens Sudan’s turmoil.
Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group rooted in the notorious Janjaweed militias, has declared a parallel government in areas it controls, primarily in Darfur, intensifying the country’s ongoing crisis. The announcement, made on Saturday, follows escalating violence since April 2023, when clashes between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) erupted in Khartoum and beyond, plunging Sudan into chaos.
The RSF-led Tasis Alliance named General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, as head of a 15-member sovereign council for its new administration. Mohammed Hassan al-Taishi, a civilian politician from the post-2019 transitional council, was appointed prime minister, while rebel leader Abdelaziz al-Hilu of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) was named deputy. The announcement, delivered by spokesman Alaa al-Din Naqd in RSF-controlled Nyala, Darfur, builds on a February charter signed in Nairobi, Kenya, to establish this rival governance structure.
The RSF, formed in 2013 from Janjaweed militias, has been accused of war crimes and genocide in Darfur, including mass killings and sexual violence, with the U.S. imposing sanctions on Dagalo for alleged atrocities. The group denies genocide claims, attributing violence to tribal conflicts. The internationally recognized government in Khartoum condemned the move as a “fake government,” urging global rejection of the RSF-led administration.
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Critics, including rebel leader Yasir Arman, warn that the parallel government risks prolonging Sudan’s civil war and splitting the country into rival administrations, mirroring Libya’s division. The move comes amid a dire humanitarian crisis, with over 13 million displaced and 25 million facing hunger, exacerbated by RSF attacks on civilian areas like Zamzam camp, where famine has been declared.
International efforts, including UN appeals and sanctions, have failed to curb the conflict, with the RSF’s actions in Darfur drawing comparisons to the region’s 2003 genocide. As Sudan faces potential fragmentation, the global community remains divided on how to address the escalating violence and humanitarian collapse.
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