In free fall: On violence-hit Sudan.
Sudan’s hopes for a return to democracy look dim.
Sudan is no stranger to violence by paramilitary forces. Yet, the rape, pillage and mass killings carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El-Fasher, after their capture of the city in the Darfur region in late October, were shocking even by Sudan’s grim standards. The RSF, a predominantly Arab militia, known for its brutality against Sudan’s African communities, unleashed a wave of atrocities, including a massacre at a maternity hospital. The RSF now controls five of Darfur’s capitals, tightening its grip over the famine-stricken region. In a chilling demonstration of impunity, RSF militants posted footage of some of their crimes on social media. Born from the Arab supremacist Janjaweed militia in the early 2000s, the group had faced accusations of ethnic cleansing and genocide against non-Arab communities in Darfur. It laid siege to El-Fasher, the Sudanese army’s last major stronghold in Darfur, 18 months ago, a blockade that triggered a famine in the region. More than 12 million people have been displaced since Sudan’s civil war broke out in April 2023, and tens of thousands killed. According to UN experts, the country is now facing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. While both the army and the RSF have been accused of war crimes, the atrocities by the paramilitary force have increasingly been described as genocidal.
When the regime of dictator Omar al-Bashir fell in 2019, many hoped that Sudan was on the cusp of a new dawn. But hopes for a democratic transition were short lived as the military and the RSF jointly staged a coup in 2021. Mr. Bashir had raised the RSF out of the ranks of the Janjaweed and treated the group as his personal army. He used it to neutralise domestic opposition and as a parallel structure to the military. Yet, when the roots of the Bashir regime were shaken by public protests in 2019, the RSF turned against him. But once the military consolidated power in 2021 and insisted that the RSF integrate with the regular army, the alliance between the army and the RSF fell apart, plunging Sudan into civil war. Today, the military government, backed by Egypt, controls most of Sudan, while the RSF, supported by the UAE, dominates Darfur. Earlier this year, the army pushed the RSF out of Khartoum, the capital. But the fall of El-Fasher confirms that the militia remains entrenched in its stronghold. If the fighting continues, Sudan risks more death, destruction, and even a state collapse. The atrocities in El-Fasher should serve as a wake-up call for the international community. The war must be brought to an end. For that, the backers of both the military and the militia should press for talks instead of sending more weapons into Sudan.