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On Wednesday 7th April 2021, Sudan Armed Forces clashed with Government-allied paramilitary forces in the northeastern city Nadhif, in a battle for control in the Sudanese capital Khartoum.
The showdown between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is the latest twist in the power struggle between the forces, which together help create a new civilian government.
The conflict, which has been going on for more than three days in the area, already left at least five dead and seven more injured, according to opposition leaders.
High ranking military officials have publicly denounced the conflict, describing it as “unacceptable and dangerous”. While it is still unclear which side fired the first shot, it is believed that the RSF triggered the outbreak of violence, leading to an escalation of clashes between the two sides.
The RSF, who was originally formed as the Janjaweed militia fighting rebels in the western Darfur region, and later integrated into the Sudanese military under former President Omar al-Bashir, has grown considerably in both power and influence since the fall of his regime in 2019.
The RSF holds close ties with current Prime Minister Hamdok and many RSF members play a prominent role in the country’s recent politics.
The increase in RSF power has been a subject of fierce criticism from different opposition factions, who view the paramilitary forces with suspicion and accuse them of holding loyalties to al-Bashir and being run by hardliners that wish to return to his rule.
The latest confrontation only serves to amplify these accusations while also underscoring the reality of a power struggle between the two forces and the civilian government, within a new system of power sharing.
For the time being, it is unclear how the situation in Sudan will evolve, particularly if this kind of state of affairs persists in the months to come.
