Before Muslim festival – Sudan: army now agrees to ceasefire

“The armed forces hope that the rebels will abide by all terms of the ceasefire and will not take any military action that could disrupt the ceasefire.” The RSF militia had previously agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire. The army and paramilitary militias have been fighting for power in Sudan for nearly a week.

The power struggle of the leaders flared up
The cause of the outbreak of violence is a bitter power struggle between the Sudanese ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo – also known as Hemedti – the leader of the RSF. The conflict in the country of 46 million people escalated on Saturday, with fierce fighting breaking out within hours.

Since the fall of longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir in 2019 and another coup against a civilian government set up as a result – but effectively controlled by the military – in 2021, the military has been in control of Sudan. The RSF and the Sudanese military had worked hand-in-hand in both takeovers.

The paramilitaries were to be incorporated into the armed forces as part of the planned transition to civilian rule in April. This led to a power struggle between the former Allies. Dagalo accused Burhan of not wanting to give up his position as de facto head of state and of holding on to power contrary to all agreements.

The RSF was founded in 2013 from militias in the western state of Darfur. During the decades-long conflict there, they were seen as ruthless supporters of the Arab-dominated government, which used violence against the African minority. The group and its leader, Dagalo, are accused of mass rape and other gross human rights violations.