A humanitarian crisis deepens as the Rapid Support Forces assert control and provoke fears of further division in Sudan.
Sudan's Rapid Support Forces Form Parallel Government Amidst Escalating Violence
Sudan's Rapid Support Forces Form Parallel Government Amidst Escalating Violence
The declaration follows a deadly assault in Darfur, resulting in a mass exodus of civilians.
Sudan has plunged deeper into turmoil as the Rapid Support Forces (R.S.F.), a powerful paramilitary group, announced the establishment of a parallel government on Wednesday. This development occurred concurrently with an aggressive offensive targeting a city in the western Darfur region, leading to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians from an already famine-stricken camp.
The R.S.F.'s declaration has heightened apprehensions about Sudan's two-year civil conflict potentially resulting in a hazardous territorial fragmentation. With the R.S.F. asserting dominance over much of western and southern Sudan, while the national military maintains authority in the north and east, including the capital Khartoum, tension between these factions continues to escalate, with both accused of committing heinous atrocities.
General Mohamed Hamdan, the leader of the R.S.F., provided limited insights into his so-called "government of peace and unity." He claimed it would encompass diverse ethnic groups, reflecting what he described as "the true face of Sudan." This narrative resonates with the persistent calls for inclusivity from pro-democracy advocates within Sudan, who challenge the military's stranglehold on governance. However, the R.S.F.'s noble rhetoric contrasts sharply with the violent tactics employed by its armed forces.
The recent offensive commenced last Friday when R.S.F. fighters besieged the Zamzam camp in El Fasher, the final significant urban center in Darfur yet to succumb to R.S.F. control. The United Nations reported on Tuesday that approximately 300 individuals had lost their lives in the conflict, with estimates indicating that upwards of 400,000 civilians have been compelled to flee within mere days. Zamzam, which previously sheltered around 500,000 individuals and had been declared a famine zone last August, is now largely abandoned, according to humanitarian workers. They report that 30,000 individuals have fled to Tawila, 50 miles away, many suffering from dehydration, malnutrition, and trauma inflicted by their harrowing experiences within the camp.
