Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces declares rival authority in areas under its control, as the United States expresses alarm over its alleged targeting of civilians in Darfur.
Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has announced the formation of a rival government, two years since the country descended into a brutal war that has left tens of thousands dead and triggered what the United Nations calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
The RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo — also known as Hemedti — declared on Tuesday the establishment of the “Government of Peace and Unity” in areas under its control. The move directly challenges the army-led administration headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
“On this anniversary, we proudly declare the establishment of the Government of Peace and Unity, a broad coalition that reflects the true face of Sudan,” Dagalo said on Telegram.
The RSF and its allies had already signed a charter in Nairobi in February, laying out their intention to form an alternative authority.
Dagalo said they had now endorsed a transitional constitution, which he described as a “roadmap for a new Sudan”. The document proposes a 15-member presidential council representing all regions of the country.
Experts have long warned that the protracted conflict risks permanently fracturing Sudan. Sharath Srinivasan, a Sudan specialist at the University of Cambridge, told the AFP news agency that the RSF’s entrenchment in Darfur could result in “de facto separation.”
Since war erupted on 15 April 2023, nearly 13 million people have been displaced, with no political solution in sight. The fighting began after months of tension between Sudan’s military and the RSF, once close allies who jointly led the 2021 coup that derailed a civilian-led transition.
US condemns RSF violence in Darfur
As the RSF seeks to consolidate control in western Sudan, the paramilitary and its allied militias are facing renewed international scrutiny over their conduct in the war.
The United States on Tuesday criticised the RSF for attacking civilians in and around the Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps – home to hundreds of thousands of displaced people – in the North Darfur region in recent days.
The UN said at least 300 civilians were killed in the RSF attacks on the camps on Friday and Saturday.
“We are deeply alarmed by reports the RSF has deliberately targeted civilians and humanitarian actors,” said US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce. She called for all parties to respect international humanitarian law and face accountability for violations.
Donor conference
With Sudan’s humanitarian crisis deepening, the United Kingdom hosted a donor conference in London, where international partners pledged to ramp up support.
The European Union pledged over $592m, while the UK committed an additional $158m.
“We do need patient diplomacy,” UK Home Secretary David Lammy said. “We cannot resign ourselves to inevitable conflict. We cannot be back here, one year from now, having the same discussion.”
Sudan’s military-aligned government criticised the gathering, noting that no representatives from either faction were invited.
The conference’s co-chairs issued a unified call for an immediate ceasefire and a transition to civilian rule, stressing the importance of preventing Sudan’s partition and keeping external actors from interfering.
