Sudan conflict: why is there fighting and what is at stake in the region? | The Guardian

Conflicts between Sudan’s military and its primary paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which are the result of power struggles between factions and demands from the civilian population for military oversight and punishment regarding alleged war crimes, pose a threat to the region’s stability. 

Clashes between Sudan’s military and main paramilitary force, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have led to hundreds of deaths and thousands of people fleeing, causing fears of a civil war that could destabilize the region. The conflict arose from a power struggle between the two main factions of the military regime. The RSF was created by former dictator Omar al-Bashir to suppress a rebellion in Darfur and is led by former warlord Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, while the Sudanese armed forces are loyal to Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the country’s de facto ruler. Civilian demands for military oversight, integration of the RSF into the armed forces, and justice over allegations of war crimes by the military are among the issues that have caused tension since the 2019 uprising that ousted Bashir. Sudan’s strategic location and agricultural wealth have attracted regional power plays, complicating the chances of a successful transition to civilian-led government. 

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/27/sudan-conflict-why-is-there-fighting-what-is-at-stake