Turmoil Within Sudan

On April 15th, 2023, Sudan Armed Forces began clashing with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a governmental paramilitary group that fights for the armed forces during the conflict. This conflict stems from the tension between the RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, and Army Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Buhran, both men worked together to overthrow Omar al-Bashir in 2021. These two leaders are in a power struggle, using their loyal forces to fight for power.

With a death toll of 100, and rapidly climbing, this conflict could bloom into something potentially more deadly. 

Although not officially known, the RSF has origins in the Janjaweed, an Islamic militia group based in Darfur, Sudan the western region of the nation. They were officially founded in August 2013 to combat rebel groups in Sudan on the government’s behalf. There are an estimated 100,000 active RSF members. Within Sudan, the RSF has a reputation for committing war crimes and human rights violations.

Currently, heavy fighting is taking place in the capital city Khartoum, and in Sudan’s largest city, Omdurman.

Due to the accessibility of technology present, there is no shortage of videos of fighting and explosions, one video can be seen with a MiG-29SE fighter jet streaking above the urban city before releasing a missile that strikes an RSF Position, and other videos show civilians and soldiers returning fire at opposing forces in the middle of dense streets.