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Sudan’s Struggle for Power: A Tumultuous Journey Towards Stability
Sudan, a nation with a turbulent history and ongoing conflict, has been plagued by a power struggle between its military and paramilitary forces. The roots of the current conflict trace back to the years before the 2019 uprising that ousted the dictatorial ruler Omar al-Bashir. As the country faces the threat of a burgeoning civil war, its people and the wider region face the potential destabilizing effects of this battle for dominance.
The origins of the power struggle in Sudan can be traced back to the years before the 2019 uprising that toppled Omar al-Bashir, who had ruled the country for nearly three decades. Bashir built up formidable security forces and deliberately set them against one another, laying the groundwork for the current hostilities. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, both played a pivotal role in overthrowing Bashir and the military coup in 2021. However, tensions between these two factions escalated during negotiations to integrate the RSF into the country’s military as part of plans to restore civilian rule.
