Fighting has erupted in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and elsewhere in the country, stemming from a vicious power struggle within the military leadership. The clashes pit the regular army against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group.
The rival generals at the centre of the dispute are Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the armed forces and de facto president, and his deputy, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (known as Hemedti), who leads the RSF. They disagree on the proposed integration of the 100,000-strong RSF into the army and who would lead the unified force.
The shooting began on 15 April after days of tension, with the RSF redeploying forces in a move seen as a threat by the army. At least 400 civilians have died, according to the World Health Organization. Air strikes have hit the capital, home to over six million people, and several announced ceasefires have not been observed.
The RSF was formed in 2013, originating from the Janjaweed militia accused of ethnic cleansing in Darfur. Under Hemedti, it has grown powerful, intervening in Yemen and Libya, and controlling gold mines. The force has been accused of human rights abuses, including the massacre of over 120 protesters in June 2019.
The fighting is the latest episode in instability since the 2019 ousting of President Omar al-Bashir. A joint military-civilian government was overthrown in a 2021 coup led by Gen Burhan. A framework deal for civilian rule was agreed in December but talks to finalise it failed, deepening the rivalry between the two generals.
