Rapid Support Forces

Sudan is burning and foreign powers are benefiting – what’s in it for the UAE

By May Darwich, University of Birmingham The United Nations has accused foreign players of prolonging the war in Sudan, making it harder for the country to find peace. The fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces started in April 2023. It was sparked by two generals competing for power after a failed political transition. Since then, the conflict has taken on a regional […]

September 12, 2024 31

Africa

Sudan is the world’s worst modern war – what has happened and what it’ll take to rebuild

By Kagure Gacheche, The Conversation Sudan’s war has been raging since April 2023. The country was on a bumpy road to democracy after mass uprisings in 2019 ousted long-time dictator Omar al-Bashir. This all came to a halt when troops from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary force, attacked a military airstrip in the early hours of 15 April 2023. In the months since, fighting between the […]

September 2, 2024 25

Entertainment

Macklemore cancels Dubai show over Sudan conflict

US rapper Macklemore has canceled his October show in Dubai due to the UAE's alleged involvement in the conflict in Sudan. He told the BBC that people had for months been asking him to call off the concert in protest of its reported support for Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which are involved in the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Sudan. This is not the first time the artist […]

August 27, 2024 38

Africa

Sudan peace talks begin without warring sides

Fresh peace talks to end Sudan's 16-month conflict have begun, but neither side has yet participated. The BBC reports that the US is leading the negotiations and remains committed to resolving the crisis despite the absence of the warring factions. The conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces has resulted in thousands of deaths, displaced around 10 million people, and triggered a severe hunger crisis.

August 15, 2024 6

Africa

Human Rights Watch Says RSF Accused of Widespread Sexual Violence in Sudan

Sudan's paramilitary, Rapid Support Forces have been accused of committing extensive sexual violence, including gang rapes and forced marriages, in the capital Khartoum during their conflict with the armed forces, according to a report by Human Rights Watch released on Monday as per Reuters. The report also mentioned some attacks attributed to the army, with the RSF allegedly holding women and girls in conditions that may constitute sexual slavery and […]

July 30, 2024 7

Africa

U.S. Invites Sudanese Army and RSF to Ceasefire Talks in Switzerland

The United States has invited the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces for U.S.-mediated ceasefire talks starting on August 14 in Switzerland, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Tuesday as per Reuters. RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo confirmed early on Wednesday that they will participate constructively in the talks to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire across the country and facilitate humanitarian access to those in need.

July 24, 2024 11

Africa

How militia groups capture states and ruin countries: the case of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces

By Federico Manfredi Firmian, Sciences Po The rise of Sudan’s most notorious paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, shows how armed groups can infiltrate state institutions – often with disastrous results for society. Sudan’s central government created the Rapid Support Forces in 2013 as dictator Omar al-Bashir’s private protection detail. The group has now become a predator seeking to gain control of Sudan. Sudan’s war […]

July 18, 2024 7

Africa

Sudan is now confronting its most severe food security crisis on record

By Rob Vos, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Khalid Siddig, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) After 14 months of escalating internal conflict, Sudan is now confronting its most severe food security crisis on record. The latest situation report, released on 27 June, reveals a grim picture: more than half the population of 47.2 million is facing acute food insecurity. This signifies […]

July 8, 2024 36

Africa

Over 136,000 Flee Sennar State Amid Ongoing Sudan Conflict

More than 136,000 people have fled Sudan's southeastern Sennar state due to attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, according to Reuters on Thursday. This displacement is part of the larger conflict in Sudan, now almost 15 months long, which has forced nearly 10 million people from their homes. The war between the RSF and the regular army has led to accusations of "ethnic cleansing" and warnings of famine, particularly […]

July 5, 2024 10