Sudan's Rapid Support Forces claim control over Darfur's Kabkabiya, detain commander

Sudan's preeminent paramilitary group, Rapid Support Forces [RSF] has claimed that its fighters of the 21st Brigade have taken control of the North Darfur downtown of Kabkabiya, and have detained the region's commander. Kabkabiya, located in the western North Darfur state that is home to an estimated 80 tribes and ethnic groups divided between nomads and sedentary communities, has witnessed increased armed militia violence, killings, and robbery incidents, as well as clashes between Abbala gunmen and the Beni Hussein tribe.

The region has been dominated by Sudan’s notorious militia known as the Janjaweed affiliated with the Sudanese government that boasted a large presence in the locality. Insurgents from mainly three tribes of Fur, Massalit, and the Zaghawa based themselves in different pockets of Darfur, one of the most remote regions of Sudan.

In an attempt to counter Janjaweed's stronghold in Darfur, Sudan’s then-dictator Omar al-Bashir formed the paramilitary forces— the Border Intelligence Units that was led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo [also known as Hemedti]. In 2013, Bashir formally created the Rapid Support Forces [RSF] that went on to consolidate relations with foreign powers, such as Saudi Arabia after Sudan signed to join the Saudi-led coalition to counter Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Dagalo, who betrayed Omar al-Bashir, sent RSF units to Yemen in 2015, and in recent years, has strengthened ties with Russia's shadowy paramilitary group PMC Wagner. 

In 2013, Abbala tribesmen ensued violence in the city of Kabkabiya in an attempt to capture a prominent Beni Hussein leader Adam Ajideiy. In February 2003, Darfur was marred by a deadly armed conflict Land Cruiser War between the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebel groups that sought to overthrow the government of Sudan.

In 2018, Sudan's government launched a large disarmament campaign in a conflict-ridden Western region after armed militiamen who clashed with militant Arab tribesmen gunned down scores of farmers. Tensions, and frequent attacks by Sundanese Army soldiers and paramilitaries of the Rapid Support Forces on villages in Jebel Marra, North Darfur have displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians.

In recent months, more reinforcements arrived for the Rapid Support Forces, and the Sudanese were concerned that there would be a full-on war between RSF chief Dagalo, or Hemeti, the deputy leader of the ruling Sovereign Council headed by army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Sudan Army over long-simmering disagreements to restore civilian rule. Talks on a transition plan to integrate RSF into the national army and the prospects of new elections faltered after RSF deployed personnel near the Sudanese military-controlled airport in the northern city of Merowe. RSF wants to delay it for 10 years but the Army insists on a 2-year period. Since the military coup in Sudan in October 2021, the Western African country is run by Sovereign Council. Hemedti is the council's vice president, while Gen Burhan is the president. 

Sudanese Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy head of the military. Credit: AP

Deadlock over military's power struggle

Fierce battles erupted in the cities of the Darfur region, the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and elsewhere between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanded by Sudan's deputy leader Dagalo and the Sudanese Army units loyal to the de facto Junta leader, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Clashes ensued over a proposed transition to civilian rule as the West African country witnessed a deadlock in governance over the power struggle between the rival military leaderships.

As the paramilitary force - Rapid Support Forces (RSF) - and regular soldiers bombarded the key defense bases, both sides lay conflicting claims that they now controlled the airport and other key sites. Heavy infighting was reported around the presidential palace and Army headquarters in the capital Khartoum. Gunfire was also reported in the northern city of Merowe after the RSF deployed forces near the base. Several international flights including Saudia and EgyptAir were cancelled in Sudan and neighbouring Chad, and roads and streets were vacant as live ammunition was shot from the rooftops of homes, according to the visuals and local press reports. Fighting spread near the major state TV stations and the newsrooms. RSF fighters have been trying to capture Sudan's military headquarters. 

Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced that its fighters were under the control of Sudan's presidential palace besides several airports. Sudan’s military leader, however, confirmed that “all” strategic military bases and the sites were, in fact, under the control of the state's armed forces. “No one was able to enter the Army General Command and all the strategic sites are under control,” Abdel Fatah al-Burhan said in a statement issued on April 15. Republic could not independently verify the claims about who controls the aforementioned sites.

Sudanese supporter of Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy head of the military council, holds ups a photo of Dagalo in Arabic that read: "The military council is the security of the nation." Credit: AP

A traitorous plotting

Sudan's Army is accusing the RSF of “traitorous plotting” in Khartoum. Sudanese Doctors’ Trade Union, said in a statement, that at least three civilians have been killed in the clashes. Amid the tense situation, the US ambassador to Sudan tweeted that he was sheltering to escape the violence. 

“I just arrived late last night in Khartoum and woke up to the deeply disturbing sounds of gunfire and fighting,” Ambassador John Godfrey said. Russia's Embassy called to end the violence immediately. US Ambassador John Godfrey tweeted, "Woke up to the deeply disturbing sounds of gunfire and fighting. I am currently sheltering in place with the Embassy team, as Sudanese throughout Khartoum and elsewhere are doing."

US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, labelled the situation in Khartoum as “fragile” as he spoke during a presser in Vietnam. “The major parties in Khartoum, some weeks ago reached a very important framework agreement on how to proceed with a transition to civilian government. And there’s been real progress in trying to move that forward,” Blinken said at the conference. UN Secretary-General António Guterres appealed for the cessation of hostilities in Sudan. He called on the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces to “immediately cease hostilities, restore calm and initiate a dialogue to resolve the current crisis. Any further escalation in the fighting will have a devastating impact on civilians and further aggravate the already precarious humanitarian situation in the country.”