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| Sudan: Why has fighting broken out there? | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Watch: Sheltering from fighter jets and gunfire around Khartoum airport | Watch: Sheltering from fighter jets and gunfire around Khartoum airport |
| Watch: Sheltering from fighter jets and gunfire around Khartoum airport | Watch: Sheltering from fighter jets and gunfire around Khartoum airport |
| The fighting that has erupted in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and elsewhere in the country is a direct result of a vicious power struggle within the country's military leadership. | The fighting that has erupted in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and elsewhere in the country is a direct result of a vicious power struggle within the country's military leadership. |
| The clashes are between the regular army and a paramilitary force called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). | |
| Where is Sudan? | |
| Sudan is in north-east Africa and is one of the largest countries on the continent, covering 1.9 million square kilometres. | |
| It is also one the poorest countries in the world, with its 46 million people living on an average annual income of $750 (£606) a head. | |
| The population of Sudan is predominantly Muslim and the country's official languages are Arabic and English. | |
| Who is fighting who in Sudan? | |
| Since the 2021 coup, Sudan has been run by a council of generals, led by the two military men at the centre of this dispute: | |
| Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the armed forces and in effect the country's president | Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the armed forces and in effect the country's president |
| And his deputy and leader of the RSF, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti. | And his deputy and leader of the RSF, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti. |
| Rivalry between Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (pictured) and Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan is at the heart of the problem | |
| They have disagreed on the direction the country is going in and the proposed move towards civilian rule. | They have disagreed on the direction the country is going in and the proposed move towards civilian rule. |
| The main sticking points are plans to include the 100,000-strong RSF into the army, and who would then lead the new force. | |
| Why has fighting in Sudan started now? | |
| The violence follows days of tension as members of the RSF were redeployed around the country last week in a move that the army saw as a threat. | The violence follows days of tension as members of the RSF were redeployed around the country last week in a move that the army saw as a threat. |
| There had been some hope that talks could resolve the situation but these never happened. | There had been some hope that talks could resolve the situation but these never happened. |
| It is disputed who fired the first shot on Saturday morning but fighting has since escalated in different parts of the country with almost 100 civilians dying, according to a Sudanese doctors' union. | |
| Why have civilians got caught up? | Why have civilians got caught up? |
| Even though the conflict appears to be around the control of key installations, much of it is happening in urban areas and civilians have become the unwitting victims. | Even though the conflict appears to be around the control of key installations, much of it is happening in urban areas and civilians have become the unwitting victims. |
| It is not exactly clear where the RSF bases are, but it seems that their fighters have moved into densely populated areas. | It is not exactly clear where the RSF bases are, but it seems that their fighters have moved into densely populated areas. |
| The Sudanese air force has mounted air strikes in the capital, a city of more than six million people, which is likely to have led to civilian casualties. | The Sudanese air force has mounted air strikes in the capital, a city of more than six million people, which is likely to have led to civilian casualties. |
| There was a brief pause in the fighting on Sunday, agreed by both sides, to allow people to escape the fighting. | |
| What are the Rapid Support Forces? | |
| The RSF was formed in 2013 and has its origins in the notorious Janjaweed militia that brutally fought rebels in Darfur, where they were accused of ethnic cleansing. | The RSF was formed in 2013 and has its origins in the notorious Janjaweed militia that brutally fought rebels in Darfur, where they were accused of ethnic cleansing. |
| Gen Dagalo, head of the RSF, amongst supporters | |
| Since then, Gen Dagalo has built a powerful force that has intervened in conflicts in Yemen and Libya. He has also developed economic interests including controlling some of Sudan's gold mines. | Since then, Gen Dagalo has built a powerful force that has intervened in conflicts in Yemen and Libya. He has also developed economic interests including controlling some of Sudan's gold mines. |
| The RSF has been accused of human rights abuses, including the massacre of more than 120 protesters in June 2019. | The RSF has been accused of human rights abuses, including the massacre of more than 120 protesters in June 2019. |
| Such a strong force outside the army has been seen as a source of instability in the country. | Such a strong force outside the army has been seen as a source of instability in the country. |
| The RSF - Sudan's ruthless gold mercenaries | The RSF - Sudan's ruthless gold mercenaries |
| Who is Gen Dagalo | Who is Gen Dagalo |
| Why is the military in charge of Sudan? | |
| This fighting is the latest episode in bouts of tension that followed the ousting of long-serving President Omar al-Bashir in 2019. | This fighting is the latest episode in bouts of tension that followed the ousting of long-serving President Omar al-Bashir in 2019. |
| There were huge street protests calling for an end to his near-three decade rule and the army mounted a coup to get rid of him. | There were huge street protests calling for an end to his near-three decade rule and the army mounted a coup to get rid of him. |
| But civilians continued to campaign for a return to democratic rule. | But civilians continued to campaign for a return to democratic rule. |
| Sudan's de facton president, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan | |
| A joint military-civilian government was then established but that was overthrown in another coup in October 2021, when Gen Burham took over. | |
| And since then the rivalry between he and Gen Dagalo has intensified. | |
| A framework deal to put power back in the hands of civilians was agreed last December but talks to finalise the details have failed. | A framework deal to put power back in the hands of civilians was agreed last December but talks to finalise the details have failed. |
| What do the two sides want? | |
| Gen Dagalo has said that the 2021 coup was a mistake and has tried to present himself and the RSF as being on the side of the people, against the Khartoum elites. | Gen Dagalo has said that the 2021 coup was a mistake and has tried to present himself and the RSF as being on the side of the people, against the Khartoum elites. |
| While he has some support, others find this message hard to believe given the paramilitary force's brutal track record. | While he has some support, others find this message hard to believe given the paramilitary force's brutal track record. |
| Meanwhile, Gen Burhan has said the army will only fully hand over power to an elected government, further sidelining civilian representatives expected to be part of a power-sharing deal. | Meanwhile, Gen Burhan has said the army will only fully hand over power to an elected government, further sidelining civilian representatives expected to be part of a power-sharing deal. |
| But there are suspicions that both military men, and their supporters, are worried what might happen to their wealth and influence if they are removed from their powerful positions. | But there are suspicions that both military men, and their supporters, are worried what might happen to their wealth and influence if they are removed from their powerful positions. |
| What are other countries doing? | |
| There are fears that the fighting could further fragment the country, worsen political turbulence and draw in neighbouring states. | There are fears that the fighting could further fragment the country, worsen political turbulence and draw in neighbouring states. |
| Diplomats, who have played a crucial role in trying to urge a return to civilian rule, are desperately trying to find a way to get the two generals to talk. | Diplomats, who have played a crucial role in trying to urge a return to civilian rule, are desperately trying to find a way to get the two generals to talk. |
| A regional bloc agreed to send three presidents - from Kenya, South Sudan and Djibouti - to Khartoum, but it is unclear if they can make the trip as no planes are flying in or out of the country. | A regional bloc agreed to send three presidents - from Kenya, South Sudan and Djibouti - to Khartoum, but it is unclear if they can make the trip as no planes are flying in or out of the country. |
| The UK, US and EU have all called for a ceasefire and talks to resolve the crisis. | The UK, US and EU have all called for a ceasefire and talks to resolve the crisis. |
| More about the unrest in Sudan: | More about the unrest in Sudan: |
| Live updates as the fighting rages | Live updates as the fighting rages |
| Violence spreads in Sudan as explosions rock capital | Violence spreads in Sudan as explosions rock capital |
| Shock and anger in Khartoum, a city not used to war | Shock and anger in Khartoum, a city not used to war |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Sudan | Sudan |