BREAKING: Sudan’s Paramilitaries Announce Rival Government Following Intensifying Humanitarian Crisis
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have declared the formation of a rival government in Sudan, escalating a two-year conflict that has spiraled into the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo made the announcement on Tuesday, stating that his group was “building the only realistic future for Sudan.”
The declaration comes as intense fighting continues between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The army reported bombing RSF positions near el-Fasher, North Darfur, displacing hundreds of thousands, including residents of the already overcrowded Zamzam refugee camp.
In a statement posted on Telegram, Hemedti said the RSF’s newly declared administration would prioritize establishing a “state of law,” and not one ruled by individuals. “We do not seek domination, but unity. We believe that no tribe, region, or religion holds a monopoly over Sudanese identity,” he said.
He added that the new government would provide critical services—including education and healthcare—not only in RSF-controlled areas, but across the entire country.
More than 400 civilians have reportedly been killed in recent RSF-led attacks, according to the United Nations, which cited credible sources. The international body has accused both the RSF and the army of committing war crimes, including genocide and widespread sexual violence.
The war, which began on April 15, 2023, has killed more than 150,000 people and displaced over 12 million. The latest wave of violence in el-Fasher has forced tens of thousands of civilians to trek 70 kilometers on foot to Tawila. According to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), many arrived severely dehydrated, with some children dying of thirst along the way.
Famine-like conditions now threaten more than 700,000 people in and around el-Fasher. Aid agencies say security threats and roadblocks have made it nearly impossible to deliver life-saving supplies.
The RSF’s announcement came the same day as a high-level donor conference in London marking the second anniversary of the conflict. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced an additional £120 million ($159 million) in humanitarian assistance for Sudan. He urged the international community not to abandon the country in its darkest hour.
“Many have given up on Sudan – that is wrong – it’s morally wrong when we see so many civilians beheaded, infants as young as one subjected to sexual violence, more people facing famine than anywhere else in the world… We simply cannot look away,” Lammy said.
The conference also called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. However, the African Union has rejected any notion of Sudan being split between the army and the RSF.
