In the heart of Sudan’s strife-ridden landscape, el-Fasher stands as a bastion of endurance amidst the relentless clash between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the menacing Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Over a million souls find themselves ensnared in the vice grip of this conflict, their plight worsening as each day unfurls.
The streets of el-Fasher bear the scars of ferocious battles, where the clashing forces spare neither building nor life. The RSF’s relentless advance leaves a trail of devastation, engulfing villages in flames and choking the city with fear. With the RSF tightening their grip, aid convoys are rendered impotent, leaving the populace stranded amidst the chaos.
Rising from the Dust: The Darfur Rebellion of 2003
In the turbulent sands of Southern Sudan, a rebellion ignited in 2003, fueled by the fierce fervor for justice and equality. The Justice and Equality Movement and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, voices of the predominantly non-Arab populace, rose against the oppressive shadow of dictator Omar al-Bashir. With thunderous defiance, they launched assaults upon Sudanese Army bastions, challenging not only the might of the military but also the ruthless Janjaweed militia, allies of the regime.
A tempest of conflict swept through Darfur, staining the land with blood and displacing countless souls. El Fasher stood amidst the chaos, gripped by the Sudanese Army and Janjaweed, while Jebel Marrah emerged as a symbol of resistance.
Amidst the turmoil, fleeting whispers of peace danced through the air, culminating in negotiations that birthed the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur. Yet, the echoes of battle persisted, echoing through the streets.
The crescendo of strife reached its climax with the Sudanese Revolution of 2020, ushering in a new era of peace. The signing of the Juba Peace Agreement marked the end of Darfur’s tumultuous saga, a testament to the enduring power of hope.
In the aftermath of peace agreements, Darfur remained a cauldron of simmering tensions. Despite the promises inked on pages, clashes persisted, driven by deep-seated grievances and ethnic divides. August 2021 saw a resurgence of violence, with looting and raids shattering the fragile tranquility.
By December of the same year, even the once-secure United Nations bases fell prey to the chaos, becoming battlegrounds in a struggle for survival. March 2023 brought no respite as tribal clashes flared once more, underscoring the enduring toll of conflict. Yet, amidst the turmoil, Darfur bore witness to the enduring resilience of its people, locked in a perpetual battle between the yearning for peace and the specter of violence.
Darfur Conflict Overview:
- Duration: Since 2003
- Major Actors: Sudanese Army, Janjaweed militia, Rebel groups (Jebel Marrah as symbol of resistance)
- Participants: Justice and Equality Movement, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement
- Cause: Opposition to dictator Omar al-Bashir
- Targets: Sudanese Army bases and Janjaweed militia
- Result: Hundreds of thousands killed, many displaced
- Key Events: Negotiations leading to Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (2013), Sudanese Revolution (2020) and Juba Peace Agreement
- Outcome: Transition from conflict to peace process
RSF’s Fate Sparks Fissures Between Hemedti and Burhan
After the winds of change swept through Sudan, Nimir Mohammed Abdelrahman ascended to the position of governor, while Mohammed Hassan Arabi was ousted from his post. Meanwhile, in the heart of Khartoum, the capital city, a transformation unfolded as many Janjaweed warriors pledged their allegiance to the Rapid Support Forces under the command of Hemedti, a formidable paramilitary leader with ties to the Sudanese Army, established back in 2013.
Amidst this backdrop of shifting allegiances, the once-united front fractured. Civilian-administration leader Abdalla Hamdok found himself ousted from power in 2021 by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the transitional military leader, who found a willing ally in the RSF. However, as the dust settled, fissures emerged between Hemedti and Burhan regarding the fate of the RSF. The prospect of integration into the Sudanese Army loomed large, threatening to erode the independence and efficacy that the RSF had long cherished.
Tensions simmered beneath the surface, threatening to erupt into open conflict. And on that fateful April day, the tension reached its climax. RSF soldiers, once comrades-in-arms with the Sudanese Armed Forces, turned their weapons against their former allies, launching audacious attacks on SAF positions in both Khartoum and Merowe. The reverberations of this brazen act would shake the foundations of power in Sudan, signaling a seismic shift in the country’s turbulent political landscape.
Zamzam: Darfur’s Sanctuary of Sorrow
Within el-Fasher’s boundaries lie sprawling camps, harboring the displaced masses amidst the turmoil. Zamzam, a sanctuary tainted by despair, shelters hundreds of thousands, its soil marked by hunger’s grim touch. Here, malnourished children languish, bearing silent witness to the cruelty of conflict.
Ethnic targeting whispers resurface, echoing past horrors. Humanitarian pleas urge action to prevent tragedy, recalling Srebrenica. In 1995, more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were systematically executed by Bosnian Serb forces.
Responding to the escalating violence in el-Fasher, the United States imposed sanctions on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, against two RSF commanders, Ali Yagoub Gibril and Osman Mohamed Hamid Mohamed. Gibril commands the paramilitary forces in central Darfur, while Hamid is a major general in the RSF and heads its operations.
However, Youssef Ezzat, political adviser to the RSF, told reporters: “Sanctions have a long history in Sudan, but they will not stop the wars. People are no longer concerned about them, so their impact is weak.”
El-Fasher, vital for aid distribution in North Darfur, faces imminent famine. Strategic for the RSF and the army, it’s the last stronghold in Darfur, hosting nearly a million fleeing civilians from RSF-controlled territories. Caught amidst deadly crossfire, civilians are succumbing to deprivation. Humanitarian groups warn of potential mass atrocities akin to past RSF actions in Darfur.
Allegiances Clash Amidst Ruins
In the turmoil of Darfur, alliances shift and ancient enmities resurface. The sixth infantry division joins forces with rebel factions of the Sudanese Liberation Movement and returnees from Libya under the command of Musa Hilal, a former Janjaweed leader and nemesis of RSF chief Hemedti.
Accusations fly as both sides claim the mantle of igniting the ‘final battle for Darfur’, while international pledges lie broken amidst el-Fasher’s ruins. Eyewitnesses speak of rampant atrocities: homes burned, lives lost—a grim testament to RSF’s tightening grip on the city.
Videos circulating on social media depict citizens of el-Fasher rejoicing in the wake of army triumphs, as RSF assaults and incursions into the city are repelled. However, the RSF countered with footage showing its soldiers in control of the main electrical power station situated within the city, boasting of thwarting 23 attempted attacks from SAF and its allied rebel factions.
The RSF accused the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), extremist mercenaries, and terrorist militias of relentlessly bombing el-Fasher, calling Minni Minnawi ‘a hateful mercenary spreading discord in Darfur’.
The SAF vowed to continue fighting to liberate Sudan from ‘mercenaries’, claiming the RSF has been attacking since Friday and spreading lies to depict the SAF as the aggressors. The SAF asserted they had repelled the RSF and inflicted significant losses.
In el-Fasher, South Hospital, supported by MSF, stands as a grim symbol of war, now overflowing with 454 casualties since fighting began on May 10th. As the city’s streets turn into battlegrounds, 450,000 displaced people in the Zamzam, al-Salam, and Abu Shouk camps face growing hunger and despair.
