Sudan's Civil War: The Two Generals Driving a Nation to Ruin

4 hours ago7 min read

Sudan is being torn asunder by a civil war whose primary architects are two rival generals, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and paramilitary commander Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. Their power struggle has plunged the nation into a humanitarian catastrophe, a situation that has now prompted a promised intervention from the United States following a request from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.The conflict reached a critical juncture as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) captured El Fasher, effectively splitting the country between their control and that of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). This military stalemate is underpinned by horrific human rights abuses documented by the United Nations, with both factions accused of committing war crimes.General al-Burhan, recognized by the UN as the head of Sudan's legitimate government, is a career military officer with a controversial history, including service in the Darfur conflict and command of Sudanese troops in Yemen. His power base is fragile, reliant on ruthless Islamist brigades that fund his war effort and provide effective troops but have repeatedly vetoed peace talks.While aiming to restore a pre-war status quo, al-Burhan is constrained by the very hardliners who empower him, and his forces stand accused of blocking international aid and committing their own atrocities. His rival, Hemedti, presents a starkly different profile.A former commander of the notorious Janjaweed militias, Hemedti has cultivated a persona as both a ruthless warlord and a shrewd businessman, amassing a vast personal fortune through control of gold mines. His claims to support democracy are starkly contradicted by the genocidal campaign his RSF has waged.From the systematic looting of Khartoum to the documented house-to-house murders and public rapes in El Fasher, the RSF's brutality has been methodical and often flaunted by its perpetrators. The origins of this crisis trace back decades, rooted in a merciless political culture forged by famine and conflict in Darfur.The trauma of that era produced the men who now hold a nation hostage. With Sudan fractured and international attention wavering, the future risks being dictated by yet more generations shaped not by peace, but by an unending war they have learned only to perpetuate.

#Sudan

#civil war

#Abdel Fattah al-Burhan

#Hemedti

#RSF

#human rights

#genocide

#featured

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