Darfur campaign explained

Conflict:Darfur campaign
Date:15 April 2023 – present
Place:Darfur (North Darfur, South Darfur, West Darfur, Central Darfur and East Darfur)
Status:Ongoing
Combatant1: Rapid Support Forces
Supported by:
Libyan National Army
Wagner Group (alleged, denied by RSF and Wagner)[3]
Combatant2: Sudanese Armed Forces----

Supported by:
Ukraine[5]

Commander1: Abdelrahim Dagalo
Abdel Rahman Jumma
Ali Yaqoub Gibril[6]
Commander2: Gibril Ibrahim (JEM)
Minni Minnawi (SLA-MM)
al-Tahir Hajar (GSLF)
Casualties3:10,000+ killed[7]
Partof:Sudanese civil war (2023–present)

The Darfur campaign or Darfur offensive is a theatre of operation in the war in Sudan that affects five states in Darfur: South Darfur, East Darfur, North Darfur, Central Darfur and West Darfur.[8] [9] The offensive mainly started on 15 April 2023 in West Darfur where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) forces captured Geneina, the conflict came after several days of high tensions between the forces and the government.[10]

The Battle of Geneina and the Battle of Nyala were the largest battles of the campaign, which all in total killed hundreds of civilians and both ended up with a RSF victory between 20 April to 2 May 2023.[11]

Overview of war

In the early hours of the morning of 15 April 2023, soldiers loyal to the Rapid Support Forces started a series of assaults on key buildings in Khartoum, primarily the Khartoum International Airport. While the international airport was captured by the RSF, street battles continued throughout Khartoum and the neighboring cities of Omdurman and Bahri.[12] [13] The RSF also captured the presidential palace, the residence of the former Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir, and attacked a military base.[14] [15] Users on Facebook Live and Twitter documented the Sudanese Air Force flying above the city, and striking the RSF targets.[16]

Origin in Darfur

The history of conflicts in Sudan has consisted of foreign invasions and resistance, ethnic tensions, religious disputes, and competition over resources.[17] [18] In its modern history, two civil wars between the central government and the southern regions killed 1.5 million people, and a continuing conflict in the western region of Darfur has displaced two million people and killed more than 200,000 people.[19] Since independence in 1956, Sudan has had more than fifteen military coups[20] and it has also been ruled by the military for the majority of the republic's existence, with only brief periods of democratic civilian parliamentary rule.[21]

Former president and military strongman Omar al-Bashir presided over the War in Darfur, a region in the west of the country, and oversaw state-sponsored violence in the region of Darfur, leading to charges of war crimes and genocide.[22] Approximately 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million forcibly displaced in the early part of the Darfur conflict; the intensity of the violence later declined.[23] Key figures in the Darfur conflict included Mohamed Hamdan "Hemedti" Dagalo, a warlord[24] who commanded the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which evolved from the janjaweed, a collection of Arab militias drawn from camel-trading tribes active in Darfur and portions of Chad.[25]

Campaign

On 15 April 2023, Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, was largely captured and occupied by RSF forces, with little resistance, except at Geneina Airport.[26] The occupation of the city lasted until 25 April 2023, when a battle for the city resumed and was reportedly 'deadly'. By the end of the battle, over 200 people had been confirmed to be killed, with the number estimated to be much higher between soldiers and civilians.[27] On 2 May, Geneina was mostly captured by RSF, while the group also kept advancing in several other areas of the province.[28]

The RSF quickly began to enlist Darfur's Arab tribes to expand its ranks and gain the upper hand in the area. Together, the RSF and its allies quickly overran large parts and Darfur, and began to expel or outright massacre non-Arabs. According to security analyst Andrew McGregor, the RSF operations in Darfur appeared to aim at "ethnically cleans[ing] the region of its indigenous Black population". In response, several non-Arab militias and ex-rebel groups in Darfur allied with the SAF to defend their holdings. Five major armed groups formed the Darfur Joint Protection Force; the alliance included the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) under Gibril Ibrahim, the Sudan Liberation Army faction (SLA-MM) of Darfur Governor Minni Minawi, and the Gathering of Sudan Liberation Forces under al-Tahir Hajar. However, the cooperation between the SAF and the Joint Protection Force remained difficult, as both sides distrusted each other. Several member groups of the Joint Protection Force experienced internal divisions over the alliance with the SAF, with some factions leaving their respective groups to stay neutral or even side with the RSF.

On 26 October, the RSF captured Nyala, Sudan's second-largest city and South Darfur's capital, after a long siege. As the city had served as a major military center, this was a major victory for the RSF. Soon after, the RSF also overran Zalingei, capital of Central Darfur, after the local SAF garrison had fled. The center of West Darfur, Geneina, was fully conquered by the RSF on 4 November. In course of and after the battle for Geneina, the RSF and its allies subsequently massacred many civilians. The fall of Geneina caused many SAF garrisons in Darfur to also abandon their posts and desert or flee to Chad. Meanwhile, the RSF and its allies laid siege to al-Fashir, the capital of the entire Darfur region. At al-Fashir, the SAF-Joint Protection Force garrison received support by another rebel group, the Sudan Liberation Army's al-Nur faction (SLA-AW).

By mid-December 2023, McGregor assessed that the RSF was nearing victory in the conflict over Darfur, controlling four of the region's five states. Al-Fashir still remained under control of the Joint Protection Force, but it was no longer receiving supplies from the SAF-held areas in central Sudan, causing food, fuel, and medicines shortages. Meanwhile, SAF control was also collapsing in other parts of Sudan, making any additional support for the Darfuri holdouts more unlikely.

By May 2024, al-Fashir had become the last stronghold of the Sudanese government in Darfur. The city remained besieged by the RSF which had begun to launch raids into the settlement.[29]

Foreign role in the campaign

It has been alleged that the RSF has received foreign support in Darfur, most notably at the hands of the United Arab Emirates and the Wagner Group. Darfur Governor Minni Minawi also accused the Chadian government of allowing the passage of arms and mercenaries to the RSF. Conversely, Chadian officers of Zaghawa ethnicity allegedly aid the Darfur Joint Protection Force, as several of its member groups are recruited from Sudanese Zaghawa.

References

Works cited

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Darfur update: El Geneina clashes continue, truce holds in el Fasher, looting in Nyala . 2 May 2023 .
  2. News: SLM-Nur expands control to several areas in Darfur to protect civilians. Sudan. Tribune. 23 September 2023.
  3. News: Sudan's Rapid Support Force denies links to Wagner group . Military Africa . 22 April 2023 . 2 May 2023 . 28 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230428185500/https://www.military.africa/2023/04/sudans-rapid-support-force-denies-links-to-wagner-group/ . live .
  4. Web site: SudanTribune . 2023-05-24 . Rapid Support Forces ambush peace groups in West Darfur . 2023-05-24 . Sudan Tribune . en-US .
  5. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/06/ukrainian-special-forces-sudan-russian-mercenaries-wagner
  6. Web site: Monitor . Sudan War . Top RSF commander Ali Yagoub killed in El Fasher . sudanwarmonitor.com . en.
  7. News: 10,000 reported killed in one West Darfur city, as ethnic violence ravages Sudanese region . 12 August 2023 . CNN . 26 July 2023.
  8. Web site: 2023-04-30 . Mass exodus from Sudan as deadly fighting enters third week . 2023-05-02 . France 24 . en . 1 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230501030500/https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20230430-mass-exodus-from-sudan-as-deadly-fighting-enters-third-week . live .
  9. News: Peltier . Elian . 2023-04-29 . Sudan's Conflict Ignites Fears of Civil War in Darfur . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-05-02 . 0362-4331 . 2 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230502080635/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/29/world/africa/sudan-darfur-war.html . live .
  10. Web site: Bergman . Andrew . 2023-04-17 . Deadly Sudan Army-RSF clashes spark human tragedy, widespread looting in Darfur . 2023-05-02 . Dabanga Radio TV Online . en-GB . 26 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230426063658/https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/deadly-sudan-army-rsf-clashes-spark-human-tragedy-widespread-looting-in-darfur . live .
  11. Web site: Bloodshed in Sudan's Darfur as Hemeti's allies and enemies vie for control . 2023-05-02 . Middle East Eye . en . 2 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230502233954/https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/sudan-darfur-bloodshed-hemeti-allies-enemies-control . live .
  12. Web site: Sudan unrest: RSF captures presidential palace as violence rages . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230416163354/https://www.geo.tv/latest/482255-sudan-unrest-rsf-captures-presidential-palace-as-violence-rages . 16 April 2023 . 2023-04-18 . www.geo.tv . en.
  13. News: 2023-04-15 . Saudi airline says plane came under fire at Khartoum International Airport . en . Reuters . live . 2023-04-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230416152124/https://www.reuters.com/world/saudi-national-carrier-says-aircraft-had-an-accident-khartoum-airport-2023-04-15/ . 16 April 2023.
  14. Web site: Sudan: Paramilitary group says it controls palace, Khartoum airport . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230416094024/https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-739293 . 16 April 2023 . 2023-04-16 . The Jerusalem Post JPost.com . 15 April 2023 . en-US.
  15. Web site: 2023-04-15 . Sudan's RSF say it seized presidential palace, Khartoum airport in apparent coup bid . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230416163353/https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2023/04/15/Heavy-gunfire-heard-south-of-Sudan-s-capital-of-Khartoum . 16 April 2023 . 2023-04-16 . Al Arabiya English . en.
  16. Web site: 2023-04-15 . Fighting between Sudan military rivals enters a second day, with dozens dead . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230415200754/https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/15/africa/sudan-presidential-palace-intl/index.html . 15 April 2023 . 2023-04-16 . CNN . en.
  17. Sawant . Ankush B. . 1998 . Ethnic Conflict in Sudan in Historical Perspective . live . International Studies . en . 35 . 3 . 343–363 . 10.1177/0020881798035003006 . 0020-8817 . 154750436 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230416144235/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0020881798035003006 . 16 April 2023 . 17 April 2023.
  18. Fluehr-Lobban . Carolyn . 1990 . Islamization in Sudan: A Critical Assessment . live . Middle East Journal . 44 . 4 . 610–623 . 0026-3141 . 4328193 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230227181754/https://www.jstor.org/stable/4328193 . 27 February 2023 . 15 April 2023.
  19. News: 2023-04-17 . Sudan: The basics . en . . live . 2023-04-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230415115739/https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-africa-65285254 . 15 April 2023.
  20. Web site: Fabricius . Peter . 31 July 2020 . Sudan, a coup laboratory . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230417070705/https://issafrica.org/iss-today/sudan-a-coup-laboratory . 17 April 2023 . 2023-04-17 . . en.
  21. Web site: Biajo . Nabeel . 22 October 2022 . Military Rule No Longer Viable in Sudan: Analyst . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230417070705/https://www.voaafrica.com/a/sudan-october-revolution/6799915.html . 17 April 2023 . 2023-04-17 . . en.
  22. News: Abdelaziz . Khalid . Eltahir . Nafisa . Eltahir . Nafisa . 15 April 2023 . Sudan's army chief, paramilitary head ready to de-escalate tensions, mediators say . Reuters . MacSwan . Angus . live . registration . 2023-04-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230415191940/https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/sudanese-politicians-blame-bashir-loyalists-discord-2023-04-14/ . 15 April 2023.
  23. Samy Magdy & Joseph Krauss, Sudanese general's path to power ran through Darfur, Associated Press (May 20, 2019).
  24. News: Fulton . Adam . Holmes . Oliver . 2023-04-25 . Sudan conflict: why is there fighting and what is at stake in the region? . en-GB . The Guardian . 2023-04-26 . 0261-3077 . 3 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230503000543/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/27/sudan-conflict-why-is-there-fighting-what-is-at-stake . live .
  25. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/16/who-is-hemedti-the-puppeteer-behind-sudans-feared-rsf-fighters Who is 'Hemedti', general behind Sudan's feared RSF force?
  26. News: Badshah . Nadeem . Abdul . Geneva . Mackay . Hamish . Badshah (now) . Nadeem . Mackay (earlier) . Hamish . 2023-04-15 . Sudanese air force urges people to stay indoors as doctors union says at least 25 dead – as it happened . en-GB . the Guardian . 2023-05-02 . 0261-3077 . 18 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418104709/https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/apr/15/sudan-fighting-khartoum-latest-news-updates . live .
  27. News: RSF soldier in front of police HQ in Sudan's West Darfur . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-05-02 . 29 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230429032609/https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-65409343 . live .
  28. Web site: Nashed . Mat . Shifting alliances in Sudan's Darfur as new civil war fears rise . 2023-05-02 . www.aljazeera.com . en . 30 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230430195129/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/27/shifting-alliances-in-sudans-darfur-as-new-civil-war-fears-rise . live .
  29. News: At least 47 killed in Sudan army's last Darfur stronghold el-Fasher . al-Jazeera . 22 April 2023 . 26 May 2024 .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Darfur campaign".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.