Sudan conflict explained: British nationals flee war amid large scale RAF evacuation - RSF conflict history

The generals were once close allies, but rising hostilities have put their friendship on hold
Sudanese army soldiers, loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, pose for a picture at the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) base in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan (Photo: -/AFP via Getty Images)Sudanese army soldiers, loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, pose for a picture at the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) base in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan (Photo: -/AFP via Getty Images)
Sudanese army soldiers, loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, pose for a picture at the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) base in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan (Photo: -/AFP via Getty Images)

As the military works to evacuate people from Sudan before a ceasefire ends, hundreds of Britons have been removed from the country. RAF flights carrying British nationals to safety began landing in Cyprus on Tuesday evening (25 April), with more expected to arrive on Wednesday. Home Secretary Suella Braverman said 200 to 300 people had been brought out so far.

After diplomats were saved during a nighttime evacuation mission earlier this week, some civilians claimed they felt "abandoned” and were organising risky private evacuations.

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But Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced an operation would start on Tuesday, with British passport holders given access to RAF flights departing from an airfield outside of the capital, Khartoum, with the most vulnerable individuals receiving priority.

General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, leader of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, commander of Sudan’s armed forces, are engaged in a power struggle. Here is everything you need to know about it.

Why is there fighting in Sudan?

Although civil unrest in Sudan has a long history, dating back to its independence from Britain and Egypt in 1956, most of it has occurred in isolated tribal regions far from Khartoum.

The chaotic scenes of fighting with tanks, truck-mounted machine guns, artillery, and warplanes in densely populated areas of the capital are unprecedented.

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A power struggle between General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, commander of the Sudanese armed forces, and General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, is the reason behind the sudden eruption of violence in the country.

The two were once close allies, and worked together to plan the military takeover of Sudan in October 2021, which short-circuited the country’s democratic transition. Recently, talks to resume the path towards democracy had been in progress.

Generals Burhan and Dagalo agreed to a framework agreement with political parties and pro-democracy organisations under international pressure, but the agreement was ambiguous on crucial issues of contention, like how the RSF would be incorporated into the armed force and who would have ultimate control.

The agreement’s signing was repeatedly delayed due to escalating hostilities between the two men, and now, both have remained steadfast, declaring that they will not negotiate a cease-fire, but instead engage in verbal combat and demand the other’s surrender.

How many people have been killed?

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The violence erupted during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, and more than 400 people have died and thousands hurt since fighting broke out on Saturday 5 April.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) and British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly after giving a joint statement on the situation in Sudan to members of the media during a G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Photo: ANDREW HARNIK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) and British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly after giving a joint statement on the situation in Sudan to members of the media during a G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Photo: ANDREW HARNIK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) and British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly after giving a joint statement on the situation in Sudan to members of the media during a G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Photo: ANDREW HARNIK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Could other countries get involved?

During a meeting of the Group of Seven wealthy nations (G7) in Japan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated his call for a ceasefire and a restart of negotiations.

“People in Sudan want the military back in the barracks,” he said. “They want democracy. They want the civilian-led government. Sudan needs to return to that path.”

Sudan has traditionally had close ties with countries in the Arab world, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt, which have provided economic and political support to the country in the past.

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Sudan has also received aid from the United States and other Western countries, although this support has been subject to political and economic conditions

Both Generals Burhan and Dagalo have strong powerful foreign backers, making them potentially vulnerable to growing diplomatic pressure.

General Burhan has received support from a number of countries and organisations, including African countries and regional organisations like the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

In terms of international allies or foreign backers, Generals Dagalo has received support from a number of countries and organisations, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.

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These countries have provided economic and political support to Sudan, including aid and investment, and have been seen as influential in Sudan’s political transition.

What is the history of conflict in Sudan?

The history of civil conflict in Sudan is long and complex, and the country has been plagued by political instability, ethnic tensions, and economic challenges that have fueled conflict and violence for decades.

The first major conflict in Sudan occurred in 1955, just before the country gained independence, when southern Sudanese rebels began fighting for greater autonomy and resources.

This conflict, known as the First Sudanese Civil War, lasted until 1972 and resulted in the signing of the Addis Ababa Agreement, which granted southern Sudan some degree of autonomy.

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However, the peace was short-lived, and a second civil war broke out in 1983, when the Sudanese government under President Jaafar Nimeiry imposed Islamic law on the predominantly Christian south.

The conflict, which lasted until 2005, was marked by atrocities committed by both sides, including massacres, forced displacement, and famine. An estimated 2 million people died in the war, and millions more were displaced.

In addition to the conflict in the south, Sudan has also experienced ongoing violence and instability in its western region of Darfur, and the country has also faced conflict in its eastern region, where rebels have fought for greater autonomy and resources since the 1990s.

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