Sudan: RSF forms rival government, deepening fissure

Deepening the crisis in civil war-torn Sudan, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Saturday announced the formation of a rival civilian-led government, raising fears of permanent division in the country.

At a press conference in the RSF-controlled city of Nyala in South Darfur, the paramilitary announced a 15-member presidential council with RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, as its president.

Rebel leader Abdelaziz al-Hilu, head of the SPLM-N, was named vice president.

Mohamed Hassan al-Taishi, a civilian politician, was appointed prime minister. He was a former member of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council from 2019 until the 2021 military coup.

New regional governors, including one for Darfur, were also announced. The region now has rival governors from each side.

Rebels look to establish secular 'New Sudan'

The RSF move stoked fears of escalating Sudan's 27-month civil war as it directly challenges the internationally recognized army-led government, which was formed in May under former United Nations official Kamil Idris but remains incomplete with unfilled Cabinet positions.

An agreement in February among paramilitary, rebel, and civilian groups paved the way for the new government looking to establish a secular "New Sudan," the RSF said.

International legitimacy will also allow the faction to secure advanced arms imports.

The Sudanese army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has not formally responded but had previously condemned any attempt to create a parallel administration.

UN officials warned that the RSF's formation of a parallel government risks further fragmenting Sudan and undermining diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.

How did the conflict in Sudan begin?

The conflict began in April 2023 as a power struggle between Burhan and Dagalo, once allies who ousted long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir in 2019 before turning on each other in a 2021 coup that derailed Sudan's transition to democracy.

The country is now effectively split with the army controlling the north, east, and center, having recently retaken the capital Khartoum, while the RSF holds most of Darfur and parts of Kordofan, where fighting has surged.

Meanwhile, Burhan is under US sanctions for the usage of chemical weapons in 2024 against the RSF.

Since the war began up to 13 million people have been displaced and large parts of the population are on the brink of famine, according to UN data. Around 150,000 people are estimated to have been killed.

Edited by Sean Sinico