A notorious paramilitary group in Sudan has declared a parallel government in regions under its control, predominantly in the western area of Darfur, where investigations into war crimes and crimes against humanity are ongoing. Announced on Saturday, this move is expected to exacerbate the existing crisis in Sudan, which erupted into violence in 2023 due to heightened tensions between the country’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), leading to widespread conflict in Khartoum and beyond.
The RSF-led Tasis Alliance appointed General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the group’s commander, as head of the new sovereign council. This 15-member council essentially acts as the state’s governing body. The RSF evolved from the infamous Janjaweed militias, initially mobilized by former President Omar al-Bashir over two decades ago to target populations in Darfur identified as Central or East African. These militias have been long accused of committing mass killings, rapes, and various atrocities.
In the current conflict, the RSF faces numerous allegations of severe human rights violations. The Biden administration has issued sanctions against Dagalo, labeling the RSF and its affiliates as perpetrators of genocide, claims that the RSF has publicly denied.
Alaa al-Din Naqd, the spokesman for the alliance, announced the establishment of the new administration via a video from Nyala, a city in Darfur under RSF and Janjaweed control. In this new government, Mohammed Hassan al-Taishi, a civilian politician who was part of a military-civilian council following al-Bashir’s ousting in 2019, has been appointed as prime minister. Meanwhile, rebel leader Abdelaziz al-Hilu, who heads the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) active in the southern Kordofan region, has been named Dagalo’s deputy. The SPLM-N is a splinter group of the ruling party in neighboring South Sudan.
This announcement arrives five months after the RSF and its allies signed a charter in Nairobi, Kenya, aimed at creating a parallel governance structure in RSF-controlled territories. At that time, numerous nations, including the U.S., condemned this initiative, dismissing the RSF’s calls for a “transitional constitution” as illegitimate.
The foreign ministry of Sudan’s internationally recognized government in Khartoum denounced the new administration, labeling it a “fake government” and calling on the global community not to recognize RSF leadership. Observers worry that this RSF-led initiative could create deeper divisions in Sudan. Rebel leader Yasir Arman expressed concerns that this development might prolong the ongoing conflict and lead to a bifurcated government, similar to the situation in Libya.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/world/sudan-paramilitary-rsf-announce-parallel-government-10153912/
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Publish Date: 2025-07-28 08:44:00
