Sudan: All-out war erupts in Sudan as rival military forces clash

Tyler Durden
ZeroHedge
Tue, 18 Apr 2023 19:48 UTC

© Encyclopedia Brittanica

Casualties are mounting

Smoldering tensions between rival armed forces erupted into all-out warfare in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum on Saturday, leaving at least 50 dead and 600 injured. What began as a peaceful clash over Sudan's political future is now a war for control of Africa's third-largest country .

The battles pit the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo -- who's also known as Hemedti and has served as Burhan's deputy head of state.

The two generals united in a 2021 coup to take shared control of the country. However, recent months have seen mounting tensions between the SAF and RSF, as the generals have clashing positions in negotiations for the establishment of civilian government -- something the country's been trying to achieve since a 2019 revolution overthrew the 30-year reign of President Omar al-Bashir.

To say things have soured among the two former allies would be a major understatement: After fighting erupted, Hemedti has reportedly said that "Burhan will be captured or he will die like a dog." Meanwhile, in a gesture that seems comically empty given the state of affairs, Burhan issued a decree commanding the RSF to disband.

© Mahmoud Hjaj/Anadolu Agency via AFP

Generals Dagalo aka Hemedti (left) and Burhan (right)

It's unclear who fired the first shot, but now the two forces are battling for control of key Khartoum locations, including the presidential palace, army headquarters, state television and the airport.

Battles have also been reported in various other cities. "Large numbers of casualties reported in Nyala, South Darfur," tweeted BBC freelancer Mohanad Hashim. "We need to build a better picture of what is going on beyond Khartoum."

While ZeroHedge can't authenticate them, videos are circulating on social media that purportedly show various scenes of combat. Here, a multiple-rocket launch system is deployed from the bed of a light truck, as other soldiers make a tardy exit from the backblast area:

SAF jets were seen screeching low over the Khartoum skyline as they conducted airstrikes on RSF positions in and around the city.

Some of the earliest fighting took place at Khartoum International Airport. Saudi Arabia's national airline, Saudia, reported one of its Airbus A330 jets had an "accident." It was seen engulfed in flame, while other videos showed multiple commercial aircraft ablaze. All flights have been cancelled.

Battles continued to rage overnight, lighting up the sky with tracer rounds...

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he has consulted with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates about the "dangerous fighting...which threatens the security and safety of Sudanese civilians and undermines efforts to restore Sudan's democratic transition." The trio called for an immediate end to hostilities "without pre-condition."

There are also calls for peace from within Sudan. "I demand al-Burhan, the army commanders, and the RSF leaders to stop the bullets immediately and for the voice of reason to rule," said Abdalla Hamdok, former civilian prime minister in a video statement. "There is no victor over the corpses of its people."

US embassy staff in Khartoum have been ordered to shelter in place, with similar advice given to Americans citizens in the country. Since its 1956 independence from the UK and Egypt, Sudan leads Africa in the cumulative number of coup attempts, at 15 and counting.

Osama bin Laden operated both legitimate businesses and a terrorist headquarters in Sudan in the early 1990s, before being expelled. In 2020, Sudan was removed from the US list of state sponsors of terror by Donald Trump, as his administration pushed for Sudan to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. To achieve the removal, Sudan agreed to pay $335 million in restitution to terror victims.

While Trump avoided publicly linking the terror-designation removal and the establishment of diplomatic ties with Israel, RSF leader Hemedti was frank: "Whether we like it or not, relations with Israel are tied to removing Sudan from the US list of states sponsoring terrorism."

© Associated Press

Hemedti speaks to reporters in May 2019, following the coup that deposed 30-year President Omar al-Bashir

As the Trump White House maneuvered, Hemedti spoke warmly of Israel's potential to benefit Sudan, a 91% Muslim country: "We need Israel. It is a developed country and Sudan will benefit from its advanced capabilities in the technical and agricultural sector."

Hemedti, who's been vilified for a bloody 2019 crackdown on a protester camp that killed more than 100, has the backing of Saudi Arabia and UAE. He gained their favor by deploying RSF soldiers to aid the Saudi war in Yemen.

Sudan's position on the Red Sea amplifies its strategic significance. While they were sharing power, Burhan and Hemedti used the possible construction of a Russian naval base at Port Sudan as a bargaining chip in their pursuit of US tolerance of their military rule.

In February, Sudan's military completed its review of an agreement for the Russian base -- and approved it. However, it said final adoption would have to wait for the transition to civilian rule, to include the creation of a legislature to ratify it.

Comment: Gosh darn it, it's tough to transition to civilian rule if there's a civil war going on.

To the extent this new war postpones that transition and the establishment of a new Russian naval base astride the Red Sea, it would seem it serves a US government objective. We can't help wonder, then, about Washington's sincerity when it comes to stopping it -- and about how exactly it started.

Comment: The U.S., China and Russia have all been vying for influence in Africa, especially where resources or geo-strategic locations are concerned. There is certainly more than a whiff of Color Revolution™.

From Middle East Eye, September 2022:

Sudan: US warns Khartoum over allowing Russia to build Red Sea naval base

First US envoy to Sudan in 25 years warns of 'consequences' if country rekindles 2017 agreement with Moscow

John Godfrey, who earlier this month became the first US ambassador to Sudan in 25 years, has warned Khartoum not to allow Russia to establish a naval base on its Red Sea coast, saying it would harm the country's interests.

Godfrey made the remarks during an interview with the Sudanese newspaper Al-Tayar, in which he said his mission was to thaw ties between Khartoum and Washington and that he wished to see a civilian government running the country.

However, he also spoke of Russian influence in Sudan, warning against the rekindling of a 2017 agreement to establish a Russian navy base in Port Sudan, a major seaport city and the arrival point of 90 percent of the country's imports.

Sudan signed an agreement allowing Moscow to build the base, capable of hosting nuclear-powered ships, during the government of former President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who was ousted from power in 2019.

Russia would lease the site for 25 years and could extend the deal for another 10 years, giving it access to the Red Sea's warm waters and the international trade chokepoint of Bab el-Mandeb.

Godfrey told Al-Tayar on Tuesday that "it is essential to say that international isolation around Russia and President [Vladimir] Putin is currently increasing due to the... invasion of Ukraine".

He added that "if the government of Sudan decides to proceed with the establishment of this facility, or to renegotiate it, it will be harmful to Sudan's interest".

'We have no problem dealing with Russia'

In February, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy chairman of Sudan's Sovereign Council, made a one-week visit to Russia, which coincided with the invasion of Ukraine.

Dagalo, also known as Hemeti, said at the time that there were no obstacles to establishing a Russian military base if it would benefit the interests of Sudan, remarks which brought condemnation from the US.

"We have 730km on the Red Sea. Suppose any country wanted to set up a military base, and we have with it common interests, and it does not threaten our national security," said Hemeti. "In that case, we have no problem dealing with Russia or others."

Godfrey told Al-Tayar: "All countries have a sovereign right to decide which other countries to partner with, but these choices have consequences, of course."

The ambassador added that any such base on the Red Sea would "lead to further isolation of Sudan at a time when most Sudanese want to become closer to the international community".