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Power struggle turns violent in Sudan
In Sudan, a power struggle between rival armed forces has turned violent, leaving many people dead and injured. The conflict began when the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group backed by the government, clashed with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), the country's regular army.
Tensions have been brewing between the two groups for months, as they jockey for power and influence within the country's complex political landscape. The RSF, which was formed in 2013 to combat rebel groups in Darfur, has grown increasingly powerful in recent years, and now operates as a quasi-independent force with ties to the ruling party. The GIS, meanwhile, has long been a pillar of the military establishment and wields significant influence behind the scenes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Factbox: The struggle for power in Sudan <a href="https://t.co/oaBFqmY76I">https://t.co/oaBFqmY76I</a> <a href="https://t.co/hqe7TMlFPI">pic.twitter.com/hqe7TMlFPI</a></p>— Reuters (@Reuters) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1647314104749629440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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According to reports, the RSF had attempted to seize control of a military facility in the capital city of Khartoum. The SAF, however, responded by launching an attack on the RSF forces, sparking a fierce battle that lasted for hours. The fighting was so intense that residents of the city were forced to take cover in their homes, while others fled the area.
The clashes between the two rival forces have raised concerns among the international community, which has been closely monitoring Sudan’s transition to democracy. The country has been in a state of political turmoil since the overthrow of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019, which led to a power-sharing agreement between civilian leaders and the military.
The conflict comes at a sensitive time for Sudan, which is still grappling with the aftermath of the ouster of former president Omar al-Bashir in 2019. The transitional government that replaced him has been struggling to consolidate power and stabilize the country, while also addressing a host of pressing economic and social challenges.
This violent situation threatens to further destabilize an already fragile situation, and raises fears of a wider conflict that could spill over into other parts of the country.
While the power-sharing agreement had been touted as a step towards democracy, the recent violence has once again raised doubts about the country’s stability. Many fear that the power struggle between the RSF and SAF could undermine the transition to democracy and lead to further bloodshed.
The government has condemned the violence and called for calm, urging both sides to engage in dialogue to resolve their differences. However, it remains unclear whether the two sides will heed the call and work towards a peaceful resolution.
The situation in Sudan remains volatile, and the international community has called for an immediate end to the violence.
The United Nations has expressed concern about the deteriorating security situation in the country and has called on all parties to respect human rights and the rule of law.
