The Sudanese military and a powerful paramilitary group are battling for control of the chaos-stricken nation. Heavy fighting involving armored vehicles, truck-mounted machine guns and war planes is raging in the capital of Khartoum, the adjoining city of Omdurman and in other flashpoints across the country.
The clashes are part of a power struggle between Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the commander of the armed forces, and Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the head of the Rapid Support Forces group (RSF). The two generals are former allies who jointly orchestrated an October 2021 military coup that derailed Sudan’s short-lived transition to democracy.
The UK has strongly condemned the ongoing violence between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF in Khartoum and multiple cities across Sudan.
The FCDO released the following statement:
"The UK strongly condemns the ongoing violence between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support forces in Khartoum and multiple cities across Sudan. It must stop immediately. The UK expresses its heartfelt regret for the loss of innocent lives by those caught up in this violence and calls on the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces to cease all hostilities against each other. Now is the time for the Sudanese leadership to deescalate tensions and prevent further bloodshed.
The UK calls on Sudanese leadership to return to dialogue. After months of fruitful political discussion, and real progress towards the return of a civilian-led transition, military action is not the solution. Long term peace is possible, but only through open, honest and pragmatic discussion.
The UK stands in solidarity with the people of Sudan in their demands for a peaceful and democratic future. Innocent civilians should not pay the price of their futures due to this violence."