Sudan Civil War
Fighting has raged across North, West and South Kordofan since Oct. 25. The Sudanese army and allied forces said they captured Ayal Bakhit and Umm Marahik in the northwestern part of West Kordofan's Al-Khuwei district, and said on Sunday, Nov. 8, that they had downed a fourth drone in West Kordofan within a week. In Blue Nile state, where clashes between the army and the RSF and its ally SPLM-N have escalated, a drone strike on Bani Shako village in Kurmuk county killed nine civilians, according to the local governor, who blamed the RSF; the RSF has not commented. El Obeid remains in army hands but faces continued RSF pressure on its outskirts. Battlefield claims come from the warring parties and have not been independently verified.
Background
In April 2019 General Burhan and Hemedti, the RSF commander, jointly ousted Omar al-Bashir amid mass protests, and a transitional government including the army and RSF followed. In October 2021 the two carried out a second coup that dissolved the civilian-led council. A December 2022 framework deal set a two-year transition but postponed core issues such as how and when to fold the RSF into the army. Tensions escalated until fighting erupted in Khartoum on April 15, 2023.
Key issues
- Timing and terms of integrating the RSF into the army
- Military versus civilian power in the transition
- Control of Darfur and Kordofan
Key milestones
| 2019-04 | Bashir ousted in a military move led by Burhan and Hemedti |
|---|---|
| 2021-10 | Second coup dissolves the civilian-led council |
| 2022-12 | Framework agreement sets a two-year transition, security reform deferred |
| 2023-04 | Army-RSF fighting breaks out in Khartoum on April 15 |
Parties
Sudanese army and allies vs RSF
Countries involved
Other issues in these countries
- Geopolitics & Diplomacy🇸🇩 Sudan
North Kordofan fighting continues; control near El Obeid disputed