Houda Ali Mohammed 32 A Displaced Sudanese Mother Of Four Prepares Food At A Camp In Tawila North Darfur Sudan During The War Between The Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces A
The Growing Threat of Sudan’s Parallel Governments Amid Intensified Conflict
KHARTOUM — Sudan’s protracted conflict has escalated to a new and dangerous phase with the formal swearing-in of a parallel government by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), further entrenching the country’s de facto partition. This political maneuver comes amidst a backdrop of renewed intense fighting, particularly in the city of El Fasher, and a worsening humanitarian crisis exacerbated by disease outbreaks and blockaded aid.
On Sunday, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti, was sworn in as the head of a “Peace government” in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state, according to reports by Anadolu Ajansı and Al Jazeera. The move formalizes the RSF’s control over a vast swathe of western and southern Sudan and pushes the nation a step closer to a complete political split.
The swearing-in ceremony included the appointment of a 13-seat presidential council and a deputy head, Abdelaziz Adam al-Hilu. This political move by the RSF is a direct challenge to the authority of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and its established government in Port Sudan.
The RSF’s political consolidation is unfolding as the conflict reaches a critical point on the battlefield. The city of El Fasher, the last stronghold of the SAF in the Darfur region, remains under a brutal siege by the RSF. The Sudan Doctors Network reported that an RSF artillery strike on Sunday killed seven civilians and injured 71 others in El Fasher. The medical group has referred to the situation as a “massacre” and a “systematic starvation” of residents, urging immediate international action.
The humanitarian situation in the besieged city is dire. Reports from UNICEF state that the city has become an “epicentre of child suffering,” with an estimated 260,000 civilians, including 130,000 children, trapped and cut off from aid for over a year. The UN World Food Programme has noted that food convoys have been unable to reach the region for more than a year, with recent reports from Al Jazeera stating that a UN aid convoy was hit by a drone strike last week. Humanitarian organizations and local activists accuse both sides of using food as a weapon of war.
In addition to the fighting and starvation, a deadly cholera outbreak is sweeping across Darfur, compounding the crisis. Dabanga Radio TV Online reports that the disease, alongside dengue fever and measles, is peaking in the conflict-ridden country, with a reported 2,500 deaths from these diseases. This public health emergency is further fueled by the collapse of Sudan’s health infrastructure and the lack of humanitarian access.
The international community, including the UN, has expressed grave concern over the situation. The UN Security Council has previously rejected the RSF’s attempts to form a rival administration, warning that such a move threatens the country’s unity. The UN Secretary-General has called for an immediate ceasefire in El Fasher, lamenting the “relentless” militia attacks and the dire humanitarian conditions. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to end the war, including reported secret talks between SAF Commander-in-Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and a U.S. adviser, have made little visible progress.
The formation of two rival governments, one by the SAF and the other by the RSF, raises new fears of a complete fragmentation of Sudan, with analysts drawing parallels to the situation in Libya. As the conflict enters its third year, the fighting shows no signs of abating, and the devastating impact on civilians continues to mount.
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