2023 Sudan Clashes

An armed conflict between rival factions of the military government of Sudan began on 15 April 2023, when clashes broke out in cities, with the fighting concentrated around the capital city of Khartoum and the Darfur region. As of 27 May, at least 1,800 people had been killed and more than 5,100 others had been injured.

The conflict began with attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on government sites. Airstrikes, artillery, and gunfire were reported across Sudan including in Khartoum. Throughout the conflict, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan "Hemedti" Dagalo and Sudan's ''de facto'' leader and army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan have disputed control of government sites, including the general military headquarters, the Presidential Palace, Khartoum International Airport, Burhan's official residence, and the SNBC headquarters.

Background

The history of conflicts in Sudan has consisted of foreign invasions and resistance, ethnic tensions, religious disputes, and competition over resources. Two civil wars between the central government and the southern regions killed 1.5 million people, and a conflict in the western region of Darfur has displaced 2 million people and killed more than 200,000 people. Since independence in 1956, Sudan has had more than 15 military coups and it has been ruled by the military for the majority of the republic's existence, with periods of democratic civilian parliamentary rule.

Political context

Former president and military strongman Omar al-Bashir presided over the War in Darfur, a region in the west of the country, and oversaw state-sponsored violence in the region of Darfur, leading to charges of war crimes and genocide. Approximately 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million forcibly displaced in the initial part of the Darfur conflict; the intensity of the violence later declined. Figures in the Darfur conflict included Hemedti, a warlord who commanded the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which evolved from the Janjaweed, a collection of Arab militias drawn from camel-trading tribes active in Darfur and portions of Chad.

Al-Bashir relied upon the Janjaweed and RSF to crush uprisings by ethnic Africans in the Nuba Mountains and Darfur.Harriet Barber
'Men with no mercy’: The vicious history of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces
, ''Telegraph'' (April 25, 2023). RSF perpetrated mass killings, mass rapes, pillage, torture, and destruction of villages and were accused of committing ethnic cleansing against the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa. Leaders in RSF have been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity,Factbox: Who are Sudan's Rapid Support Forces?
, Reuters (April 15, 2023). although Hemedti was not personally implicated in the 2003–2004 atrocities. Bashir formalized the militias in 2013, creating RSF as a paramilitary organization and giving its commanders formal military ranks; Hemedti was given the rank of lieutenant general.Michael Georgy
How Sudan's Hemedti carved his route to power
, Reuters (April 15, 2023) In 2017, a new Sudanese law gave RSF the status of an "independent security force". Under the patronage of al-Bashir, Hemedti became more wealthy, acquiring gold mines in Darfur. Bashir sent RSF forces to quash a 2013 uprising in South Darfur and deployed RSF units to fight in Yemen and Libya. During this time, RSF developed a working relationship with the Russian private military outfit Wagner Group. These developments ensured that RSF forces grew into the tens of thousands, including thousands of armed pickup trucks, which regularly patrolled the streets of Khartoum. The Bashir regime allowed RSF and other armed groups to proliferate to prevent threats to its security from within the armed forces, a practice known as " coup-proofing".

In December 2018, protests against al-Bashir's regime began, the first phase of the Sudanese Revolution. Eight months of sustained civil disobedience were met with violent repression.Sudan timeline: From the fall of Bashir to street-fighting in Khartoum
, ''Middle East Eye'' (18 April 2023).
In April 2019, the military (including RSF) ousted al-Bashir in a coup d'état, ending his three decades of rule; the army established a Transitional Military Council, a junta. Bashir was imprisoned in Khartoum; he was not turned over to ICC, which had issued warrants for al-Bashir's arrest on charges of war crimes.Jack Jeffrey & Samy Magdt
Deal to restore democratic transition in Sudan delayed again
, Associated Press (April 7, 2023). Protests calling for civilian rule continued; in June 2019, RSF perpetrated the Khartoum massacre, in which more than a hundred demonstrators were slain and dozens were raped. Hemedti denied orchestrating the attack.

In August 2019, after international pressure and mediation by the African Union and Ethiopia, the military agreed to share power in an interim joint civilian-military unity government (the Transitional Sovereignty Council), headed by a civilian Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, with elections to take place in 2023. In October 2021, the military seized power in a coup led by Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Dagalo. The Transitional Sovereignty Council was reconstituted as a military junta led by Al-Burhan, monopolizing power and halting Sudan's transition to democracy.

Tensions between RSF and the Sudanese junta began to escalate in February 2023, as RSF began to recruit members from across Sudan. A military buildup in Khartoum was succeeded by an agreement for de-escalation, with RSF withdrawing its forces from the Khartoum area. The junta later agreed to hand over authority to a civilian-led government, and it was delayed due to renewed tensions between generals Burhan and Dagalo, who serve as chairman and deputy chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, respectively. Chief among their political disputes is the integration of RSF into the military: RSF insisted on a 10-year timetable for its integration into the regular army, while the army demanded integration within two years. Other contested issues included the status given to RSF officers in the future hierarchy, and whether RSF forces should be under the command of the army chief rather than Sudan's commander-in-chief, who is al-Burhan. They have clashed over authority over sectors of Sudan's economy that are controlled by the two respective factions. As a sign of their rift, Dagalo expressed regret over the October 2021 coup.

Prelude

On 11 April 2023, RSF forces deployed near the city of Merowe and in Khartoum.Sudan: clashes around the presidential palace, there are fears of a coup attempt in Khartoum – video
, 15 April 2023. Government forces ordered it to leave, and it refused. This led to clashes when RSF forces took control of the Soba military base south of Khartoum. On 13 April, RSF forces began their mobilization, raising fears of a potential rebellion against the junta. SAF declared the mobilization illegal.

Timeline

April

On 15 April, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) bases in Sudan, including Khartoum and its airport. Clashes between the two groups occurred at the Presidential Palace and at the residence of General al-Burhan. In response, SAF closed all airports and conducted airstrikes on RSF positions. There were clashes at the headquarters of the state broadcaster, Sudan TV, which was later captured by RSF forces. Bridges and roads in Khartoum were closed, and RSF claimed that all roads heading south of Khartoum were closed. On 16 April, SAF announced the rescue of a major general and a brigadier, the arrests of multiple RSF officers, and the taking of Merowe Airport. The Sudan Civil Aviation Authority closed the country's airspace, and telecommunications provider MTN shut down Internet services. Clashes resumed on 17 April in Khartoum, Omdurman, and Merowe airport. SAF claimed control of the headquarters of Sudan TV and state radio in Khartoum, and RSF released a video on their Twitter page.

Fighting between SAF and RSF continued in Khartoum. SAF accused RSF of assaulting civilians and carrying out acts of looting and burning. Witnesses said SAF reinforcements were brought in from near the eastern border with Ethiopia. A ceasefire was announced and fighting continued, with explosions reported in El-Obeid. The situation in Merowe was returning to normal, with SAF regaining control over the airport. RSF claimed to have repelled a SAF attack and shooting down two helicopters. Shelling and gunfire was reported in Khartoum, Khartoum Bahri, and Omdurman on the day of Eid al-Fitr, 21 April. Fighting was described as particularly intense along the highway going to Port Sudan and in the industrial zone of al-Bagair. Fighting spread along the main road leading southeast out of the capital. The Chadian Army stopped and disarmed a contingent of 320 Sudanese soldiers who had entered the country from Darfur while fleeing RSF on 17 April.

On 23 April, a series of mass escapes occurred at Kobar Prison and four other prisons, with over 25,000 detainees escaping. There was a near-total Internet outage across the country, which was attributed to electricity shortages caused by attacks on the electric grid. RSF claimed to have captured military manufacturing facilities and a power plant north of Khartoum. The World Health Organization expressed concern over the National Public Health Laboratory, which had been seized by one of the warring sides on 25 April. AP Moller-Maersk announced it would stop taking new bookings of goods for Sudan, and intercommunal clashes were reported in Blue Nile State and in Geneina. Fighting between SAF and RSF continued, with artillery fire reported in Omdurman, while a 72-hour ceasefire started on 27 April. On 30 April, SAF announced it was launching an all-out attack to flush out RSF in Khartoum using air strikes and artillery. The Sudanese police deployed its Central Reserve Forces in the streets of Khartoum to maintain law and order, and the unit later said that it had arrested 316 "rebels", referring to the RSF. Local authorities in Khartoum placed civil servants on open-ended leave.

May

SAF claimed to have weakened the RSF's combat capabilities and repelled their advances in multiple regions. Air strikes and fighting persisted in areas such as Omdurman, the Presidential Palace, Khartoum Bahri, and al-Jerif. During this period, both sides made allegations against each other. RSF claimed to have shot down a fighter jet during SAF airstrikes, while the Sudanese government reported a number of injuries since the conflict began. UN relief head Martin Griffiths expressed frustration at the lack of commitment from both sides to end the fighting.

The situation became more complicated when the Turkish embassy in Khartoum was targeted, resulting in its relocation to Port Sudan. SAF and RSF signed an agreement in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to ensure the safe passage of civilians, protect relief workers, and prohibit the use of civilians as shields. The agreement did not include a ceasefire, and clashes resumed in Geneina, causing more casualties. The conflict drew international attention, with the United Nations Human Rights Council voting to increase monitoring of abuses. UNICEF reported the destruction of a factory producing food for malnourished children. The situation remained volatile, with both sides trading blame for attacks on churches, hospitals, and embassies.

General Dagalo of RSF vowed to continue fighting and expressed their desire to capture and hang General Burhan, the head of the Transitional Sovereignty Council. General Burhan made a public appearance among cheering soldiers, reaffirming their presence in the conflict. Casualties mounted, particularly in Geneina, where Arab militias loyal to RSF were accused of atrocities against non-Arab residents. A temporary ceasefire was signed and faced challenges as fighting persisted in Khartoum, and the agreed-upon ceasefire time saw further violence.

The Sudanese defense ministry issued a mobilisation order for army pensioners and capable individuals to join SAF. Peace talks between SAF and RSF were suspended due to violations of the ceasefire. The conflict resulted in civilian casualties, including attacks on markets and abductions.

Casualties

As of 27 May, at least 1,800 people had been killed and more than 5,100 others had been injured, according to analysts. On 29 May, the Sudan Doctors Syndicate said at least 866 civilians had been killed and thousands more injured. On 6 May, Save the Children UK said that at least 190 children had been killed in the conflict. Doctors on the ground warned that stated figures do not include all casualties as people could not reach hospitals due to difficulties in movement. A spokesperson for the Sudanese Red Crescent was quoted as saying that the number of casualties "was not small".

By location

During initial clashes in El-Obeid and Khartoum at least three civilians were killed and dozens injured. A statement by the Sudan Doctors' Committee said two civilians were killed at Khartoum airport and another man was shot to death in the state of North Kordofan. Those killed at the airport were believed to be on board a passenger plane that was hit by a shell. Bodies were seen lying on the streets of Khartoum, particularly around the defence ministry and airport, and could not be retrieved given the intensity of the fighting. A student was shot and killed at the University of Khartoum. A 6-year-old child died after RSF shelled a hospital, while an ambulance driver was reported to be among those injured.
Asia Abdelmajid, an actress, was killed in a crossfire in Khartoum Bahri. A singer, Shaden Gardood, was killed in a crossfire in Omdurman, as was former soccer player Fozi el-Mardi and his daughter.

At least 25 civilians were killed and 26 injured during clashes in North Darfur, and an additional three civilians were killed by a rocket-propelled grenade, with a woman being injured by a bullet. A representative of Médecins Sans Frontières said at least 279 wounded people were admitted to the only functioning hospital in the state capital al-Fashir, of whom 44 died. In Foro Baranga in West Darfur, tens were reportedly killed and hundreds injured. The Health Ministry said that at least 450 people had been killed in the state. In Nyala, in South Darfur, eight civilians were killed. Nearly 200 people died in ethnic clashes in Geneina, West Darfur in the last week of April. Another 77 people were killed when fighting resumed in the city on 12 May. The death toll reached over 350 on 16 May, including an imam at the city’s mosque.

Foreign casualties

15 Syrian citizens, 15 Ethiopians and nine Eritreans have been killed across the country. An Indian national working in Khartoum died after being hit by a stray bullet on 15 April. Two Americans were killed, including a professor working in the University of Khartoum who was stabbed to death while evacuating. A two-year-old girl from Turkey was killed while her parents were injured after their house was struck by a rocket on 18 April. Ten students from the Democratic Republic of Congo were killed in an SAF airstrike on the International University of Africa in Khartoum on 4 June. SAF claimed that the Egyptian assistant military attaché was killed by RSF fire while driving his car in Khartoum, which was refuted by the Egyptian ambassador.

Two Greek nationals who were trapped in a church on 15 April underwent leg injuries when caught in crossfire trying to leave. A Filipino migrant worker and an Indonesian student at a school in Khartoum were injured by stray bullets. On 17 April, the European Union Ambassador to Sudan, Aidan O'Hara of Ireland, was assaulted by unidentified "armed men wearing military fatigues" in his home and suffered minor injuries and was able to resume working on 19 April. On 23 April, a French evacuation convoy was shot at, leaving one injured. The French government later confirmed the casualty to be a French soldier. An employee of the Egyptian embassy was shot and injured during an evacuation mission.

Casualties among humanitarian workers

In Kabkabiya, three employees of the World Food Programme (WFP) were killed after being caught in crossfire at a military base. Two other staff members were injured. On 18 April, the EU's top humanitarian aid officer in Sudan, Wim Fransen of Belgium, was shot in Khartoum and underwent injuries. On 21 April, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that one of its local employees was killed in a crossfire while travelling with his family near El-Obeid.

Foreign involvement

Libya

On 18 April, a SAF general claimed that two unnamed neighboring countries were trying to provide aid to RSF. According to ''The Wall Street Journal'', Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar, who is backed by United Arab Emirates and the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group, dispatched at least one plane to fly military supplies to RSF. The Observer reported that Haftar assisted in preparing RSF for months before the conflict broke out. The Libyan National Army, which is commanded by Haftar, denied providing support to any warring groups in Sudan and said it was ready to play a mediating role.

Wagner Group

Prior to the conflict, UAE and the Wagner Group were involved in business deals with RSF. According to ''CNN'', Wagner supplied surface-to-air missiles to RSF, picking up the items from Syria and delivering some of them by plane to Haftar-controlled bases in Libya to be then delivered to RSF, while dropping other items directly to RSF positions in northwestern Sudan. American officials said that Wagner was offering to supply additional weapons to RSF from its existing stocks in the Central African Republic. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov defended the possible involvement of the Wagner Group, saying that Sudan had the right to use its services. The head of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, denied supporting RSF, saying that the company has not had a presence in Sudan for more than two years. RSF denied allegations that Wagner Group was supporting them, instead stating that SAF was seeking such support. Sudan's army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, stated that "So far, there has been no confirmation about the Wagner Group's support for the RSF." Sudan has denied the presence of Wagner on its territory.

Egypt

On 16 April, RSF claimed that its troops in Port Sudan had been attacked by foreign aircraft and issued a warning against any foreign interference. According to former CIA analyst Cameron Hudson, Egyptian fighter jets are a part of these bombing campaigns against RSF, and Egyptian special forces units have been deployed and are providing intelligence and tactical support to SAF. ''The Wall Street Journal'' said that Egypt had sent fighter jets and pilots to support the Sudanese military. On 17 April, satellite imagery obtained by ''The War Zone'' revealed that one Egyptian Air Force MiG-29M2 fighter jet had been destroyed and two others had been damaged or destroyed at Merowe Airbase. A Sudanese Air Force Guizhou JL-9 was among the destroyed aircraft. After initial confusion, RSF accepted the explanation that Egyptian equipment and supporting personnel were conducting exercises with the Sudanese military prior to the outbreak of hostilities.

Egyptian POWs

On 15 April, RSF forces claimed, via Twitter, to have taken Egyptian troops prisoner near Merowe, and a military plane carrying markings of the Egyptian Air Force. Initially, no official explanation was given for the Egyptian soldiers' presence, while Egypt and Sudan have had military cooperation due to diplomatic tensions with Ethiopia. Later on, the Egyptian Armed Forces stated that around 200 of its soldiers were in Sudan to conduct exercises with the Sudanese military. Around that time, SAF reportedly encircled RSF forces in Merowe airbase. As a result, the Egyptian Armed Forces announced that it was following the situation as a precaution for the safety of its personnel. The RSF later stated that it would cooperate in repatriating the soldiers to Egypt. On 19 April, RSF stated that it had moved the soldiers to Khartoum and would hand them over when the "appropriate opportunity" arose. 177 of the captured Egyptian troops were released and flown back to Egypt aboard three Egyptian military planes that took off from Khartoum airport later in the day. The remaining 27 soldiers, who were from the Egyptian Air Force, were sheltered at the Egyptian embassy to be evacuated once the situation improved.

Ethiopia

On 19 April, the Sudanese newspaper '' Al-Sudani'' reported that SAF had repelled an invasion by the Ethiopian Armed Forces in the disputed Al Fushqa District. The report alleged that the Ethiopian Army had carried out an attack with tanks, armored vehicles, and infantry and that SAF had inflicted heavy losses on Ethiopian personnel and equipment. It said that SAF was monitoring "unusual activity among the Ethiopian forces" since the start of hostilities with RSF and that Ethiopian forces were carrying out intensive reconnaissance and surveillance operations along the border. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed denied that clashes had occurred, blaming agitators for the reports.

Abdul Qadir Al-Haymi, a journalist at ''Al-Sudani'', expressed his regret for publishing the story about the Ethiopian incursion, emphasizing that the story was not true and that no clashes had occurred between Sudanese and Ethiopian forces, regretting what he called "confusion" caused by the news.

United Arab Emirates

On 5 May, the British newspaper ''i'' reported that RSF sent "special bulletins" to UK politicians, which it claimed was to combat "the disproportionate amount of disinformation" about the conflict. The bulletins were created with the assistance of Capital Tap Holdings, a Dubai-based investment firm which has mining interests in Sudan and the wider continent. The ''i'' reported that RSF's Facebook page was being run jointly from UAE and Sudan, and its Instagram account appeared to be based in Saudi Arabia, with RSF saying its media team was based in Khartoum.

Kyle Walter of Logically, a British disinformation analysis firm, said, "What's most concerning from this latest example of potential foreign interference is that it provides a look into how the nature of these threats are evolving, particularly in the context of the rapid onset of generative AI being used to create fake images and text. Although we don't know if this so-called sophisticated 'special bulletin' was created by this technology, it is symbolic of the wider issue at hand: an inability to trust what you're seeing, reading, and the undermining of the entire information landscape."

Evacuation of foreign nationals

The outbreak of violence has led foreign governments to monitor the situation in Sudan and move towards the evacuation and repatriation of its nationals. Among some countries with a number of expatriates in Sudan are Egypt, which has more than 10,000 citizens in the country, and the United States, which has more than 16,000 citizens, most of whom are dual nationals. Efforts at extraction were hampered by the fighting within the capital Khartoum, particularly in and around the airport. This has forced evacuations to be undertaken by road via Port Sudan on the Red Sea, which lies about 650 km (400 miles) northeast of Khartoum. from where they were airlifted or ferried directly to their home countries or to third ones. Other evacuations were undertaken through overland border crossings or airlifts from diplomatic missions and other designated locations with direct involvement of the militaries of some home countries. Some transit hubs used during the evacuation include the port of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Djibouti, which hosts military bases of the United States, China, Japan, France, and other European countries.

Humanitarian impact

The humanitarian crisis following the fighting was further exacerbated by the violence occurring during a period of high temperatures, drought and it starting during the latter part of the fasting month of Ramadan. Most residents were unable to venture outside of their homes to obtain food and supplies for fear of getting caught in the crossfire. A doctors' group said that hospitals remained understaffed and were running low on supplies as wounded people streamed in. The World Health Organization recorded around 26 attacks on healthcare facilities, some of which resulted in casualties among medical workers and civilians. The Sudanese Doctors' Union said more than two-thirds of hospitals in conflict areas were out of service with 32 forcibly evacuated by soldiers or caught in the crossfire. The United Nations reported that shortages of basic goods, such as food, water, medicines and fuel have become "extremely acute". The delivery of badly-needed remittances from overseas migrant workers was also halted after Western Union announced it was closing all operations in Sudan until further notice. The World Food Programme said that more than $13 million worth of food aid destined for Sudan had been looted since the fighting broke out.

Refugees

The International Organization for Migration said on 24 May that the fighting in Sudan had produced over 1,000,000 internally displaced persons, while more than 250,000 others had fled the country altogether, with Egypt receiving the highest number of refugees at 110,000. The International Organization for Migration had earlier estimated that around 70% of IDPs had come from the Darfur region.

Peace efforts

On 16 April, representatives from SAF and RSF agreed to a proposal by the United Nations to pause fighting between 16:00 and 19:00 local time (CAT). SAF announced that it approved a UN proposal to open a safe passage for urgent humanitarian cases for 3 hours every day starting from 16:00 local time, and stated that it reserved the right to react if RSF "commit edany violations". Gunfire and explosives continued to be heard during the ceasefire, drawing condemnation from Special Representative Volker Perthes.

On 17 April, the governments of Kenya, South Sudan, and Djibouti expressed their willingness to send their presidents to Sudan to act as mediators. Khartoum Airport was closed due to fighting.

On 18 April, RSF commander Dagalo said the paramilitary force agreed to a day-long armistice to allow the safe passage of civilians, including those wounded. In a tweet, they said that the decision was reached following a conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken "and outreach by other friendly nations". SAF initially said it was unaware of any coordination with mediators or the international community regarding a truce and claimed RSF was planning to use this time to cover up for a "crushing defeat". An army general later confirmed that SAF had agreed to a 24-hour ceasefire to start at 18:00 local time (16:00 UTC). After the start of the promised ceasefire, gunfire and shelling continued to be heard in the center of Khartoum. SAF and RSF issued statements accusing each other of failing to respect the ceasefire. SAF's high command said it would continue operations to secure the capital and other regions.

On 19 April, SAF and RSF said that they had agreed to another 24-hour ceasefire starting at 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT). Fighting continued between the 2 sides after the ceasefire had supposedly begun.

On 21 April, RSF said it would observe a 72-hour ceasefire which would come into effect at 6:00 (4:00 GMT) that day, the beginning of the Islamic holiday of Eid ul-Fitr. There was no immediate word from SAF on whether it would reciprocate. With SAF agreeing to a 3-day truce later that afternoon, fighting continued throughout the day in Khartoum and other conflict zones. A 72-hour ceasefire agreement was announced on 24 April, and fighting continued.

On 26 April, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) proposed a 72-hour extension of the ceasefire, while South Sudan offered to host mediation efforts. SAF said it supported the plan and would send an envoy to the South Sudanese capital Juba, to participate in the talks. RSF announced its support for the extended ceasefire on 27 April. Fighting continued after the start of the extended ceasefire.

On 30 April, RSF announced that the ceasefire was to be further extended by 72 hours, to which SAF later agreed. Fighting continued during this ceasefire.

On 1 May, United Nations Special Envoy to Sudan Volker Perthes announced that SAF and RSF had agreed to send representatives for negotiations mediated by UN, and did not give a date or venue for the talks.

On 2 May, South Sudan's Foreign Ministry said that SAF and RSF had agreed "in principle" to a week long ceasefire to start from 4 May, only for it to break down again. The Sudanese resistance committees stated that the proposed negotiations between SAF and RSF ignored "the only one affected by this war, the Sudanese people", and that the negotiations were aimed at SAF and RSF "gain ngpopular and political support".

On 6 May, delegates from SAF and RSF met directly for the first time in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for what was described by the Saudis and the United States as "pre-negotiation talks". Jonathan Hutson of the Satellite Sentinel Project stated that a broad range of Sudanese civil society, "political parties, resistance committees, women's organisations, trade unions and human rights defenders", objected to both Burhan and Hemedti, seeing them as illegitimate leaders and insisted on participating in peace negotiations. The civil society activists called for paramilitary forces to be merged into SAF under civilian authority.

On 12 May, SAF and RSF signed an agreement to allow safe passage for people leaving battle zones, protect relief workers and not to use civilians as human shields; there was no ceasefire agreement.

On 20 May, SAF and RSF agreed to a week long ceasefire starting at 21:45 local time (19:45 GMT) on 22 May, following talks in Jeddah. It was later extended until 3 June. But on 31 May, the SAF suspended negotiations, accusing the RSF of a lack of commitment on implementing the existing ceasefire agreement and violating its terms.

The repeated violations of the ceasefire agreements led the United States to impose its first sanctions related to the conflict on 1 June, targeting two firms associated with the SAF and two others linked to the RSF. It also imposed visa restrictions against individuals involved in the violence, but did not divulge any names.

Disinformation

On 14 April, the official SAF page published a video it said was of operations carried out by the Sudanese Air Force against RSF. Al Jazeera's monitoring and verification unit claimed the video was fabricated using footage from the video game '' Arma 3'' that was published on TikTok in March 2023. The unit claimed the video showing Sudanese army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan inspecting the Armoured Corps was from before the fighting. A video reportedly of Sudanese helicopters flying over Khartoum to participate in operations by SAF against RSF, which circulated on social media, turned out to be from November 2022.

2 photos circulated on social media that depicted a burning bridge reported as Bahri bridge and a bombed building allegedly in Khartoum, were both revealed to be from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In April, a video supposedly showing RSF in control of the Khartoum International Airport on 15 April circulated on social media. The fact-checking website Lead Stories found that the video appeared online 3 months prior to the conflict.

Reactions

Domestic

Military

Rapid Support Forces: In an interview with Al Jazeera, Hemedti, commander of RSF, accused Abdel Fattah al-Burhan of forcing RSF to begin confrontations and accused SAF commanders of scheming to bring deposed leader Omar al-Bashir back to power. On Twitter, Dagalo called for the international community to intervene against Burhan, claiming that RSF was fighting against radical militants.

Civilian

Former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok publicly appealed to both al-Burhan and Dagalo to cease fighting.

On 18 April, el-Wasig el-Bereir of the National Umma Party was in communication with SAF and RSF to get them to stop fighting immediately, while el-Fateh Hussein of the Khartoum resistance committees called for the fighting to stop immediately, stating that the resistance committees had long called for the SAF to "return to their barracks" and for the RSF to be dissolved.

Sudanese resistance committees coordinated medical support networks, sprayed anti-war messages on walls, and encouraged local communities to avoid siding with either RSF or SAF. Hamid Murtada, a member of the resistance committees, described the resistance committees as having "an important role in raising awareness to their constituencies and in supporting initiatives that ouldend the war immediately".

On 22 and 23 April, protests against the conflict were held by residents in Khartoum Bahri, Arbaji, and Damazin.

International

On 19 April, diplomatic missions in Sudan, which included those of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union, issued a joint statement calling for fighting parties to observe their obligations under international law, specifically urging them to "protect civilians, diplomats and humanitarian actors," avoid further escalations and initiate talks to "resolve outstanding issues."

Countries

*Algeria called for "joint and urgent action to avoid further escalation and put an end to the fighting".
*Canada closed its embassy in Khartoum until further notice and advised its nationals to avoid all travel to Sudan.
*Chad closed its land border with Sudan. Defence Minister Daoud Yaya Brahim expressed concern that the interception of Sudanese soldiers within Chadian territory on 17 April could spill over into Darfur.
*China said that it was "closely following the latest developments" and called on both sides to end the fighting "as soon as possible" and prevent any escalation of tensions.
*Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and South Sudan's President Salva Kiir, both of whom lead 2 of Sudan's neighboring countries, offered to mediate between the warring sides. Egypt closed its border with Sudan.
*Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki publicly criticized SAF and RSF for hijacking the Sudanese Revolution and for their conduct in the conflict, calling for the existence of only 1 army in Sudan. While he said that the country's borders were open to those affected by the fighting, he insisted that no refugee camps would be established in Eritrea.
*Ethiopia and Kenya urged restraint in light of the situation. Kenya had announced they would evacuate their citizens, and the fighting in Sudan has delayed those plans.
*India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on 21 April to discuss the situation in Sudan and prepare measures for the security and evacuation of its citizens there.
*Israel proposed hosting Generals Burhan and Dagalo for ceasefire talks, saying 1 of its senior officials was doing progress in mediating between the 2.
*Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the violence and called for meaningful dialogue between all parties involved in the conflict. Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir revealed that the ministry had activated a "Sudan Operation" and a special team to ensure their safety and welfare.
*Norway has advised its citizens to avoid any travel to Sudan.
* Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it was closely monitoring the security situation in Sudan and contacting the thousand-member Pakistani population in Khartoum to ensure their safety.
*Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced Sunday in a press conference with Brazil's President Lula da Silva that Portugal would work with Brazil to begin a "rapid withdrawal" of both Portuguese and Brazilian nationals.
*Saudi Arabia's foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud made 2 phone calls on 16 April with Generals Burhan and Dagalo calling for an end to the violence and the resumption of the transition to a civilian-led government in Sudan.
*South Africa announced that it would begin evacuating South African citizens from Sudan on 24 April. President Cyril Ramaphosa said that South Africa would assist neighboring countries with the return of their citizens as well.
*Spain's Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said that its government supports efforts to restore peace to Sudan and continue its democratic transition.
*Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the government will evacuate its embassy staff and their families from Sudan as soon as an available situation appears.
*Tanzania said it was planning to evacuate its 210 citizens from Sudan. Foreign Minister Stergomena Tax told parliament that the government was communicating with the Tanzanian embassy in Khartoum for updates and coordinating with neighboring countries and bodies such as the African Union and the United Nations.
*Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held separate phone calls with Generals Burhan and Dagalo calling on both sides to end the conflict and return to negotiations.
*United Kingdom Foreign Secretary James Cleverly cut short a visit to New Zealand and cancelled a succeeding trip to Samoa to focus on monitoring the situation in Sudan.
*United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for de-escalation and peace talks. He reiterated demands for a ceasefire in separate phone calls with Generals Burhan and Dagalo and called an attack on a US diplomatic convoy in Darfur on 17 April as "reckless, irresponsible and unsafe". President Joe Biden ordered an additional deployment of troops to its base in Djibouti to assist in the evacuation of American citizens from Sudan. On 4 May, he issued an executive order authorizing sanctions for those deemed responsible for destabilizing the country, undermining the democratic transition and communicating human rights abuses.
* In his Sunday message from Vatican City on 23 April, Pope Francis called the situation in Sudan grave and called for dialogue between the warring factions.

Organizations

*The African Union called for a political solution to the crisis. The body's Peace and Security Council said that it "strongly rejects any external interference that could complicate the situation in Sudan" after an emergency meeting. It announced that the head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, was planning to "immediately" go on a ceasefire mission to Sudan.
*The Arab League called for an immediate end to the violence in Sudan and offered to mediate between the country's warring sides in a statement issued following an emergency meeting in Cairo.
* The European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell confirmed EU staff were all accounted for and called for an immediate end to the violence. He called the attack on its Ambassador Aidan O'Hara in Khartoum a gross violation of the Vienna Convention. EU spokeswoman Nabila Massrali told AFP news agency the EU delegation had not been evacuated from Khartoum following the attack.
* The Intergovernmental Authority on Development, an East African trade bloc, held an emergency meeting on the situation in Sudan and said it plans to send Kenyan President William Ruto, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh to Khartoum as soon as possible to reconcile the conflicting groups.
*United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for an immediate cessation of all hostilities and condemned the killing of World Food Programme employees in Sudan, describing the deaths as "appalling". He expressed concern that the conflict in Sudan could escalate into a disastrous regional conflict.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sudan conflict, 2023

2020s coups d'état and coup attempts
Conflicts in 2023
April 2023 events in Sudan
May 2023 events in Sudan
June 2023 events in Sudan
Political history of Sudan
Sudanese Revolution