As clash between the Sudanese Army and paramilitary force RSF is raging in the capital Khartoum and elsewhere, the army chief has ordered dissolution of the paramilitary force branding it as a rebel group.
Al Jazeera reported that Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said Army Chief al-Burhan has ordered the dissolution of the RSF and branded it as a rebellious group. The foreign ministry stated that clashes were result of RSF rebellion against the Sudanese armed forces. The publication reported al-Burhan had been scheduled to meet RSF head Mohamed Hamdan 'Hemedti' Dagalo on Saturday, the day clashes began.
Associated Press reported at least 97 civilians have been killed in the crossfire between the forces. Atiya Abdalla Atiya, Secretary of the Sudan Doctors' Syndicate said the toll is likely much higher because there are many bodies in the streets around central Khartoum. There has been no official word on the number of combatants killed, the publication reported.
The clashes are the result of the power struggle between military chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the commander of the armed forces, and Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the head of the RSF. The two were allies during the 2021 coup that deposed the civilian administration but the relationship turned sour over the move to induct the RSF into the army. Both generals have dug in, saying they would not negotiate a truce and ignoring international calls to tell their forces to stand down even from their powerful foreign backers.
