This morning, Sudanese militias under General Dagalo attacked respective strategical facilities in the country's capital. The Dagalo people managed to occupy 3 key airports in the country. It's a coup against the Sudanese army chief, General Burhan.
To better realize today's events, we request to go back a fewer years.
At the end of 2018, large anti-government protests broke out in Sudan. The demonstrators demanded the resignation of dictator Omar al Bashir, who had ruled the country since 1989. In April 2019, the army – which gained immense influence in Bashir's time – decided to keep its privileged position and carried out the coup itself, overthrowing Bashir.
Omar al Bashir, who dictatorically ruled Sudan from 1989 to 2019However, the military coup did not calm the situation in the country. The protests continued. In June 2019, the army massacred protesters in Khartoum, killing most likely over 100 people, which sparked even more protests and expanding force from the global community.
As a result, in July 2019 the military agreed with the demonstrators. On the basis of this agreement, the alleged Sovereignty Council was established, comprising both military and civilian society representatives. The Sovereignty Council was to be a temporary body that was to carry out Sudan through the transition period, aid organise free elections and yet be dissolved.
From the beginning, there was a multum of disputes between the military and the presentation of civilian society. Worse still, the "military camp" itself was besides divided into 2 hostile parties.
One was centered around Gen. Burhan and the another around Gen. Dagalo.
Generals Dagalo (left) and Burhan (right)Gen. Burhan is simply a professional military who was appointed commander-in-chief of the Sudanese army in 2018. Dagalo is besides a general, but his way to this degree led through the militias and the war in Darfur alternatively than the military academy.
Dagalo fought for years on the side of pro-government fighters in Darfur. erstwhile in 2013, Omar Bashir reorganized militants fighting in Darfur and formed the alleged RSF Force, he appointed Dagalo (now in general) as the head of the RSF, which paved the way for immense influences in the country.
General Dagalo, Head of the RSFThe rivalry between Burhan and Dagalo besides has its wider regional dimension. Burhan and the Sudanese army are supported by Egypt. Dagalo and his RSF are supported by the United arabian Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.
Burhan and Dagalo, despite fierce rivalry, conducted a joint (another already) coup d'état in 2021 and dismissed Prime Minister Hamdok from power. Thus, the agreement reached in 2019 with civilian society representatives was broken and the military junta took over the country.
The Sudanese army during the 1920 coup.However, 1 year later, in December 2022, due to Sudan's severe economical situation and global pressure, the military agreed (again) to surrender power to civilians. The deadline for the transfer of power was set for April 2023.
In the last fewer days, we have observed a increasing tension between General Burhan and General Dagalo. RSF (Dagalo) began to concentrate its forces close the capital and key military bases in the country. In this situation General Burhan besides began to mobilize his supporters.
This morning, RSF (Dagalo) militants set out to attack. They managed to occupy respective key points in Khartoum (the capital). Their hands include airport and tv station. Dagalo's men besides attempted to take over the Presidential Palace, where General Burhan resides, but their first assault was repulsed.
RSF fighters (Dagalo) besides noted respective successes outside the capital itself. In addition to Khartoum Airport, they managed to take over 2 others as well. During the assault on Marawi Airport, they even took Egyptian soldiers (Egypt supports Gen. Burhan) who have regularly been at Marawi Airport since 2021.
At this point, it's hard to find whether the coup will end with a Dagalo or Burhan victory. Although there has been quite a few information in fresh days about the concentration of Dagalo's forces, the military (with Burhan at the head) have been amazed by the effort of the coup. With the following hours, the army seems to have recovered from its first defeats, and its opposition increases.
Both sides supply conflicting information about the course of battles and who controls what. But 1 thing is certain. Nobody steps back, it'll be a fight to the end. Dagalo in an interview with Al Jazeery made it clear: “Burhan will be caught or die like a dog.”
This article is expected to be an introduction to Sudan and, roughly, explain what today's coup effort is about. I'm going to study on the case, so I encourage you to sign up for my newsletter.
