Al Burhan vs Hemedti: Everything You Need to Know

On Saturday, 15 April 2023, fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary force led by General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti).

Clashes between the two forces continue, leaving many casualties and property damages along the way.

Why and how did it start?

Violent clashes between the army and the RSF erupted as a result of months of tensions.

In recent months, negotiations had been under way for a return to the democratic transition that had been halted by a coup d’état led by the de facto head of Sudan, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Al Burhan, to overthrow the civilian government of the former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

The armed forces and the RSF signed a preliminary deal in December 2022 with pro-democracy and civilian groups. But the internationally brokered agreement provided only broad outlines, leaving the most difficult political issues unsettled.

In the process to reach a final agreement, tensions between Al Burhan and Dagalo escalated. A key dispute is over how the RSF would be integrated into the military and who would have ultimate control over fighters and weapons. In March 2023, Hemedti slammed Al Burhan, saying military leaders were unwilling to relinquish power.

Who is Al Burhan?

Born in 1960, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Al Burhan is currently the de facto head of Sudan. He assumed power in 2019 as the chairman of the former Transitional Military Council (TMC) after former Chairman Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf resigned and transferred control. On 25 October 2021, Al Burhan led a coup d’état to overthrow the civilian government of the former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Prior to the Sudanese revolution, he was formerly the General Inspector of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).

Who is Hemedti?

Born in 1975, General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, is the deputy head of state. He was the Deputy Chairman of TMC, following the 2019 Sudanese coup d’état. He is the head of the paramilitary forces, Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Janjaweed.

What are the casualties?

According to Central Committee of Sudan Doctors (CCSD), at least 94 people have been killed since clashes began between the military and the RSF. More than 950 people have been injured. More than half of these casualties are civilians.

*Update: As of 24 April 2023, more than 420 people have been killed, including non-Sudanese civilians, and 3,700 have been injured.

Clashes have continued in #Sudan for nine days, leaving over 420 people killed and 3,700 injured.

Prices of essential items are sharply increasing due to shortages.

Thousands of people are fleeing, including to Chad, Egypt and South Sudan.

Read more: https://t.co/Y7YfEmOWcJ pic.twitter.com/0rR95Iomf3

— OCHA Southern & Eastern Africa (@UNOCHA_ROSEA) April 24, 2023

What are the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF)?

Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) is the armed forces of Sudan, consisting of more than 100,000 personnel, composed of land forces, Sudanese navy, Sudanese Air Force and other defence forces.

What are the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)?

Led by Hemedti, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are paramilitary forces primarily composed of the Janjaweed militias, which were in Darfur before they became a paramilitary force. The RSF are administered by the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) and commanded by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) during military operations. Analysts say the group probably has about 100,000 members. Along with other paramilitary forces, the RSF carried out the Khartoum massacre on 3 June 2019, which left at least 100 people dead and over 300 injured.

Related posts

Everything You Need to Know About the Sudan Revolution

Sudan Coup: What You Need to Know