Sudan unrest: What are the Rapid Support Forces?
The RSF is commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who currently serves as the deputy head of Sudan’s ruling Sovereign Council.
The Sudanese army and paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been embroiled in fierce fighting in the capital Khartoum and elsewhere in the country, raising fears of civil war.
At least 56 civilians were killed in the fighting, which began on Saturday, the Sudanese Doctors’ Union said in a statement.
The clashes follow months of heightened tensions between the military and RSF. The paramilitary group says it has seized control of the presidential palace and Khartoum International Airport in an apparent coup attempt. Military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has rejected the claims.
Here’s what you need to know about the RSF:
How did RSF come about?
The group evolved from so-called Janjaweed militias, which fought in a conflict in the Darfur region in the 2000s, where they were used by the government of long-ruling President Omar al-Bashir to help the military put down an insurgency .
An estimated 2.5 million people were displaced and 300,000 died in the conflict.
Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court charged government officials and militia commanders with genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.
Over time, the militia grew. It was transformed into the RSF in 2013 and its armed forces were mainly deployed as border guards. In 2015, the RSF began sending troops along with the Sudanese military to fight alongside Saudi and Emirati soldiers in the war in Yemen.
In the same year, the group was granted the status of a “regular force”. In 2017, a law was passed legitimizing the RSF as an independent security force.
In addition to the Darfur region, the RSF has been deployed to states such as South Kordofan and the Blue Nile, where it has been accused of human rights violations. In a 2015 reportHuman Rights Watch described its armed forces as “men without mercy”.
analysts estimated the RSF to have about 100,000 combatants.
Who administers the RSF?
The RSF is commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as “Hemedti” or “Little Mohamad”. He currently holds the position of deputy head of the ruling Sovereign Council of Sudan.
Dagalo was born into a poor family who settled in Darfur in the 1980s. He dropped out of school in third grade and made a living trading camels before becoming a Janjaweed leader when the Darfur conflict broke out.
As the RSF became more prominent and its role in the country’s security affairs grew, Dagalo’s business interests flourished with al-Bashir’s help. His family expanded its interests in gold mining, ranching and infrastructure.
When did Dagalo take a top position in government?
In April 2019, the RSF participated in a military coup that ousted al-Bashir after months of demonstrations against his 30-year rule.
Four months later, the military and the pro-democracy movement reached a power-sharing deal, establishing a joint military-civilian council that would rule Sudan for the next three years until elections were held.
Dagalo was announced as vice chairman of the council headed by al-Burhan.
Prominent economist Abdalla Hamdok was sworn in as Sudanese prime minister and leader of the transitional cabinet. Before the deal was signed, activists accused the RSF of participating in the killing of dozens of pro-democracy protesters.
In October 2021, the RSF was again involved in a coup with the military, halting the transition to a democratically elected government. The move sparked new massive pro-democracy rallies across Sudan that have continued to this day.
What are the source of tensions between army, RSF?
The military and pro-democracy groups have demanded the integration of the RSF into the regular armed forces. Negotiations on this have been a source of tension that has delayed a final signing of a new transitional agreement, originally scheduled for April 1.
Dagalo and al-Burhan Reportedly disagreement over who would be the commander-in-chief of the army during a multi-year integration period. The RSF said the commander should be the civilian head of state, a situation the military rejects.