SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: New York Times - What's Happening in Sudan? A Guide to the Revolution and Continuing Conflict
Alan Yuhas explains how Sudan “became caught in a crisis between civilian revolutionaries, hardened generals and a fractious network of paramilitary groups and militias,” following the June 3 massacre which came “days after talks collapsed between the protesters and generals.”
Yuhas notes that ex-president Omar Al Bashir created a network of security forces and militias, but argues that it “remains unclear” which parts of Sudan’s “fractious military and security establishment” drove the crackdown.
The US Embassy in Khartoum blames the Transitional Military Council (TMC), whereas videos and eyewitness accounts pointed to the Rapid Support Forces, a powerful paramilitary unit drawn from the janjaweed militias “that carried out atrocities in Darfur in the 2000s.”
Yuhas highlights the role of professionals in transforming the anti-Bashir protests into a coherent movement calling for civilian rule. However, the military council is supported by Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.