7/10/2022: MEMRI - Dance Of The Warlords: Sudan's Ongoing Twilight Struggle, by Alberto Fernandez

Ex-US diplomat in Sudan Alberto Fernandez analysed the rivalry between the commander-in-chief of Sudan’s Armed Forces (SAF) Abdulfattah al-Burhan and the commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia Himedti, with both fighting “over control of the civil service, an important source of patronage and an essential ingredient in actually running a government”.

With SAF a “safehaven” for Sudan’s Islamists, Fernandez suggests they hate Himedti for “betraying” ousted dictator Omar al-Bashir. In addition, “SAF-connected sources have also complained about RSF acquiring heavier and more advanced weapons,” Fernandez adds.

However, while “nationalist” and “Islamist” SAF factions remain loyal to al-Burhan and are united against Himedti and civilians, Fernandez alleges that some observers believe that “the plan is to have SAF get rid of the civilians (and Hemedti) and then an Islamicized SAF would remove Al-Burhan, who is seen as still too ambivalent toward the return of full Islamist rule”.