Sudan conflict: Who are the Rapid Security Forces, up in arms against the country’s military

Source: The post is based on the article “Sudan conflict: Who are the Rapid Security Forces, up in arms against the country’s military” published in Indian Express on 28th April 2023

What is the News?

Sudan’s military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group have been involved in a fierce battle against each other in Sudan leaving at least 420 people dead and more than 3,700 wounded.

Where is Sudan?

Sudan is a country in Northeast Africa bordering the Red Sea. 

It is bordered by the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Egypt to the north, Eritrea to the northeast, Ethiopia to the southeast, Libya to the northwest, South Sudan to the south and the Red Sea.

It is Africa’s third-largest country by area. Its capital city is Khartoum, and its most populous city is Omdurman (part of the metropolitan area of Khartoum).

The population of Sudan is predominantly Muslim and the country’s official languages are Arabic and English.

What is happening in Sudan?

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What is Rapid Support Forces(RSF)?

RSF has evolved from so-called Janjaweed militias which fought in a conflict in the 2000s in the Darfur region where they were used by the then Sudan government to help the army put down a rebellion.

Over time, the militia grew. It was made into the RSF in 2013, and its forces were used as border guards in particular.

In 2017, a law legitimizing the RSF as an independent security force was passed. Analysts have estimated the RSF to have about 100,000 fighters.

The RSF has been accused of human rights abuses, including the massacre of more than 120 protesters in June 2019.

What is the conflict between the army and RSF?

The conflict between the army and RSF stems from a disagreement over how the RSF should be integrated into the armed forces and what authority should oversee the process. 

The merger is a key condition of Sudan’s unsigned transition agreement with political groups.