Aerial attack in Sudan results in the demise of 40 suspected mercenaries
The ongoing conflict in Sudan's Darfur region is a complex clash between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group with roots in the Janjaweed militias implicated in genocidal campaigns in Darfur.
The conflict, which escalated sharply starting April 15, 2023, has resulted in devastating consequences for civilians, with war crimes and crimes against humanity being documented, particularly in Darfur where the RSF has been pushing to dominate.
The RSF, led by General Hemedti (Muhamed Hamdan Dagalo), seized Nyala, the capital city of South Darfur Province, last year as part of their push to control the entire region. The latest development in this conflict is a reported airstrike at Nyala airport, controlled by the RSF, which is said to have destroyed a shipment of arms and equipment sent by the United Arab Emirates to the RSF.
The airstrike is seen as a "blatant message" and a "new equation of deterrence" against foreign interference in Sudan's affairs. However, the Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding their involvement in backing armed groups in the Sudan war.
The fighting has turned into a full-fledged civil war, causing the death of tens of thousands of people, displacement of more than 14 million people, and pushing parts of the country into famine. The Sudanese government has accused the RSF of turning Nyala's civilian airport into a military hub to receive weapons shipments and smuggle gold.
Foreign involvement, while not exhaustively detailed, includes broad mentions that outside powers are exacerbating the conflict by supplying weapons to their preferred sides, thereby fueling the war rather than promoting peace. However, specifics on foreign countries involved, especially regarding the RSF, are less detailed in the available information.
The conflict in Darfur reflects a complex interplay of historical militia evolutions, ethnic violence, political power struggles, and international geopolitical factors contributing to the ongoing crisis in Darfur and broader Sudan. Officials requested anonymity as they were not authorized to brief the media.
- The ongoing war-and-conflicts in Sudan's Darfur region are being influenced by policies-and-legislation and politics at both local and international levels, as foreign countries are seen to be exacerbating the conflict by supplying weapons to their preferred sides, and the airstrike at Nyala airport, controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), is perceived as a new form of unfolding politics in the region.
- As the conflict in Darfur escalates, general-news sources report on the clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, as well as the involvement of crime-and-justice elements, such as the reported airstrike at Nyala airport and the documented war crimes and crimes against humanity, whose perpetrators have not been adequately addressed due to a lack of clear policy-and-legislation and international intervention.
