Sudan's Civil War Ignited by Rival Leaders: Al-Burhan and Hemedti

In the scorching desert landscape of Sudan, a brutal civil war has been unfolding, fueled by the complex and fraught relationship between two men: General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the leader of the Sudanese military, and Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo Musa, also known as Hemedti, the head of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Their power struggle has brought the country to the brink of collapse, with devastating consequences for the civilian population. The conflict in Sudan has its roots in a long history of instability and power struggles. The country gained independence from British colonial rule in 1956, but its early years were marked by a series of coups and military regimes. In 1989, a military coup led by General Omar al-Bashir brought a new era of authoritarian rule, which lasted for three decades. Al-Bashir's regime was marked by human rights abuses, corruption, and economic mismanagement, which ultimately led to his ousting in 2019. The current conflict began in April 2023, when General al-Burhan, a former ally of al-Bashir, seized power in a military coup, ousting the civilian government. Hemedti, the leader of the RSF, a paramilitary group that was formed in 2013 to fight against rebels in the western region of Darfur, quickly emerged as a key player in the conflict. The RSF, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, has been accused of human rights abuses, including war crimes and ethnic cleansing. The situation took a dramatic turn in November 2023, when the RSF took control of the town of El Fasher, effectively splitting the country in half between the paramilitary group and the Sudanese military. The conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths, displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, and a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions. At the heart of this conflict is the complex and often fraught relationship between General al-Burhan and Hemedti. According to Alex DeWaal, the executive director of the World Peace Foundation at Tufts, who has been studying Sudan for over 40 years, the two leaders are a product of the cycle of violence and instability that has plagued the country for decades. "They are both products of the same system, the same culture of violence and impunity," DeWaal said in an interview with Today, Explained host Noel King. "They have both been involved in the same conflicts, the same wars, and they have both benefited from the same patronage networks. But they have also both been shaped by the same experiences, the same traumas, and the same fears." DeWaal notes that the relationship between General al-Burhan and Hemedti is marked by a deep-seated mistrust and a desire for power and control. "They are both competing for the same prize, the same seat of power, and they are both willing to do whatever it takes to get it," he said. The international community has been watching the conflict in Sudan with growing concern. In November 2023, President Donald Trump announced that the US would intervene to end the civil war in Sudan, at the request of the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. The conflict has also attracted the attention of the United Nations, which has called for a ceasefire and a return to negotiations. As the conflict in Sudan continues to escalate, the international community is faced with a daunting challenge: how to bring an end to the cycle of violence and instability that has plagued the country for decades. According to DeWaal, the key to resolving the conflict lies in addressing the underlying causes of the violence, including poverty, inequality, and lack of access to education and healthcare. "We need to address the root causes of the conflict, not just the symptoms," DeWaal said. "We need to work with the Sudanese people to build a more inclusive, more equitable society, one that is based on the principles of justice, equality, and human rights." As the people of Sudan continue to suffer the consequences of this brutal conflict, the international community must come together to find a solution that addresses the complex and deeply entrenched issues at the heart of this crisis. Only then can the cycle of violence and instability that has plagued Sudan for decades be broken, and a more peaceful and prosperous future be achieved.