Draft:Territory of the Rapid Support Forces: Difference between revisions

The Territory of the Rapid Support Forces refers to the controlled areas by the Rapid Support Forces from 2023 until 2025.

Tensions arose between al-Burhan and Hemedti over al-Burhan’s restoration to the office of old-guard Islamist officials who had dominated the Omar al-Bashir government. Hemedti saw the appointment of these officials as a signal that al-Burhan was attempting to maintain the dominance of Khartoum’s traditional elite over Sudanese politics. This was a danger to the RSF’s political position, as said elites were hostile to Hemedti due to his ethnic background as a Darfuri Arab.^[3] Hemedti’s expression of regret over the October 2021 coup signalled a widening divide between him and al-Burhan.^[4]

Tensions between the RSF and the SAF began to escalate in February 2023, as the RSF began to recruit members across Sudan.^[5] Throughout February and early March the RSF built up in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, until a deal was brokered on 11 March and the RSF withdrew.^[6][7] As part of this deal negotiations were conducted between the SAF, RSF, and civilian leaders, but these negotiations were delayed and halted by political disagreements.^[8] Chief among the disputes was the integration of the RSF into the military: the RSF insisted on a 10-year timetable for its integration into the regular army, while the army demanded integration within two years.^[9][10] Other contested issues included the status given to RSF officers in the future hierarchy, and whether RSF forces should be under the command of the army chief rather than Sudan’s commander-in-chief, al-Burhan.^[11]

On 11 April 2023, RSF forces deployed near the city of Merowe as well as in Khartoum.^[12] Government forces ordered them to leave and were refused. This led to clashes when RSF forces took control of the Soba military base south of Khartoum.^[13] On 13 April, RSF forces began their mobilization, raising fears of a potential rebellion against the junta. The SAF has declared the mobilization as illegal.^[14]

On 15 April 2023 the RSF took over the headquarters of the state broadcaster, Sudan TV and the Merowe Airport,^[15] the RSF attacked SAF bases across Sudan, including Khartoum and the Khartoum Airport.^[16][17] The RSF captured the presidential palace.^[18][19] Hemedti claimed that the RSF controlled most of the city’s government buildings, but this was disputed by al-Burhan.^[20] With that the Rapid Support Forces took over there first territories.

The RSF started a occupation of the Khartoum International Airport on the 15 April 2023 which lasted until the 25 March 2025, it’s control over the Merowe Airport ended already after some day’s with the Battle of Merowe Airport. On 2 June 2023 the RSF got control over the National Museum of Sudan complex in Khartoum.^[21] The headquarters of the Police Central Reserve Forces in Khartoum got captured by the RSF on the 25 June 2023.^[22]

Major takeover of areas however started on 4 August 2023, where the RSF took full control over all of Central Darfur.^[23]

Since the beginning of the civil war, markets with the name “Dagalo Markets” were found in different places like Kordofan, Darfur and the Khartoum metropolitan area, there are also common in the cities of west Sudan which is were the RSF had much power. Goods which were looted by the Rapid Support Forces, affiliated militias or criminal gangs are put on these markets by smugglers. Also the opponent of the RSF, the SAF takes part of the “Dagalo Markets”.^[24]