Weeks of fighting between the Sudanese army and the key paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), culminated in a dramatic turning point this Saturday as clashes intensified in Khartoum. The long, costly march toward a civilian government after decades of dictatorship now hangs in the balance, with the country at risk of slipping back into instability in the hours ahead.
The conflict’s outcome remains uncertain, yet the bloodshed in Khartoum is unmistakable. At least three people are confirmed dead and dozens more injured as bombardments and heavy artillery pummel streets and the airport. The violence marks a decisive rupture between two dominant leaders: the military commander Abdelfatá al-Burhan and the RSF’s head, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. Dagalo’s insistence on prevailing in the face of civilian governance has now translated into an armed struggle that threatens the country’s fragile transition.
The path to this moment began in April 2019, after Sudan’s popular uprising toppled Omar al-Bashir’s thirty-year rule. Trust between civilian groups and the army, which played a key role in ousting the autocrat but did not fully guarantee a democratic transition, frayed. The 2021 coup led by al-Burhan deepened that distrust, and the 2022 power grab saw Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok removed with civilian partners left reeling. A harsh crackdown on protests followed, resulting in hundreds of deaths and a cascade of human rights abuses that left civilians reeling.
The RSF is not without fault. Amnesty International has documented massacres and brutal violence that left hundreds injured and many women and men reporting abuses in the days after the former dictator’s removal. The violence underscored the need for rapid stabilization and improved living conditions across the country. Human Rights Watch and other humanitarian organizations have urged the international community to urge restraint and to guide Sudan toward a peaceful path, while acknowledging the limited impact of outside mediation when trusted institutions remain weak.
Mohamed Osman of Human Rights Watch criticized on social media the international approach since the coup, noting that external actors often supported or tolerated military figures who violated basic rights and resisted reform. The quartet of the United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates has shown varied engagement, with some efforts appearing to favor nonmilitary approaches while others leaned on regional influence. Recent developments in Egypt have added another layer of regional complexity to the crisis.
From a military vantage, the conflict in Khartoum began around 9:00 a.m. when the RSF launched an aggressive assault on al-Burhan’s residence and attempted to seize the international airport. At the same time, the RSF surrounded the army base in Meroe, located about 220 kilometers north of Khartoum, signaling that the fighting could widen rather than subside. The flare-up occurred just moments after leaders from groups that signed the Juba peace agreement, and mediators who helped shape the ceasefire discussions, had assured that negotiations would be opened to resolve the dispute. Those assurances momentarily faded as hostilities escalated.
Both sides quickly blamed the other for breaking the truce. The Sudanese army accused the RSF of betrayal, while the RSF countered that the army had launched a surprise attack against its deployments in the capital. The international community urged an immediate halt to fighting, and several embassies advised citizens to remain indoors as warplanes conducted low-altitude flights. The RSF reportedly targeted its positions, including the group’s headquarters at the Stove camp, and artillery clashes continued throughout the morning.
Within this chaotic landscape, civic groups such as the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) faced pressure as the crisis deepened. Their public voices were reduced as the conflict intensified, complicating efforts to preserve a path toward democratic transition and accountability for past abuses. The violence in Khartoum and across the country underscored the fragile nature of Sudan’s post-revolution period and the urgent need for credible reforms that can command broad civilian support. The interplay of military power, regional interests, and human rights concerns remains at the heart of Sudan’s uncertain future, demanding a strategic, principled response from international partners and Sudanese actors alike.