Sudan calls on Nigeria to intervene in crisis with ‘rebels’

The government of Sudan has called on the Nigerian government to intervene in the crisis between the military and the members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in the country.

Fighting broke out in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, on 15 April 2023 as an escalating power struggle between the two main factions of the military regime finally turned deadly.

On one side are the Sudanese armed forces who remain broadly loyal to Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the country’s de facto ruler.

Against him are the paramilitaries of the Rapid RSF, a collection of militia who follow the former warlord Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

The RSF was founded by the former dictatorial ruler Omar al-Bashir as an Arab counterinsurgency militia. Bashir wanted to crush a rebellion in the region of Darfur that began more than 20 years ago due to the political and economic marginalisation of the local population.

However, members of the RSF are now being described as rebels trying to overthrow the government.

While speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Mr Ahmed Omer Jaboul, Charge d’ Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Sudan in Nigeria, said Nigeria’s intervention could end the one-year-old conflict.

“If Nigeria intervenes in this crisis, we are sure this issue will be resolved soon.

“We know Nigeria was busy with elections when the crisis started and then the Niger Republic crisis came up after,” he said.

According to him, Nigeria’s previous interventions in crisis in the country had been successful.

While expressing the government’s intention to return the country to democracy, he said Nigeria’s intervention would fast-track the process.

He said the humanitarian situation in the country was getting worse as the rebels were intercepting the few supplies from international organisations.

Jaboul said the rebels were invading civilian homes, government institutions and universities, turning them into bases.

He said, although the conflict situation in Sudan has not completely changed since it began, the National Military Forces have halted hostilities in most parts of the country.

“What we would like to focus on nowadays is to talk about the humanitarian solutions in Sudan.

“This is one of the very critical areas and one of the priorities, not only for the government but for the international community as well,” he said.