As Sudan marks two years of civil war, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo announces a new “Government of Peace and Unity” amid widespread famine, displacement, and UN-reported atrocities.
By Africalivenews Staff Writer
KHARTOUM, Sudan — On the two-year anniversary of Sudan’s brutal civil war, the commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has declared the formation of an alternative government, deepening the country’s ongoing crisis and drawing global concern.
“In this historic moment, we proudly declare the establishment of the Government of Peace and Unity,” Dagalo said in a video address released this week. He claimed that several armed groups, including a faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement operating in the Kordofan region, have joined the RSF’s new administration.
The announcement marks a dangerous new chapter in the Sudanese conflict, signaling Dagalo’s attempt to legitimize RSF territorial control—particularly in western Darfur, a region now synonymous with mass atrocities and deepening humanitarian disaster.
According to the United Nations, the RSF and allied militias recently carried out coordinated attacks on two famine-stricken displacement camps in North Darfur, leaving more than 400 civilians dead, including children and humanitarian workers. The attacks forced up to 400,000 people to flee, effectively rendering the Zamzam camp inaccessible.
As Dagalo’s forces tighten their grip on parts of Sudan, the prospect of national unity fades further, raising alarm bells among humanitarian organizations and global powers alike.
Two Years of Bloodshed and Collapse
Sudan descended into war on April 15, 2023, when long-standing tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF exploded into full-scale civil conflict. What began as a political power struggle quickly escalated into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Over the past 24 months, at least 24,000 people have been killed, according to conservative estimates. Rights groups believe the actual toll is significantly higher due to restricted access and underreporting. The war has displaced nearly 13 million people, with 4 million fleeing to neighboring countries.
The violence has devastated critical infrastructure, shut down health services, and pushed entire regions—including parts of Darfur and Kordofan—into famine conditions.
International bodies, including the United Nations and Human Rights Watch, have documented numerous atrocities, including mass rapes, ethnically motivated killings, and the systematic targeting of civilians, particularly in Darfur. These acts have been widely described as war crimes and crimes against humanity.
RSF Tightens Its Grip on Darfur and Beyond
The RSF now claims administrative and military control over large swaths of western Sudan, particularly Darfur, where the group has long-standing roots and local alliances. Dagalo’s announcement of a “Government of Peace and Unity” appears designed to legitimize RSF dominance, though it has been widely condemned as a unilateral power grab.
The timing of the announcement is particularly alarming. Just days earlier, the RSF and its affiliated militias launched deadly assaults on Zamzam and Abu Shouk displacement camps—shelters for more than 700,000 Sudanese civilians, many of whom had previously fled RSF violence.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 400 people were killed in the multi-day attack, including 12 aid workers and dozens of children. UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that the RSF has since seized control of the Zamzam camp, restricting movement and humanitarian access.
“These are people who were already living in desperate conditions, and now they are being subjected to even greater horrors,” said a spokesperson for Doctors Without Borders (MSF). “This is a complete collapse of civilian protection.”
International Response and Regional Consequences
The international community has struggled to mediate the conflict. Multiple ceasefire attempts and peace talks hosted by Saudi Arabia and the United States have collapsed, largely due to distrust between the warring factions and the lack of a credible enforcement mechanism.
The United Nations, African Union, and several Western nations have called for independent investigations into atrocities and for a return to a civilian-led transitional government. However, the RSF’s declaration of a parallel government undermines these efforts and could fragment the country further, potentially drawing in regional actors and militias.
Neighboring countries such as Chad, South Sudan, and Ethiopia are already feeling the strain, as millions of Sudanese refugees cross borders seeking safety. The regional humanitarian burden is intensifying, with limited resources and rising tensions in border areas.
Meanwhile, General al-Burhan’s SAF, which controls eastern parts of Sudan and the capital Port Sudan, has not officially responded to Dagalo’s government announcement, though analysts anticipate intensified military confrontations.
A Nation on the Brink of Collapse
Sudan’s descent into chaos has been swift and devastating. Once viewed as a potential democratic success story after the ousting of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019, the country now faces a total collapse of governance, rising famine, and the risk of becoming a failed state.
Humanitarian agencies are struggling to operate in conflict zones due to insecurity, blocked access, and attacks on aid convoys. The World Food Programme has warned that more than 18 million people are facing acute food insecurity, with nearly 5 million on the brink of starvation.
The RSF’s unilateral declaration of government, amid widespread human rights violations and growing famine, signals a dangerous shift away from peace efforts and towards prolonged fragmentation and lawlessness.
“The formation of a rival government is not a solution—it’s a declaration of prolonged war,” said a Sudanese political analyst based in Nairobi. “Without coordinated international action, Sudan could become the next Syria or Libya.”
Conclusion
As Sudan enters its third year of war, the establishment of an RSF-led government marks a grave escalation in a conflict already marked by atrocities, mass displacement, and humanitarian catastrophe.
With the United Nations and international observers warning of genocide-like conditions in parts of Darfur, and millions more at risk of famine and violence, the future of Sudan—and its 45 million people—hangs precariously in the balance.
