Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemedti”, has announced the formation of a parallel transitional government, intensifying the country’s already fragile political situation.
In a recorded statement released Saturday evening, the Founding Sudanese Coalition declared the establishment of a 15-member “Presidential Council for Peace,” naming Hemedti as President and rebel leader Abdelaziz al-Hilu as his deputy. Mohamed Hassan al-Ta’ayshi, a former civilian negotiator in past peace processes, was appointed Prime Minister.
This move comes months after the RSF and allied political and armed groups signed a political charter in Nairobi aiming to establish an alternative government. Sudan’s official foreign ministry had previously rejected such plans, calling them “unacceptable and irrelevant to Sudan’s future.”
So far, Sudan’s transitional authorities have not issued a formal response to the RSF’s announcement.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been gripped by a brutal civil war between the national army and the RSF. The conflict has left more than 20,000 people dead and displaced an estimated 15 million, according to the UN and local authorities. A U.S.-based academic study suggests the real death toll could be closer to 130,000.
While RSF territory is shrinking in several regions, the army is reportedly regaining ground in strategic areas such as Khartoum and White Nile State. However, the RSF continues to hold parts of Darfur, Kordofan, and Blue Nile.
The announcement of a rival government raises the stakes in Sudan’s power struggle and poses new challenges for regional diplomacy and conflict resolution efforts.