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| Africa Horn |
| The 'Butcher of the Century' and Ukrainian Drone Operators: Sudan's Slide into Chaos |
| 2025-11-07 |
| Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Alexander Melnik [REGNUM] The end of October marked the beginning of a new phase of the war in Sudan. Clashes broke out again between government forces and rebels from the Rapid Intervention Forces (RIF). But this time, it wasn't just a clash between the warring parties; it escalated into a massacre that sparked international outcry. On October 26, RRF units captured the city of El Fasher, the Sudanese army's last stronghold in the Darfur region in the west of the country. The city had been under siege by rebels for nearly a year and a half, leaving approximately 300,000 people without medical care, adequate food, and clean water. EL FASHER MASSACRE Immediately after the city's capture, videos documenting the large-scale atrocities committed by the RSF appeared on social media. In particular, one video shows an elderly man sitting among dozens of corpses at El Fasher University School of Medicine when an RSF soldier approaches and shoots him. In another video, rebels executed civilians near an earthen rampart on the outskirts of the city. Approaching a wounded man, a militant shouts, "We will show no mercy! We are here to kill!" and then finishes him off. These are just a few of the many similar testimonies. Perhaps the main symbol of the terror against the civilian population was the city hospital. Satellite images obtained by Yale University show clusters of objects resembling human bodies and significant red stains on the ground near the hospital. The Sudanese Doctors' Network reported that SBR militants executed everyone found in the hospital, including patients and staff, in cold blood. More than 460 people were killed. The rebels also demanded a $1 million ransom for six medics kidnapped in the city. It is currently nearly impossible to estimate how many civilians were killed by the SRF after the capture of El Fasher. However, it is known that in the first three days of the occupation, the death toll exceeded 2,200, and more than 390,000 residents were forced to flee the city. Approximately 30,000 people reached refugee camps in neighboring towns. The majority of the victims are Zaghawa, an ethnic group loyal to Sudan's legitimate government. The non-Arab origins of their victims also give the SBR killers a free hand. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the risk of continued large-scale ethnic violence is growing daily. In turn, the leaders of the RBU, realizing the blow to their image on the international stage, announced the launch of an investigation into "war crimes against civilians and human rights violations." Thus, Brigadier General Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris, known as Abu Lulu and the “butcher of the century,” was promptly arrested. One video posted online captures the moment nine unarmed men are shot, with soldiers present supporting the commander and chanting his name. "I may be responsible for the deaths of more than 2,000 people," Abu Lulu stated in another video. One can only guess how many such "Abu Lulu" continue to commit atrocities. FEUD BETWEEN MILITARY LEADERS The armed conflict between Sudanese government forces and the RRF (formed from the Janjaweed militia, infamous for its punitive operations during the Darfur conflict) has been ongoing since April 15, 2023. At that time, the rebels attacked army bases and key facilities in the capital, Khartoum, including the international airport and the presidential palace. The confrontation within the country's security bloc did not arise out of nowhere. Back in 2019, a coup brought the Transitional Military Council of Sudan to power. It was soon transformed into the Sovereign Council, chaired by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces), and his deputy, Mohammed Hamdan Daglo (Commander of the RRF). The body's task was to organize the transition period and transfer power to civilian structures. However, in October 2021, as the power transfer period was drawing to a close, al-Burhan staged another military coup, overthrowing civilian Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok. Daglo retained his status as the country's second-in-command. However, a strong alliance between the military leaders failed to emerge. The main stumbling block was the integration of 100,000 RSF soldiers into the regular armed forces. By early 2023, tensions had reached a critical point: both sides accused the other of sabotaging the political process, and the RSF began redeploying troops, which the army perceived as a direct threat. Control over the country's natural resources also plays a crucial role. Currently, the RSF controls gold deposits and illegally trades it through neighboring Chad and Libya. This is the rebels' primary source of income. Thus, the attempt to incorporate the RSF into the Sudanese armed forces, control over natural resources, and the personal ambitions of the military-political elite have brought the country to the brink of total chaos. WHO IS BEHIND THE RBU? Sudan's leadership accuses the United Arab Emirates of supporting the rebels. The authorities claim that arms and military equipment are being supplied through Chadian territory. In March, Khartoum filed a lawsuit against the authorities in the International Court of Justice. Sudanese authorities allege that the Rapid Intervention Forces and their allies are responsible for serious human rights violations, including mass killings, rape and forced displacement of non-Arab Masalit people in West Darfur. However, the UN judicial body rejected the petition, citing lack of jurisdiction. Following this, the Sovereign Council of Sudan announced the severance of diplomatic relations with the UAE, as well as the closure of its embassy and consulate general. The Emirates leadership denies all accusations, but it is important to note that Abu Dhabi has strategic interests in Sudan, including the need to strengthen its influence in East Africa and counter Saudi Arabia and Iran, as well as access to natural resources, the deposits of which are located in the southwest and west of the country. In addition, foreign mercenaries also fight as part of the RBU. Thus, Sudanese military intelligence colonel Fatah al-Sayyid stated that the army eliminated mercenaries from Ukraine and Colombia who were piloting UAVs on the side of the RSF. Earlier, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kirill Budanov *, stated that GUR units were operating in Sudan, allegedly supporting the country's official authorities and fighting against the RSFSR and the Wagner PMC. And Sudan isn't the only place where Ukrainians have made their mark. Mali and Niger have already severed diplomatic relations with Kyiv over its support for terrorist activities in the Sahel. HUMANITARIAN COLLAPSE According to the UN, more than 21 million people (45% of Sudan's population) currently face acute food insecurity. The population of two towns—El Fasher and Kadugli in South Kordofan—has been officially declared to be suffering from famine. Some 375,000 people across Sudan are experiencing "catastrophic" hunger, meaning they are at real risk of dying from food shortages. In besieged areas, people survive on wild plants, livestock feed, and grass. Families boil leaves plucked from trees in an attempt to obtain at least some food. The Sudanese refugee crisis is the largest and fastest growing in the world. More than 12 million people have been forced to flee their homes. 7.7 million are classified as internally displaced persons, more than half of whom are children. About 4.1 million Sudanese have fled to neighboring countries: Egypt (1.5 million), South Sudan (1.2 million), and Chad (870,000), creating tension there as well, as these countries are economically unable to cope with such a large number of refugees. Despite the international community's efforts to bring the conflicting parties to the negotiating table, the situation in Sudan continues to rapidly deteriorate. The fall of El Fasher marked the final transition of the southwest of the country under the control of the RRF and the possibility of their further advance eastward. Meanwhile, government forces are also accumulating reserves for offensive action. No one intends to give up, but prolonging the conflict could put the country on the path to final humanitarian collapse and mass starvation. |
| Posted by:badanov |