3 days ago
Sudan's RSF-led Coalition Forms Parallel Government amid Fears of Country's Split
A political coalition led by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced on Saturday the formation of a rival government in Sudan, reported AFP.
The move challenges the military-backed administration, raising concerns over creating a permanent division in the war-torn Sudan and further deepening its crisis after more than two years of deadly conflict. RSF Parallel Government
During a press conference in the RSF-controlled city of Nyala in South Darfur, the RSF announced the formation of a 15-member presidential council, with RSF commander, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), as its president.
The rebel leader, Abdelaziz al-Hilu, who controls parts of southern Sudan, was appointed as vice president.
Moreover, Mohamed Hassan al-Ta'ayshi, a former member of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council from 2019 to 2021, will act as prime minister. The council also includes several political figures, former officials and newly-appointed governors.
The RSF appointed El-Hadi Idris as the governor of Darfur, which now has two rival governors, as current governor, Minni Arko Minawi, is aligned with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). Sudan's Conflict
The civil war in Sudan broke out in April 2023, with the SAF and RSF engaging in deadly fighting. The conflict has spilt the country in two, with the SAF controlling the center, north and east, and the RSF holding almost all of the western Darfur region and parts of Kordofan.
In March 2025, the SAF regained control over most parts of the Sudanese capital Khartoum, in a significant victory for the country's army against the RSF. The SAF also maintain control of El-Fasher, located more than 800 kilometers southwest of Khartoum. El-Fasher is the only state capital in Darfur the RSF does not control.
The UN described the war in Sudan as 'the world's most devastating humanitarian and displacement crisis,' killing tens of thousands of people and displacing millions inside Sudan and to neighboring countries. It has displaced more than 14 million people and pushed parts of the country into famine. SAF-aligned Government
In May 2025, the Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council and the Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, appointed Kamil Idriss as the country's new prime minister.
The move followed a pledge in February to form a technocratic wartime government to help 'complete what remains of our military objectives, which is liberating Sudan from these rebels,' Al-Burhan said.
However, Idriss' government, which enjoys international recognition, still has three unfilled cabinet positions. Fears of More Division
The RSF parallel government followed an agreement signed in February among paramilitary, rebel and civilian groups during talks in Nairobi, which set the groundwork for the parallel government. The paramilitary group announced in April it would form a parallel government, sparking international concerns that the country could remain split.
During the London Conference on Sudan in mid-April, Saudi Arabia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Waleed Al-Khuraiji, condemned attempts to form parallel governments as 'illegitimate,' warning they risk derailing peace efforts and deepening divisions. He insisted solutions must respect Sudan's sovereignty and involve only its legitimate institutions.
The RSF recent announcement has sparked fears of deepening divisions in Sudan as it directly challenges the internationally-recognized government. In the light of this, UN officials warned that the RSF parallel government could further exacerbate Sudan's fragmentation and complicate efforts to end the conflict.
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