We warn of El Fasher turning into a war zone between the army and the Rapid Support Forces

Governor warned Darfur region The head of the Sudan Liberation Army, Minni Arko Minawi, warned of the danger that the city of El Fasher, the capital of the Darfur region, would turn into a battlefield between the army and the Rapid Support Forces.

In his speech in the city of Mellit, North Darfur, on Thursday, Minawi renewed his call to the citizens of the region to take up arms to protect themselves and their property, adding that the current circumstance in the country necessitates carrying arms.

And the governor of the Darfur region revealed their efforts to stop the war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, while continuing to deploy military reinforcements for the joint forces consisting of the Darfur movements that signed the Juba Peace Agreement.

The International Criminal Court has launched an investigation into the escalation of hostilities in Darfur, Sudan, since mid-April, including reports of murders, rape, arson, displacement and crimes affecting children.

It is noteworthy that the army forces led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces led by Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo share areas of influence in this region, which has experienced bitter black years of fighting.

Painful memories

Since the start of the conflict between the two military forces in mid-April (2023), fears have escalated of the situation in Darfur escalating, especially since the region has witnessed intermittent tribal clashes over the past years.

This vast region, which is inhabited by several Arab and African tribes, and is famous for agriculture, and its area is approximately equivalent to France, is full of painful memories of the devastating civil war that lasted for years, leaving thousands of dead, in addition to major massacres between the tribes, two decades ago.

Fears of a civil war

The conflict broke out in 2003 when a group of rebels stood up to the government forces backed by the Janjaweed militia, which were famous at the time for riding horses, and the violence led to the killing of about 300,000 people and the displacement of millions.

Despite the many peace agreements, tension has continued since that time, like embers under the ashes, waiting for a spark to awaken it.

Violence has indeed escalated intermittently over the past two years before it calmed down relatively, only to flare up again following the conflict that erupted between the army and the Rapid Support Forces two months ago.

This infighting, which erupted between the two sides, fueled fears that this region would slip again into a fierce civil and tribal war.