Force Fight for Control Gunfire and explosions have been heard in Khartoum, Sudan, as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a notorious paramilitary force, and the country’s army clashed. The dispute centres around a proposed transition to civilian rule, with the RSF wanting a delay of 10 years, while the army proposed it should occur within two years. The RSF claims it has taken control of the airport and presidential palace, but these claims have not been confirmed. Generals have been running the country since a coup in October 2021, and a proposed move to a civilian-led government has foundered on the timetable to integrate the RSF into the national army.
Tensions have been increasing all week, with the RSF deploying forces near the military base in Merowe. Western powers and regional leaders have urged the two sides to de-escalate tensions and go back to talks aimed at restoring civilian rule. There were signs on Friday that the situation would be resolved, but the clashes suggest a worsening of the crisis. The 2021 coup ended a period of more than two years when military and civilian leaders were sharing power. There have been regular pro-democracy protests in Khartoum ever since the coup