- RSF leader Hemedti unveils a parallel administration in Nyala, Darfur.
- Rebel Abdel Aziz al-Hilu appointed deputy; Mohamed al-Taishi named Prime Minister.
- Sudanese army condemns the move and labels it a threat to national unity.
- RSF aims for a secular “New Sudan” while naming governors in army-held areas.
- Burhan vows to reclaim control as the war rages on for over two years.
- UN says the crisis has pushed over half of Sudan’s population toward famine.
Sudan’s political crisis worsened on Saturday after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), under the leadership of General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), launched a parallel government. The announcement was made in Nyala, Darfur’s largest city, which is currently under RSF occupation.
Hemedti now heads a new Presidential Council with 15 members. Rebel commander Abdel Aziz al-Hilu has been appointed as his deputy, while former civilian leader Mohamed Hassan al-Taishi has been named the Prime Minister.
The RSF presented this move as the beginning of a transition toward a secular and inclusive Sudan, separate from the military-dominated administration in Khartoum. This declaration directly challenges the legitimacy of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s government.
Despite this bold announcement, the move has sparked fresh tensions as RSF officials went ahead and named governors in regions still under army control
The Sudanese Armed Forces, led by General Burhan, have rejected the formation of the new government. In a swift and stern response, the army declared it would not recognise the council and promised to push forward with its military campaign to regain all territory under RSF control.
Burhan and Hemedti once allies following the fall of long-serving President Omar al-Bashir in 2019, became rivals after the 2021 coup that sidelined civilian leadership.
While political leaders fight for control, civilians remain trapped in what the United Nations has described as one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters. Continuous fighting in areas like Kordofan and al-Fashir has led to widespread displacement and hunger.
More than half of Sudan’s population is now facing severe food shortages, with thousands killed and millions forced to flee since the civil war erupted 27 months ago. Both Hemedti and Burhan remain under U.S. sanctions for their respective roles in blocking peace and committing alleged atrocities.
As the RSF and Sudanese army continue their bitter rivalry, hopes for a peaceful resolution are quickly fading. The establishment of a rival government threatens to split the country even further, with grave consequences for Sudan’s future.
