The African Union (AU) has firmly opposed Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over its declaration of a rival government, warning the move jeopardizes national unity and undermines peace efforts. The RSF, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), announced a 15-member “government of peace and unity” during a press conference in Nyala, Darfur, on Saturday. The group named Mohamed Hassan al-Ta’ayshi as prime minister and appointed Hemedti to head a new presidential council, with a leader from the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North as his deputy.
In a Wednesday statement, the AU Peace and Security Council urged member states and global actors to reject the “parallel government,” calling it a threat to Sudan’s stability. The council cautioned that the RSF’s actions risked fragmenting the country and reiterated support for the transitional administration based in Port Sudan, led by former UN official Kamil Idris. It also demanded an immediate end to hostilities, echoing concerns from the Arab League, which described the RSF’s move as an effort to “impose a de facto reality by military force” that could splinter Sudan into “warring cantons.” Saudi Arabia similarly warned against actions that might deepen division.
The AU and United Nations condemned external interference in Sudan’s conflict, with the UN repeatedly highlighting violations of arms embargoes. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) faces widespread allegations of supplying weapons to the RSF in Darfur, a claim Abu Dhabi denies despite corroborating reports from UN experts and diplomats. Meanwhile, Sudan’s army-aligned government accused Kenya of enabling RSF-linked meetings in Nairobi earlier this year, alleging the talks facilitated the rival government’s formation. Kenya rejected the claims, though Sudanese authorities pointed to the presence of Hemedti’s brother, Abdul Rahim Dagalo, at the Nairobi discussions.
The power struggle between Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and Hemedti has fueled a devastating war since April 2023. Once allies in ousting longtime leader Omar al-Bashir in 2019 and orchestrating a 2021 coup, the two now control divided territories: the army holds Khartoum and northern regions, while the RSF dominates Darfur and parts of Kordofan. Local rights groups report hundreds killed in recent attacks, and the UN warns the conflict has caused tens of thousands of deaths, displacing millions and triggering a catastrophic hunger crisis.
The AU reaffirmed support for peace initiatives, including the 2023 Jeddah Declaration, and backed UN Security Council demands for the RSF to end its siege of El Fasher, where civilians face starvation and mass violence. As international bodies push for dialogue, the RSF’s latest move has drawn sharp rebukes, deepening fears of prolonged instability in a nation already grappling with what the UN calls the world’s largest displacement emergency.
