Surrounded by militias, Sudanese fear endless cycle of war
The army’s reliance on armed groups has raised fears of another split as militias patrol army-held cities with heavy weapons, analysts said.
- On Thursday, July 23, 2026, Sudan's army is relying on a new coalition of militias to fight the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces , sparking fears of repeating the cycles of violence that devastated the nation.
- Three years ago, the RSF—formerly a state-backed militia known as the Janjaweed—turned against the army, sparking a conflict that killed more than 200,000 people by some estimates.
- In army-controlled cities like Khartoum and Wad Madani, heavily armed militiamen roam markets despite government weapon bans, with wary civilians describing them as "allies for now."
- Sudan Shield Forces leader Abu Aqla Kaykal has created "his own fiefdom where he has unchecked power" in Al-Jazira state, raising questions about his loyalty to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
- Analysts warn these militias are "all mercenaries looking out for their own interests," suggesting their alliance with Sudan's army is temporary and vulnerable to future betrayal when goals diverge.
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12 Articles
Malay Mail
AlKhaleej TodayIs Sudan setting itself up for another militia crisis?
KHARTOUM, July 23 — In Sudan’s capital, young militiamen, some no older than 15, ride around in pickup trucks mounted with missiles: a familiar sight to civilians who remember how the current war began. Three years ago, a powerful militia that had come under the auspices of the state – the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – turned against the army, sparking a conflict that has killed more than 200,000 people by some estimates. Now, with S…
The Japan Times
Surrounded by militias, Sudanese fear endless cycle of war
Sudan's army is relying on a new coalition of militias to fight against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, itself a militia that had come under the auspices of the state.
Growing Power of Pro-Army Militias Raises Concerns in Sudan
Growing numbers of Sudanese civilians are expressing concern that armed groups fighting alongside the Sudanese Armed Forces could eventually become a threat to the military itself, raising fears of a repeat of the circumstances that led to the current conflict, according to an AFP report.
Three years after the beginning of the war, armed groups of all kinds patrol the territories controlled by the army.Civilists... Read more In Sudan, armed militias spread fear on the streets of Khartoum appeared first on Le Singulier.
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