Sudan crisis 

(MainsGS2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.)

Context:

• Sudan’s military and a powerful paramilitary force battled fiercely in the capital and other areas, dealing a new blow to hopes for a transition to democracy and raising fears of a wider conflict.

Safety of Indian nationals:

• The Indian authorities were in touch with the “The Quartet” countries – U.S, U.K, Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E - to ensure the safety of Indian nationals in Sudan.  
• Diplomatic pressure appeared to be mounting. Top diplomats, including the U.S. Secretary of State, the U.N. secretary-general, the EU foreign policy chief, the head of the Arab League and the head of the African Union Commission urged the sides to stop fighting.
• Arab states with stakes in Sudan — Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — also called for a cease-fire and for both parties to return to negotiations.

About the crisis:

• The clashes capped months of heightened tensions between the military and its partner-turned-rival, the Rapid Support Forces group. 
• Those tensions had delayed a deal with political parties to get the country back to its short-lived transition to democracy, which was derailed by an October 2021 military coup.
• Sudan’s current political crisis broke out in the backdrop of the overthrow of the long-term President Omar al-Bashir
• In Sudan the paramilitary Rapid Support Force (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) are caught in a violent conflict to grab absolute state control.  
• The RSF favours a slower transition to civilian rule and the SAF favours a transition within the next two years. 
• The paramilitary has been arguing that the SAF is championing Islamists and has members of the Islamic Brotherhood in its ranks. 
• General Fattah al Burhan, leader of the SAF has argued that he wants the RSF to come under a unified command of the SAF. 
• This particular issue described as Security Sector Reform (SSR) has been at the heart of the crisis between the paramilitary and the military.

Darfur crisis:

• The RSF led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo has evolved from the Janjaweed militia that was earlier known for military excesses during the Darfur crisis which led to widespread displacement and human rights violation in the Darfur region of Sudan. 
• Saudi Arabia and Egypt have been among the leading international players who have been active in the Sudanese theatre with Sudanese analysts pointing at growing Egyptian military presence in northern Sudan.  

Conclusion:

• Pro-democracy activists have blamed Burhan and Dagalo for abuses against protesters across the country.
• The fighting could become wider and prolonged thus influencer countries need to form a coalition of regional countries to pressure the leaders of the military and RSF to de-escalate.