NAIROBI, February 24. /TASS/. Sudan’s rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have announced the formation of an independent government, the local Star newspaper reported.
According to the newspaper, the charter was signed at a closed-door meeting in the early hours on February 23 in Nairobi, despite the protests from the ruling Sovereignty Council led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The Sudanese authorities earlier condemned Kenya for hosting an RSF conference and recalled the ambassador from Nairobi.
The charter was reportedly signed by more than 20 political parties across Sudan, ten civil society organizations and five RSF armed groups. Under the charter, a new army is to be formed in Sudan that would refrain from political interference and would put an end to the ongoing war in the country, would fight against terrorism and strengthen diplomatic relations with neighbors.
The situation in Sudan escalated in April 2023 amid disagreements between the army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who also heads the ruling Sovereignty Council, and the head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The main points of contention between the two military organizations are related to the timeline and methods of forming unified armed forces of Sudan, as well as who should become the commander-in-chief of the army: a career military officer, the option supported by al-Burhan, or an elected civilian president, as Dagalo insists.
On April 15, armed clashes between the rival military factions erupted near a military base in Merowe and in the capital, Khartoum. The conflict has left thousands dead and tens of thousands injured.