Sudan is like, totally in chaos right now, and it’s all because these two ex-BFFs, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo—aka Hemedti—are basically in a full-blown, power-hungry breakup. So, like, the Sudanese military, which Burhan controls, just recaptured the presidential palace in Khartoum, and it’s a huge deal because the city has been, like, a total war zone for nearly two years. But, like, don’t get too excited, because the RSF, which is Hemedti’s paramilitary squad, still controls a bunch of stuff, including parts of the airport. So, yeah, the fighting is, like, soooo not over.
Okay, so let’s talk drama. Burhan and Hemedti were, like, kinda close at one point? But now they’re, like, the worst enemies ever. Burhan has been a big deal in the Sudanese military forever, but people really started paying attention to him in 2019 when Sudan’s longtime dictator, Omar al-Bashir, got the boot after, like, millions of people protested against him. Burhan was, like, “Don’t worry, guys, I got this,” and took charge in a transitional government with civilians, which seemed chill at first. But then, in October 2021, he was like, actually, never mind, and pulled off a military coup, taking full control and just, like, tossing the civilian government aside. Obviously, people were so mad, and there were huge protests, but Burhan didn’t care. He’s got, like, the army, former Bashir loyalists, and Sudan’s conservative elites on his side. But regular people? Not so much.
Now, Hemedti? Ohhh my gosh, this guy’s whole story is, like, straight-up wild. He literally used to be a camel trader in Darfur, but then he got involved with this super shady militia called the Janjaweed, which, like, carried out atrocities during the Darfur conflict in the early 2000s. Then, somehow, Bashir was like, “You know what? I love this guy,” and turned his militia into the Rapid Support Forces, which became, like, its own powerful military group. Fast-forward to 2019, and he teamed up with Burhan to take down Bashir, which, like, seemed cute for a second, but the bromance did not last. Burhan wanted the RSF to merge into the regular army, and Hemedti was like, “Umm, no thanks.” And then in April 2023, boom—total war.
Now, technically, Hemedti acts like he’s, like, all about democracy and supporting the people, but honestly? A lot of Sudanese people totally see through him. He’s got all this cash because his RSF controls, like, gold mines and smuggling operations, and he’s also rumored to be getting help from the UAE (which, like, denies it, obvi). His biggest supporters are, like, armed tribal groups in Darfur, mercenaries from Chad and Mali, and people who just don’t want Burhan running the country.
So, like, this whole war has completely wrecked Sudan. Since 2023, Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri—like, three of the country’s biggest cities—have basically been destroyed. The humanitarian situation is, like, so bad, with people literally starving. Over 12 million people have fled, and there have been horrifying reports of massacres in Darfur, where the RSF is, like, going after entire communities. It’s, like, actually so heartbreaking.
And, like, if you’re wondering who’s backing who? Well, Burhan has Egypt on his side because they think he’s, like, the safer option. Plus, Saudi Arabia and the UAE kinda give him diplomatic backing. Meanwhile, Hemedti is getting support from some crazy mix of mercenaries and foreign funders, and nobody really knows how much money he’s got coming in. But, like, at the end of the day, most Sudanese people do not want either of these guys in charge. Both sides have done terrible things, and regular civilians are just stuck in the middle, suffering while these two keep fighting over power.
So, yeah, even though Burhan’s military just took back the presidential palace, this war is so not over. The RSF is still holding major areas, and peace talks? LOL, those have basically gone nowhere. Sudan is just, like, totally trapped in this nightmare with no end in sight, and honestly? It’s, like, the worst breakup ever, but instead of just, like, unfollowing each other, they’re literally tearing the country apart.
XOXO,
Valley Girl News
Photo credit: Reuters
