Saving Sudan from Itself

Addressing the Structural Fault Lines

Abstract

Sudan has faced internal political turmoil and fragmentary armed conflicts since independence in 1956. Transitioning from a dependent territory to a politically and democratically stable independent country has been challenging. The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April 2023 resulted from a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This confrontation has far- reaching consequences for Sudan's political stability, security situation, and humanitarian conditions, impeding national reconciliation and regional and international peace and stability. The clash highlights the challenges faced by the transitional government and the urgent need for pragmatic measures to address factionalism within the military and underscores the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying causes, dynamics, and implications of the conflict. This paper aims to contribute to scholarly discussions on conflict resolution, political extremism, and state capture by the military and the prospects for national peace and regional and international peace and stability by addressing the structural causes of conflict rather than the triggers. The paper used a qualitative approach relying on content analysis method. The material requirement is the use of secondary sources.