HOW A MILITIA COLLAPSED SUDAN

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) emerged from the Janjaweed militia, a brutal force originally mobilised by Sudan’s government to suppress ethnic rebellions in Darfur. Over time, the RSF evolved from a state-sponsored militia into an independent military and political powerhouse, accumulating wealth through illicit gold mining and expanding its influence across Sudan. Its history of violence, from genocide in Darfur to the massacre of protesters in 2019, set the stage for its open conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in April 2023. This power struggle has plunged Sudan into the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with 150,000 dead and millions displaced.

The RSF’s reach extends beyond Sudan, having played key roles in conflicts across Africa and West Asia. It has fuelled war in the Central African Republic, backed Chadian rebels, fought as mercenaries for Saudi and UAE interests in Yemen and Libya, and even cooperated with the European Union in controversial migration-control efforts. Understanding this history is crucial to grasping the RSF’s position today - no longer just a Sudanese paramilitary, but a regional actor shaping conflicts through force, resources and foreign backing.