SUDAN'S BATTLE 

Cleopatra Webb 
April 24, 2023 
Introduction to International Studies 
 THE POWER STRUGGLE 
• On 15 April 2023, clashes broke out across Sudan, mainly in the capital city of Khartoum
and the Darfur region. 
• Sudan's military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the commander of paramilitary Rapid
Support Forces (RSF) Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo are battling for control in Sudan.
• Until recently they were allies, the pair worked together to topple ousted Sudaneses
president Omar al-Bashir in 2019 and played a pivotal role in the military coup in 2021. 
• Bashir ruled for three decades and during his ruling south sudan split from the north while
the criminal court issued an arrest warrant for Bashir alleged war crimes in Darfur. 
Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
 CIVILIANS FLEE HOME 
• More than 400 people have been killed and 3,700 others injured in Sudan in the fighting
according to the World Health Organization. 
• The clashes have left countless people in the country without food, water or electricity. 
• The heavy gunfire, shelling and airstrikes that have rocketed Sudan for 10 days forced
foreign countries to begin evacuating diplomatic staff and nationals over the weekend. It
also has driven thousands of Sudanese and other people across borders into Chad, Egypt and
South Sudan. 
• Governments Evacuate Diplomats and Other Foreigners From Sudan - The New York Time
s (nytimes.com)
 IS IT OVER? 
• Where the fighting will end is unclear. Both sides claim control over key site and fighting
has been reported across the country in places far from the capital khartoum. 
• Various officials and non-officials estimate that the Sudanese armed forces at around
210,220,000 and the RSF are believed to number around 70,000 but are more equipped and
trained. 
• Russia has been known to collude with Sudan's military leaders to smuggle gold out of
Sudan to boost Putin's war effort in Ukraine. 
 REFERENCES 
• Dahir, Abdi Latif, and Lynsey Chutel. “Civilians Flee Fighting in Sudan for Troubled
Neighboring Countries.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 Apr. 2023,
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/24/world/africa/sudan-war-civilians.html. 
• Elbagir, Nima, et al. “Rival Generals Are Battling for Control in Sudan. Here's a Simple
Guide to the Fighting.” CNN, Cable News Network, 24 Apr. 2023,
https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/16/africa/sudan-military-clashes-explained-intl/index.html. 
• Elbagir, Nima, et al. “Russia Is Plundering Gold in Sudan to Boost Putin's War Effort in
Ukraine.” CNN, Cable News Network, 29 July 2022,
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/29/africa/sudan-russia-gold-investigation-cmd-intl/index.html
.