Learn about the major players and key players in Sudan

The bloody campaign by the Sudanese army on a protest sit-in in Khartoum this week was a major blow to efforts to establish democracy after the ouster of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on April 11.

Here are some key players and regional powers trying to strengthen their positions in Sudan.

First Team Mohammed Hamdan Daklo (Hamidati)
He is the vice president of the Transitional Military Council and arguably the strongest man in Sudan. Diklo, known as Hamidati, leads the Rapid Support Forces, a feared paramilitary force believed to consist of tens of thousands of soldiers and facing charges of genocide in the Darfur war.

Witnesses said the rapid support forces - which control Khartoum - led the campaign on the sit-in. The deployment of these forces indicates that Hamidi - a former fighter in Darfur - is in a position to make decisions at least when it comes to security.

It also derives its strength from its relations with the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Rapid support forces have helped the two Gulf states in the civil war in Yemen.

Hamidi is a prominent figure, delivering speeches among the crowds and meeting Western diplomats.

The first team corner Abdul Fattah Barhan
He is the head of the Transitional Military Council, the Inspector General of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the third largest military commander in the army. Unlike Hamidati, little is known about him in public life. He was the commander of ground forces, a position that allowed him to oversee the Sudanese forces that fought in the ranks of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.

It has close ties to senior military commanders in the Gulf by virtue of its responsibility to coordinate Sudanese military participation in the war.

The gathering of Sudanese professionals
The gathering of Sudanese professionals has led protests that have contributed to the overthrow of Bashir and is now leading a large coalition of opposition groups seeking to transfer power to civilians. The gathering consists of trade unionists and activists, including lawyers, engineers and doctors.

The demonstrators - sometimes amounting to hundreds of thousands in the sit-in - are from all strata of society. Women were a driving force during the protests in front of the Defense Ministry.

United Arab Emirates
The UAE has become increasingly powerful in the Middle East, under the policies often led by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed.

Bin Zayed has already praised Sudan for his participation in the Yemen war, but his interests in the African country go beyond the borders of the battlefields in Yemen.

Along with Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Bin Zayed is spearheading efforts to fight Islamist political movements that they see as an existential threat to their countries and the region. The three countries support the new rulers of Sudan and hope to strengthen their influence in the country.

Their main priority is to eliminate the influence of the Islamists, who have had wide influence since Bashir took power in a white coup in 1989.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia pledged $ 3 billion in aid to Sudan in April, immediately after the coup. Al-Burhan visited Egypt and the UAE a few days ago, and also visited Saudi Arabia.

Egypt
For Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the protests in Sudan are so close that they are worrying. It is a powerful reminder of the Arab spring revolutions that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak, which ultimately yielded little freedom.

The Egyptian army effectively overthrew Mubarak after protests turned out to be out of control. In 2013, Sisi, the then defense minister, announced the dismissal of President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, the first democratically elected leader in Egypt.

Sisi was later elected president and banned the Muslim Brotherhood and launched a campaign of repression against the opposition. Sisi, like his Gulf allies, wants to remove Islamists from key positions in Sudan.

Saudi
Saudi Arabia - like Egypt and the United Arab Emirates - believes the Transitional Military Council is the safest bet, at least until now. The three countries fear any repetition of the 2011 revolutions could threaten their grip on power.