Sudan Liberation Movement forces heading from the Nile River to Khartoum to fight with the army (social media)

Three of the armed movements that signed the Juba Peace Agreement with the Sudanese government, signed in October 2020, decided on their position and officially abandoned the neutrality they declared after the outbreak of war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces and decided to fight the battles alongside the army.

Forces from the Justice and Equality Movement, led by Jibril Ibrahim, and forces from the Sudan Liberation Movement, led by Mustafa Tambour, participated in the recent battles in Old Omdurman and in the east of the country on the border with Al-Jazira State, which the Rapid Support Forces took control of.

This week, the head of the Sudan Liberation Movement, Minni Arko Minawi, led a huge force from the Nile River state in the north of the country to the Wadi Sidna military region in Omdurman, north of the capital Khartoum, announcing participation in the upcoming battles.

Leave neutrality

After the outbreak of the war, 3 of the armed movements participating in government under the Juba Agreement decided not to interfere in the fighting and to remain neutral, and issued a statement of their position, in an attempt to limit the conflict and limit it to the army and rapid support.

The Sudan Liberation Movement-Transitional Council, led by Al-Hadi Idris, and the Sudan Liberation Forces, led by Al-Tahir Hajar, abstained from signing the statement. The two men were members of the Sovereignty Council at the time and chose to join the movement calling for an end to the fighting, and the Council’s President, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, later issued a decision to dismiss them from their positions.

About two weeks after the outbreak of fighting in mid-April 2023, the four main Darfur movements (Sudan Liberation, Sudan Liberation - Transitional Council, Justice and Equality, and Sudan Liberation Forces) formed a joint force to protect civilians in the region, to secure the arrival of humanitarian aid and secure important headquarters and institutions. In El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.

On November 16, 2023, Minawi, Jibril, and Mustafa Tambour announced their alignment with the army, preceded by Malik Aqar, who was appointed Vice-President of the Sovereignty Council, justifying their shift with the horrific violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces, while Al-Hadi Idris and Al-Taher Hajar insisted on not loyal to any party. From both sides of the fighting.

Leaders in the Justice and Equality Movement are preparing to participate in the upcoming battles for Gezira State (social networking sites)

Contrasts and divisions

The differing positions of the leaders of the armed movements regarding the war affected the joint force in Darfur, as it stopped performing protection tasks and providing aid, which cast a shadow over the humanitarian situation in the region, and it began to face a horrific food shortage that turned into famine in many displacement camps.

It also seemed clear that the war had caused strong divisions among these movements, as the Justice and Equality Movement split into two factions, one of which was led by Jibril Ibrahim, while Suleiman Sandal led another faction whose positions seemed closer to Rapid Support.

The Al-Hadi Idris group is also facing disagreements and announced splits, as a group of them, led by Salah Rasas, went to meet Al-Burhan and declare their support for the army and remove Idris from the leadership of the movement.

Despite their biased position early on, the movements did not engage in field combat with the army until recently, as forces from the Justice and Equality Party participated in the ancient battles of Omdurman, days after the graduation of 1,500 of its fighters in Kassala state, east of the country.

The movement's leader, Jibril Ibrahim, stressed - when addressing the graduates on March 9 - that "the soldiers' contribution will be strong in defeating the Rapid Support."

He said that the decision to abandon neutrality "constituted a major change in the field" and that it represents a step forward to end the rebellion soon. He stressed that the movement's forces are deployed in Darfur and in many areas and enjoy a high degree of training.

Jibril Ibrahim (left) pledged to participate with the army in eliminating the Rapid Support “rebellion” (social networking sites)

Tipping the balance

According to information obtained by Al Jazeera Net, the 10th Battalion of Justice and Equality, led by Major General Al-Toum Hamid Tutu, participated in the operation to liberate the radio on March 12.

A large part of the force that completed its training in Kassala arrived at Sarkab camp, north of Omdurman, while the rest headed to Al-Faw in Gedaref State to participate in the upcoming battles on the island.

For his part, the head of the Sudan Liberation Movement, Mustafa Tambour, confirmed to Al Jazeera Net the presence of his forces in Darfur and their participation in the recent confrontations that took place in Gedaref, eastern Sudan, where the army clashed with a Rapid Support Force in the Al-Khayari area near Al-Jazeera State.

Tambour says that many of his soldiers were injured in this battle, and that about 450 others are currently in the military mobilization advancing to liberate Al-Jazira State.

He believes that the armed movements entering the battlefield against the Rapid Support will contribute strongly to tipping the balance in favor of the army, given their awareness of the tactics on which the “militia” relies, and thus “making it very easy to eliminate it on the island and everywhere.”

He attributes the delay in participation in the battles to the presence of the majority of the force in Darfur, and not assembling it as required, adding, "But now the preparations are completely complete."

For his part, spokesman for the joint force, Ahmed Hussein Mustafa, confirms that the movements participating in the fighting will change the balance of power in favor of the army.

Speaking to Al Jazeera Net, Mustafa points out that these movements have high experience and tactics similar to the Rapid Support in terms of agility, speed, mobile fighting methods, and a strong will to "defeat the Rapid Support after months of neutrality."

Moral justification

For his part, Minawi officially announced this week that he would fight alongside the army, and led a military movement from his forces, which were based in the Nile River State in northern Sudan, to the Wadi Sidna military region and handed over the force to General Yasser Al-Atta, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Army.

He said that his forces "have a special school in defending rights and the homeland, and they are determined to support the army in expelling foreigners and preventing looting and occupying homes."

Minawi explained that they waited 10 months in the hope that solutions would be agreed upon to stop the war, but without results, adding, “Therefore, the movement must contribute to returning civilian property and restoring state sovereignty.”

Minawi has the largest number of troops and advanced military equipment, and estimates indicate that the number of his fighters exceeds 30,000 soldiers, the majority of whom are concentrated in North Darfur state.

In turn, lawyer and researcher Abdel Basset Al-Hajj believes in his interview with Al Jazeera Net that the position of the armed movements that signed the Juba Agreement was critical after the outbreak of the war, because they are part of the existing government, and while they retained their forces and did not implement demobilization and reintegration programs, they had to, according to their political positions, participate with the army.

He expressed his confidence in the possibility of the movements tipping the balance in favor of the army due to their experience in field dealing with Rapid Support and their own combat capabilities.

Al-Hajj says that the justifications for the Rapid Support Forces’ “rebellion” against the army and “committing horrific violations that amount to war crimes in Darfur, Khartoum, Al-Jazira, and others” gave these movements a justification to announce their support for the army, especially with the Rapid Support Forces enlisting Arab tribal militias in Darfur to fight on their side, in addition to factions. Others, including Tamazuj and the Abu Aqla Kikal group in the Gezira and the mayor Abu Shutal in the Blue Nile.

He believes that the moral motivation of the movements to support the army is correct in principle, but it may have serious repercussions in the future, including that the war may strengthen the status of these forces and thus make the army’s mission difficult during demobilization and reintegration procedures.

Source: Al Jazeera