Sudan: West Darfur Governor Abducted, Killed

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Facts

  • West Darfur state governor Khamis Abakar was reportedly abducted and killed on Wednesday, with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) blaming its rival, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), for the killing. Abakar had accused the RSF and its allies of violence against civilians.1
  • Only hours before he was killed, Abakar described the RSF's actions in Darfur's regional capital of El Geneina as "genocide," alleging that "civilians are being killed randomly and in large numbers" and that the SAF did not leave its base to defend civilians.2
  • The RSF denied involvement in the killing, saying that two "outlaws" committed the crime and that the SAF's intelligence apparatus was trying to spark a tribal conflict in Darfur.3
  • The RSF added that Abakar had asked for their protection but was kidnapped and killed by rioters after taking refuge in an RSF-held government office.3
  • The current conflict in Sudan started in mid-April between Abdel Fattah al-Burhan's SAF and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. Heavy fighting erupted in Khartoum, killing hundreds of civilians. As neither side has gained the upper hand to date, fighting has spread to other regions, such as Darfur.4
  • More than 1.8K people have been killed since the onset of fighting, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), with around 2M people being displaced, including 476K who have sought refuge in neighboring countries, according to the UN.5

Sources: 1Al Jazeera, 2France 24, 3Middle East Eye, 4The New Arab, and 5Al Arabiya English.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by New York Times. Since the eruption of violence in Sudan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has worked hard to stamp out violence, bring about a peaceful solution, and provide safe passage for humanitarian aid. The US is doing its part in enabling diplomatic resolution and committing itself to supporting refugees until a ceasefire or permanent agreement is reached.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by AL. Though the US and Saudi Arabia brokered a ceasefire, it's undeniable that Washington has significant responsibility for the fighting in Sudan. The US failed to rein in the country's top generals when mounting tensions between forces led by Burhan and Dagalo indicated that a prolonged conflict was likely to erupt. Facilitating a truce is the least US leaders can do for the region, given this negligence.
  • Cynical narrative, as provided by NPR Online News. Each warring side in Sudan is still battling for supremacy over the country, which indicates they're in no way serious about these ceasefires or peace talks. If the two continue to see each other as an existential threat, it will be impossible to find the middle ground necessary to stop the fighting and prevent the nation from being destroyed.