Sudan’s Political Escalation: From a De Facto to a Multi-sided Caretaker Governments

As the war enters its sixth month, political escalations have started sailing towards a dangerous path; the war-torn countries have sailed into the establishment of“two-caretaker governments” within the same county by the warring parties. This is a new level of escalation since the war erupted, as it’s a sign of dividing the country into two sides, as it has been in Libya, Yemen, and Syria. These escalations bring flashbacks of the war-torn Sudan in the 19th century, in which the SPLM establishment of a de facto government ended up splitting the country. Since 2013, there have been two governments: one within the Blue Nile state and the rest-of-the-state government. But now, after five months of this war, a new de facto one has been established within the South Darfur region by the SPLM/N–Abdel Wahid Nur’s faction, fueling the already-tensioned political crisis.

This political escalation started after SAF’s Chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, reached Portsudan state and started a neighboring countries tour. After he visited Turkey, news of establishing a caretaker government surfaced from pro-SAF media. Shortly after this news surfaced, a statement was issued by the RSF’s commander, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, warning that establishing a caretaker government within SAF’s territory would result in the RSF doing the same within theirs.

These escalations were met by mass worried and frightened responses, especially from the FFC-CC’s executive office and Justice and Equity Movement —JEM for a better solution by negotiating a peace agreement first and then discussing a caretaker government.

Sudan, driven by the war and its implications, faces a more significant threat that might tear the country into splitting non-state territories.