Sudan's army and rival force clash, wider conflict feared

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JACK JEFFERY 14 minutes ago

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — Fierce clashes between Sudan’s military and the country’s powerful paramilitary force erupted Saturday in the capital and elsewhere in the African nation, raising fears of a wider conflict in the chaos-stricken country.

In Khartoum, the sound of heavy firing could be heard in a number of areas, including the city center and the neighborhood of Bahri.

In a series of statements, the Rapid Support Forces militia accused the army of attacking its forces at one of its bases in south Khartoum. They claimed they seized the city’s airport and “completely controlled” Khartoum’s Republican Palace, the seat of the country’s presidency. The group also said it seized an airport and air base in the northern city of Merowe some 350 kilometers (215 miles) northwest of Khartoum. The Associated Press was unable to verify those claims.

The Sudanese army said fighting broke out after RSF troops tried to attack its forces in the southern part of the capital, accusing the group of trying to take control of strategic locations in Khartoum, including the palace. The military also declared the RSF a rebel force and described the paramilitary’s statements as “lies.”



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/sudan-khartoum-firing-coup-deal-85464b8f9b7eaf1f7ec77eb7337d7881

[Tetrachloride]

1. Wikipedia challenge of Sudan conflicts

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudanese_Civil_War

apparently this one applies: War in Darfur

I dare DU to click even once.

[ancianita]

2. Okay. I read it. It's f'n hard reading.

So to me this is a hot mess that looks to be both
-- a war for food control (which always leads to starvation; e.g., Stalin & Hitler starving out Ukrainians in '35), thus the control of agricultural lands fertilized by oil-based nitrogen fertilizer, and
-- a war for the oil deal with China.

In these hot mess conflicts that send millions to other countries, the party that benefits are arms dealers, foreign parties of oil contracts with governments. Those who battle their countrymen do so for reasons of food, tribe, male power, religion, but nothing that has to do with structuring current or new government to share the national resources within their own country. Or establish any peace but temporary for regrouping. Over time, adrenaline addictions and chronic trauma mentally and emotionally disable farmers-turned-warriors from doing much else in the short or long run.

Who are hurt are the women, children, and elders. There is no safety in their home country, and so lots of foreign help in evacuating them. They'd do better to rebuild their lives elsewhere.

Just my know-nothing layperson's opinion.

[Tetrachloride]

4. I am likely the closest DU member to it

and nobody is saying much here. there’s an awful lot of sand between sudan and me.

[ancianita]

5. I'm sorry. I tried. I've visited two nations -- South Africa and Mozambique -- met leaders there.

But every country of Africa is different, and I wish we here could know more to do more, but how the US deals with suffering countries has been a bitter issue among citizens.

Considering you yourself don't have much to say, you could have signaled that your "challenge" wasn't serious. But I'm glad I took it that way, because I now realize how complicated and long the Sub-Sahara conflicts have been.

[Tetrachloride]

6. it was a pseudo challenge. not many DU are in foreign policy

or foreign countries. that was the most complicated wiki page without math that i ever saw.

[Tetrachloride]

7. by car, i could be in Sudan in about 15 hours

so I am a bit close. more migrants from Sudan or Horn of Africa every month

ps . 4.5 M earthquake real near me 19 hours ago

[ancianita]

8. Wow. Even "a bit close," that would be a helluva drive. And unpredictable.

Yes, I'm sure migrations are moving where food and water and peace are. Interesting to hear of an earthquake; I never knew Africa had them, it seems so solid and so high above sea levels.

[Tetrachloride]

9. the fractures here are small. i suspect it was loosely related to the Turkish earthquakes

i do find a lot of seashells and fossil clams and coral. i believe they are from ancient uplifted sea bed.

there are 2 roads that i can see from central or eastern egypt to sudan. only 2. i presume that south of Aswan is either fisherman or military. never been over there. i stay home

[ancianita]

10. I see.

Yes. Stay home. Roads are not for civilians crossing borders.

[roamer65]

3. I expect it to get worse.

In Sudan and elsewhere.

[OrangeJoe]

11. Sudan back in the day

We traveled throughout Sudan back in 1981-1982, spending a total of 6 months there. It was the most interesting, amazing, friendly & untouched country I've ever seen. In the South there were actual naked tribesmen ala National Geographic. The average woman was as tall as me, 6'5', and many men touched 7'.

The North and East were full on Arab & Bedja (Bedoin). Picture 6'4" guys with flowing white robes, turbans and SWORDs in their waistbands. We visited Bedja camps and were treated like kings. Ordinary Sudanese invited us into their homes to eat and spend the night.

I'm afraid lots of that has changed, the internet & cell phones are everywhere. We were the sole visitors to the pyramids at Meroe, actually bunked down at the local police station/jail because there was no accommodation. Outside of Khartoum we saw a total of 4 Westerners the entire time we were there.

Sadly the discovery of oil has exacerbated the conflicts between Christian/animist South and the Muslim North. To be honest I don't hold out a lot of hope that they can ever get past the crushing poverty of the many and the greed of the few.