SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Sudan Tribune - Sudan’s hidden power struggle between Burhan, Hemedti over civil service

28/9/2022: Sudan Tribune - Sudan’s hidden power struggle between Burhan, Hemedti over civil service

Sudan Tribune report on a power struggle between Sudan’s military leaders – the chair of the Sovereign Council and army chief Abdulfattah al-Burhan and Sovereign Council vice-president Himedti, who commands the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia.

As Himedti expressed vehement opposition to integrating the RSF into the army back in May 2021, and used soft power to buy influence in the civil service, army circles grew concerned of the RSF’s growing strength making it on par with the national army.

According to Himedti’s advisors, al-Burhan sought to “set [Himedti] up for failure” by tasking him to lead an economic committee tackling an array of longstanding challenges.

Himedti had also initially refused to support al-Burhan’s 25 October 2021 military coup, after which al-Burhan started to reintegrate Islamists into the civil service - which political analyst Mohamed Idris said aimed to weaken Himedti’s leverage given Islamist’s animosity towards Himedti.