In war-ravaged Sudan, many young men like 27-year-old Mohamed Idris are increasingly turning to militias as a means to secure a future amidst the devastation. With no job opportunities available despite earning a university degree, Idris is now considering joining a militia camp near the Eritrean border, believing it will give him a purpose in defending his country and people.
Sudan’s conflict, which erupted in April 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has led to a humanitarian crisis. Over eight million people are displaced within Sudan, and millions more have fled the country. The UN describes this as the worst displacement crisis in the world. With famine looming, rights abuses continue to plague both sides, with the RSF accused of committing horrific acts of sexual violence.
The east of Sudan, where cities like Kassala and Gedaref are hosting more than a million displaced individuals, has largely remained peaceful. However, signs of growing militarization are evident as convoys of militia fighters, equipped with anti-aircraft weapons, traverse the streets, preparing for possible future engagements, despite the battles being hundreds of kilometers away.
Analysts warn that these new militias, many forming along ethnic and tribal lines, could prolong Sudan’s suffering. “The forces I want to join are from my tribe and family,” said Idris, representing a generation that has lost its future to war.
Faisal Mohammed Saleh, a Sudanese analyst, expressed concern about these militias, saying they have not yet joined the ongoing conflict but could be gearing up for future clashes. “These groups may be preparing for future rounds of fighting,” he stated.
Sudan has a long history of armed groups, many of which were involved in conflict with the central government, claiming to represent marginalized ethnic groups. Though many signed peace agreements in 2020, several of these rebel leaders became part of the government under army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan.
As the conflict drags on, some of these groups have declared support for the army, while others have aligned with the RSF. The rise of new militias in Sudan’s east, particularly those training in Eritrea, has added a new layer of complexity to the war. Eyewitnesses report seeing Sudanese fighters training in multiple camps across Eritrea, often linked to Burhan’s army or figures from Sudan’s ousted Islamist regime.
Historically, Sudan has relied on militias to fight wars in its peripheral regions, such as the Janjaweed militia in Darfur, which was responsible for war crimes under the rule of former dictator Omar Al-Bashir. The RSF, which evolved from the Janjaweed, is now part of the current conflict.
The increasing reliance on militias by the Sudanese state is only reinforcing the power of these groups, according to Ameer Babiker, author of Sudan’s Peace: A Quagmire of Militias and Irregular Armies. He warned that this trend will make militias impossible to bypass in the future, further fragmenting Sudan’s political and military landscape.
As the conflict continues, both the army and the RSF are struggling to maintain control. The army is becoming more reliant on communal militias and other armed groups, while the RSF is a coalition of various tribal militias and warlords. The result is a weakening central command structure, with both sides increasingly unwieldy and divided.