RSF Says Arrangements Complete for Formation of Parallel Govt in Sudan

Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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RSF Says Arrangements Complete for Formation of Parallel Govt in Sudan

Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohammad Hamdan Daglo, announced on Friday the completion of arrangements to form its parallel "government of peace and unity" in areas under its control.

It stressed that it will protect these regions from air strikes from the Sudanese army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, so that the new government will be able to carry out services to the people, including the printing of currency and issuing of passports.

The RSF also vowed to continue the fight against the army until it is defeated and until it liberates the Northern state, as well as the states of the River Nile, Red Sea and Kassala from "the Islamist movement," which it accuses of controlling the army.

RSF second in command Abdulrahim Hamdan Daglo told political and civilian groups in the Kenyan capital Nairobi that arrangements for the formation of the parallel government are complete.

He confirmed that machines for printing currency and passports are available.

The RSF and its allies had in late February agreed in principle to form a government for a "New Sudan" as they sought to pull legitimacy from the existing army-led government and facilitate advanced arms imports.

They agreed to a new constitution that formally establishes a government and maps out what it describes as a federal, secular state, split into eight regions.

Signatories include the SPLM-N, which controls vast areas in Sudan's South Kordofan, and other smaller groups.

Sudan was plunged in civil war in 2023 after disputes between the army and RSF over governance in wake of the ouster of longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir in 2021.

Abdulrahim Daglo said regions held by the RSF will be completely protected from army attacks – a reference that his forces may possess anti-aircraft defenses.

He vowed to rebuild what was destroyed by the war and to carry out development projects in regions held by the RSF to establish a "New Sudan".

Moreover, he said he will return to the field of battle and lead operations himself.

"We will fight them no matter where they are. The rights of the Sudanese people will never be wasted. We will liberate our people so that they can lead free and dignified lives," he stressed.

The formation of a parallel government has stoked fears of division in Sudan.

The country’s largest civilian alliance, Taqaddum, broke apart after the declaration. One camp, led by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, announced its opposition to the parallel government, while another sided with it.

Political activist Azzam Abdullah said the idea of forming a parallel government emerged after the Burhan government deprived citizens of living areas outside the army’s control of bank and education services, as well as the right to obtain identification papers and passports.

Members of the United Nations Security Council expressed their deep concern over the formation of the parallel government, saying that deepens the conflict in Sudan and may lead to its division.

The army currently controls central, northern and eastern states, while the RSF holds areas in the west and south. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced in the war.



Lebanon to Seek US Guarantees in Response to Proposal

US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack in Lebanon last week (Reuters)
US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack in Lebanon last week (Reuters)
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Lebanon to Seek US Guarantees in Response to Proposal

US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack in Lebanon last week (Reuters)
US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack in Lebanon last week (Reuters)

Lebanon plans to seek assurances from Washington on the implementation of any future deal involving Hezbollah’s disarmament, Lebanese political sources told Asharq Al-Awsat, ahead of a visit by US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack early next week.

The question of US guarantees tops Lebanon’s concerns, which are shared not only by Hezbollah but also by the Lebanese state, the sources said.

The issue is central to the discussions of a tripartite Lebanese committee that includes representatives of President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, meeting regularly at the presidential palace to draft a unified response to a US proposal.

In parallel, the Quintet group - comprising the US, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar - met at the US embassy in Beirut to discuss the situation, local media reported.

Saudi Ambassador Walid Bukhari was absent from the talks, reportedly due to travel.

According to the sources, Barrack’s visit is not solely to receive Lebanon’s response to the US proposal, but also to hold further consultations with the country’s top leaders.

The US paper outlines a phased plan prioritizing the disarmament of Hezbollah, delineation of Lebanon’s land border with Syria, and the implementation of long-delayed financial, economic, and administrative reforms.

“Lebanon views the proposal as the basis for negotiations, not a surrender document,” the sources said, noting that the primary demand to be raised will be related to binding US guarantees.

They cited the bitter experience that followed the previous ceasefire deal, after which Israel allegedly continued attacks, held on to five disputed points in southern Lebanon, and hindered the return of displaced residents—all while international aid for reconstruction failed to materialize.

“The committee is meeting almost daily,” one source said. “There is consensus on the need for an Israeli withdrawal from occupied points and an end to violations as a prerequisite for any deal. These are sovereign principles Lebanon will not abandon.”

Despite Hezbollah’s public resistance to disarmament, sources described the group’s current stance as “constructive.”

Hezbollah is said to be engaging in discussions through the state’s official channels, with party officials expressing concern over the absence of international guarantees and the risk of being sidelined politically once it gives up its arms.

“There are internal concerns that Hezbollah could be pushed out of political life, especially after talks around electoral law reforms,” one source said.

These fears are compounded by delays in international aid, reconstruction plans, and continued Israeli violations—issues that have persisted since the ceasefire in November.

On Wednesday night, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem reiterated the party’s rejection of “any threat of force or foreign meddling,” and insisted that Hezbollah would not “surrender land or weapons to the Israeli enemy” or compromise on its rights.

Qassem also accused Israel of violating the ceasefire more than 3,700 times, while the international community “watches silently, calling only for concessions.” He said Hezbollah would continue to resist, as it has done for decades.

A senior Hezbollah lawmaker said the group remains open to cooperating on strengthening the Lebanese state and restoring its authority across the country—provided Israel withdraws from disputed southern points and halts its ongoing violations.

MP Ali Fayyad, a member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, said the group “has consistently shown a positive willingness to cooperate in all matters related to state-building, institutional reform, and improving operational capacities to help achieve the desired stability.”

Speaking on Thursday, Fayyad added: “This includes supporting the state in extending its authority over all Lebanese territory and enabling it to carry out all its duties—chief among them the protection and defense of the people and sovereignty.” However, he warned, “None of this will be possible unless national efforts unite to achieve a key condition: Israel must withdraw from the five occupied positions it still holds, end its continued violations, and respect Lebanese sovereignty.”

Fayyad’s comments came amid a broader debate on the future of Hezbollah’s weapons and its role within the state.

Opposition lawmaker Fadi Karam from the Lebanese Forces party slammed Hezbollah’s rhetoric in a post on X.

Addressing Hezbollah’s Qassem, he wrote: “Your weapons have destroyed Lebanon and continue to give Israel an excuse to remain on our land. You’ve tied Lebanon to Iran. And now you claim that handing over your weapons to the Lebanese Army means handing them to Israel? That’s delusional and only exposes Lebanon to new wars.”

The statements reflect widening divisions over Hezbollah’s future role and the path toward national sovereignty and stability, as Lebanon grapples with US-led proposals aimed at de-escalating tensions and launching long-delayed reforms.