The armed movements in Darfur face a complex situation in the context of the war that has been raging since April. While the majority of them adopt a position of neutrality, some are pushed to take sides by military and paramilitary forces. However, these armed movements that signed the Juba peace agreement in 2020 continue to refuse to engage in this war, which they consider absurd.
According to them, this fight mainly pits the former partners, and the regular army has failed to protect the inhabitants of Darfur against the atrocities perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). They also criticize the army for having delayed creating the civil protection force, provided for in the peace agreement and which should number 20,000 men.
Faced with this situation, Minni Minnaoui, leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement and current governor of Darfur, initiated the creation of a joint force in partnership with the Justice and Equality movement and the Sudan Liberation Movement – the Transitional Council . This force aims to protect Darfur as well as humanitarian and medical aid convoys.
However, not all armed movements in Darfur share the position of neutrality. The Sudan Liberation Movement-North, Mostapha Tambour faction, recently participated in the fighting alongside the regular army against the RSF. This movement defected from Mohamad Nour’s movement in 2018. Furthermore, the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Sudan-North, led by Abdelaziz el-Helou and based in South Kordofan, is engaged in conflicts against the army without be a signatory to the peace agreement.
The situation therefore remains very complex in Darfur, where certain armed movements refuse to take sides in the war, while others engage alongside the regular army or lead independent battles. The success of the Juba peace agreement remains uncertain, and it is essential to continue to closely monitor developments in this region.