Rapid Support Forces

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are a Sudanese paramilitary group currently engaged in a civil war with the Sudanese army, a conflict that began in 2023. They are newsworthy due to their ongoing military actions, territorial gains, and the severe humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflict. Recent events include the RSF's alleged drone attack on an army base in Sinja, their siege of a key town in Kordofan (which the Sudanese army claims to have broken), and the army's redeployment to retake territory in Kordofan and Darfur from the RSF. The RSF has also been accused of widespread human rights abuses, including sexual violence, rape (including of infants), and other atrocities. The conflict involving the RSF is driving a major food crisis, displacement, and reshaping social norms, making them a significant factor in Sudan's current instability and humanitarian emergency.