Leaders of the Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces, a Sudanese umbrella group also known as Taqaddum, have warned of the war in Sudan spreading to the Horn of Africa.
The Sudanese Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces is a coalition of civil society, youth, vocational and feminist groups working towards bolstering democracy and human rights in Sudan. The body is led by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.
The coalition has been active in recent months to help end the war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday, one of the Taqaddum leaders, Arwa al-Sadiq, called for an immediate ceasefire to avert the risk of a large-scale regional conflict.
He said the escalating war was likely to attract interventions from armed groups from Ethiopia and Eritrea.
The entry of the Chadian forces into Darfur, al-Sadiq pointed out, increased the possibility of the Sudan conflict expanding to achieve geopolitical goals.
He, however, revealed intensive diplomatic moves at the regional and international levels, including an imminent visit by a delegation from the African Union Peace and Security Council, to calm tensions.
Meanwhile, Maj Gen Moatasim Abdul-Gadir said the military operations pointed to the progress of SAF in the areas of Khartoum, Bahri, and Omdurman, which prompted RSF to retreat towards Darfur and Chad.
He added that the continuation of the operations could lead to the end of the rebellion by the end of the year.
RSF political advisor Pasha Tibeq, said in an X message that the victories announced by SAF were merely a cover up for the defeats of “the mercenary movements” in West Darfur.
He stressed that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, through its Al-Baraa Brigades, supported terrorism in Sudan, which increased the risk of its expansion in the region.
This week, the US envoy Tom Perriello, called for the deployment of international forces to protect civilians, pointing to SAF’s hostility towards the return to a democratic system.
A leading member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N), Adel Shaloka, warned that the war could continue for years, which would deepen the suffering of the people, amid international and regional exploitation of the conflict for economic and political interests.
As the war enters its second year, Sudan’s two warring factions remain locked in a deadly power struggle. Since the conflict began on April 15, 2023, almost 15,000 people have been killed, and more than 8.2 million have been displaced, giving rise to the worst displacement crisis in the world.