Darfur Regional Governor and leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement, Minni Arko Minnawi, has issued a stark warning about the growing risk of Sudan’s fragmentation. Speaking to tribal leaders in Port Sudan on Friday, Minnawi cautioned that recent developments—particularly the formation of a parallel government by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—could push the country toward division if left unchecked.
He revealed that a diplomat from a major global power contacted him early in the conflict to gauge his opinion on the prospect of dividing Sudan into three governments, suggesting that international actors may be entertaining a post-unity future for the country. Minnawi rejected such plans outright, stating, “The Sudanese people will not allow the country to be divided according to the vision of the RSF.”
The governor also accused senior Sudanese officials of turning their backs on Darfur after the national army regained control of key central regions, including Khartoum and Al-Jazirah. He warned against the dangerous belief that victory in central Sudan equates to control over the entire nation, stressing that Darfur is not a peripheral concern but a resource-rich region with deep ties to neighboring African states.
Minnawi’s comments come days after the RSF announced the formation of a rival government with its commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) as head of a new presidential council and Abdelaziz al-Hilu, leader of SPLM-North, as his deputy. The United Nations had previously warned that such a move could further destabilize Sudan and erode chances for national reconciliation.
He urged all political and military forces rejecting the RSF’s project to unite swiftly, warning that failure to do so may solidify the path toward a divided and weakened Sudan.
