The current conflict dates back to the end of the rule of Sudan's authoritarian President Omar Al-Bashir in 2019.

For decades, his rule was supported by the country's official army, the Sudan Armed Forces, or SAF. The army is now under the command of General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, who has become the country's de facto ruler.

But ousted dictator Al-Bashir also relied on the support of several militias, including the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF. These are now led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who is commonly known as Hemeti.

Following the fall of al-Bashir, both the Sudanese army and the RSF joined a civilian-led transitional council. But in October 2021, they staged a coup together and Hemeti became Burhan's deputy. Eventually the two commanders clashed over the structure of a joint army when Hemeti refused to integrate his militia into the national army.

In April 2023, this led to a power struggle between the two, which has evolved into the war that has turned Sudan into one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, according to the United Nations.

In the past two years, there have been several unsuccessful attempts to end the war at the negotiation table. But rivals Hemeti and Burhan remain opposed.

Since April 2023, the RSF had controlled most of the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. But late last week the Sudanese army managed to recapture the presidential palace there and has since moved to take control of the airport and state........

© Deutsche Welle