Splintering of Sudan's Opposition Coalition: How Much Hope for a New Political Party to Bring Peace?
February 20, 2025 – Sudan’s largest opposition coalition, Taqaddum, has finally splintered. The primary cause of this split was a disagreement over whether to join a new parallel government being formed by the paramilitary force Rapid Support Forces (RSF), one of the warring parties in Sudan’s nearly two-year conflict. Taqaddum, formed in October 2023, consisted of armed movements, political parties, and civil society leaders, and was headed by Abdalla Hamdok, the former prime minister overthrown by Sudan’s army and the RSF in 2021.
Splintering of Sudan's Opposition Coalition: How Much Hope for a New Political Party to Bring Peace?
Splintering of Sudan's Opposition Coalition: How Much Hope for a New Political Party to Bring Peace?
February 20, 2025 – Sudan’s largest opposition coalition, Taqaddum, has finally splintered. The primary cause of this split was a disagreement over whether to join a new parallel government being formed by the paramilitary force Rapid Support Forces (RSF), one of the warring parties in Sudan’s nearly two-year conflict. Taqaddum, formed in October 2023, consisted of armed movements, political parties, and civil society leaders, and was headed by Abdalla Hamdok, the former prime minister overthrown by Sudan’s army and the RSF in 2021.
Now, Taqaddum has split into two factions.
Those who have taken political positions in the RSF’s parallel administration are now known as Taasis (Foundation). This group mostly consists of armed movements, which, according to analysts, are relying on the RSF government to turn their weapons into political leadership. Kholood Khair, founding director of Confluence Advisory think tank, stated, “Armed groups have no constituency, so they rely on a large armed actor like the RSF as a guarantor for a political seat.”
On the other hand, traditional political leaders, including Hamdok, who chose not to join the RSF, have formed a smaller anti-war coalition named Somoud (Resilience), aiming to preserve their neutrality and reputation.
Artificial Accountability
Taqaddum was originally an opposition coalition trying to mediate an end to the war between the RSF and the army and return to democratic governance. However, the credibility of Taqaddum suffered a significant blow after signing a Declaration of Principles (DoP) with the RSF in January 2024. After the signing, the RSF was accused of numerous human rights violations, including mass rape, looting, and extrajudicial killings in Gezira state.
This signing led to Taqaddum being seen as closely linked to the RSF, causing a legitimacy crisis on the international stage.
