Power Struggles and Ethnic Cleansing: The Sudan Crisis Unfolds

At the heart of one of the worst humanitarian disasters of the modern era, harrowing scenes of systematic ethnic violence are unfolding in areas like Salha and Al-Khuwai in Sudan. Meanwhile, the fabric of the state is disintegrating under the weight of a brutal conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), further strained by deepening fractures within the ruling elite in Khartoum.

A Humanitarian Tragedy of Catastrophic Proportions

Since the outbreak of civil war in April 2023, Sudan has witnessed a comprehensive collapse. The fighting has claimed more than 120,000 lives, displaced over 14 million people internally, and left 24 million at risk of famine, according to United Nations data for 2025.

The Sudanese economy is also in freefall, with losses exceeding $600 billion, record inflation reaching 218% by August 2024, and the collapse of 65% of the agricultural sector and 75% of industrial infrastructure, based on International Monetary Fund estimates.

Horrific Crimes in Salha and Al-Khuwai

Behind these statistics lie even grimmer field realities. This month, the Central Resistance Committees of Salha documented serious violations committed by army forces and extremist allied militias against civilians—including women and children—in brutal retaliatory acts, allegedly for collaborating with the RSF. The victims were primarily civilians of Kordofanese, Darfuri, and southern origins, which eyewitnesses described as “systematic ethnic cleansing.”

Reports point to the involvement of the Al-Baraa Bin Malik Battalion, known for its hardline Islamist orientation, in storming civilian homes, abducting men and youth to undisclosed locations. According to sources cited by Idraak newspaper, some of these incidents ended in field executions, with methods likened to those used by ISIS.

In the town of Al-Khuwai, South Kordofan, the Dar Hamr tribe endured gruesome massacres, including mass executions and beheadings, alongside the imposition of a blockade on humanitarian aid. These atrocities have led to the displacement of nearly 47,000 people, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), prompting the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to issue an alert warning of “imminent famine” in five regions, including Zamzam and Abu Shouk.

Power Fragmentation and the Shadow Resurgence of Salah Gosh

Amid the worsening humanitarian and security situation, Sudan’s ruling junta is grappling with a severe internal crisis, marked by a widening rift between the army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Islamic Movement, which has significantly expanded its influence within both the government and military. Islamist militias flying the banner of jihad have increasingly assumed control over combat operations on the ground.

In a significant development, the name of former intelligence chief Salah Gosh has resurfaced—albeit from behind the scenes. According to leaks published by Sudan Tribune, Gosh is operating within a clandestine network in Khartoum, serving as an intermediary for the Islamic Movement as he attempts to engineer new political alliances aimed at restoring Islamist control over key state institutions.

Informed sources reported that Gosh is leveraging his extensive connections with influential officers and extremist groups to pressure al-Burhan, who has disappointed the Islamic Movement by refusing to appoint a loyalist prime minister and failing militarily—failures that led to U.S. sanctions in May 2025 over the use of chemical weapons, including chlorine gas, as revealed by The New York Times.

In a statement to Radio Dabanga, Sudanese activist Hisham Abbas said: “Gosh is not seeking reform, but rather a renewed Islamist grip at the expense of national security and stability.” With the growing power of extremist militias like Al-Baraa Bin Malik, serious doubts are emerging about the junta’s ability to hold together in the face of this deep internal rupture.

An African Voice for Peace and Accountability

On the diplomatic front, Ghana has played an active role in efforts to contain the crisis, using its influence within the African Union to advocate for more assertive international action.

Ghanaian Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, speaking at an African Union meeting in March 2025, emphasized the need for targeted sanctions against army leaders and extremist militias, stating: “The ethnic crimes in Sudan cannot go unpunished.”

Ghana currently hosts more than 12,000 Sudanese refugees and has felt the economic impact of disrupted agricultural imports from Sudan. Nevertheless, the Ghanaian government has contributed $10 million to UN-led humanitarian relief programs and has called for an international investigation into the use of chemical weapons, under the leadership of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

The Sudanese community in Ghana, supported by groups such as the African Solidarity Movement, is calling for the immediate opening of humanitarian corridors. Meanwhile, a Human Rights Watch report in May 2024 demanded widespread accountability for those involved in ethnically motivated atrocities.

Conclusion: A Nation on the Brink

Sudan today is not merely facing political and economic collapse but stands on the precipice of a silent genocide, driven by power struggles and militia brutality, while the international community continues to respond sluggishly to urgent humanitarian appeals.

What is unfolding in Salha and Al-Khuwai is not isolated—it is a harrowing indication of the trajectory of a war that is increasingly taking on ethnic and religious dimensions, feeding a machinery of mass destruction and leaving millions of Sudanese trapped in hunger, fear, and displacement.