Sudan has become a chessboard for regional and global powers, deepening the internal rift.
Sudan’s history is a story of a privileged center (Khartoum and the Nile River valley) exploiting a marginalized periphery (Darfur, Kordofan, and the Blue Nile). Crossroads Sudan - Lines of division
The "lines of division" are also class-based. The SAF is often viewed as the protector of the old guard—the bureaucratic and Islamist-leaning elite that consolidated power under Omar al-Bashir. Conversely, the RSF’s leadership portrays itself as a champion of the marginalized rural populations, despite its record of brutality and its commander, "Hemedti," being one of the wealthiest men in the country through his control of gold mines. This populist rhetoric masks a predatory struggle for Sudan’s vast natural resources. 4. International Entanglements Sudan has become a chessboard for regional and
For the first time in decades, the "center"—Khartoum—is a primary battlefield, forcing the urban elite to experience the displacement long suffered by the periphery. The SAF is often viewed as the protector
Sudan is currently a nation of "mini-states" and frontlines. Unless the international community pivots from passive observation to aggressive mediation, the "Lines of Division" will likely harden into permanent borders. The crossroads Sudan faces today leads either toward a protracted, Somalia-like fragmentation or a radical, inclusive restructuring of the state that finally addresses the grievances of its periphery.
While the world’s attention is often diverted to conflicts in Ukraine or Gaza, the "forgotten war" in Sudan fescuits, allowing external actors like the Wagner Group to exploit the chaos for resource extraction. 5. The Humanitarian Collapse: A Divided Future