Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their allies have signed a new transitional constitution. This move brings them closer to setting up a separate government as their war with the army continues. The conflict, now two years old, threatens to divide Sudan.
The RSF has recently lost ground in the war. The fighting has forced many people to flee, caused severe hunger, and led to ethnic violence and sexual assaults. Despite this, the RSF launched a new drone attack on Tuesday. They targeted Sudan’s largest power station at Merowe Dam, cutting electricity in parts of northern Sudan.
The army claims it is making gains in Sharg el-Nil and is trying to encircle the RSF in Khartoum. The new RSF-led constitution includes basic rights and allows regions to choose independence if the government does not separate religion from the state. It also calls for a national army, with the signatories forming its core. Elections are mentioned but without a set date.
Groups supporting the RSF include the SPLM-N, which controls large areas of South Kordofan, and other smaller factions. The RSF says a new government will be formed soon, but details on who will lead it and where it will operate from remain unclear.
The RSF’s constitution aims to replace one created after the army and RSF removed former leader Omar al-Bashir in 2019. In 2021, the army and RSF staged a coup, halting a civilian transition. In April 2023, their power struggle turned into full-scale war.
In February 2025, the RSF and allies agreed in principle to form a government for a “New Sudan.” This effort seeks to weaken the current army-led government and allow RSF to secure advanced weapons.
The new constitution officially creates a government and outlines a federal, secular state with eight regions.
