Description: Darfur state has become the newest flashpoint of the civil war in Sudan, where tribes pledging allegiance to the RSF have recently clashed over territorial control. The Salamat and Beni Halba tribes clashed in the town of Kubum where RSF also conducted a drone strike on a rural hospital and troops pertaining to both tribal groups. Local leaders in the central Darfur state have been monitored by regional media outlets recruiting the young population into the current tribal war which significantly raised the possibility of the Sudanese civil war expanding into the other Darfur states in central Sudan. The RSF meanwhile, advertised their newly received military support, purportedly arriving from the UAE, in the form of technical vehicles, drones and various other armored cars. Analysis of video footage from the parade indicated the vehicles were manufactured by the Emirati defense firm Minerva Special Purpose Vehicles (MSPV) which are also used by General Haftar in Libya.
Impact: The intertribal war in the south Darfur state is likely a further indication of existing infighting within the ranks of the RSF, after several senior commanders abandoned their ranks earlier in Apr. Recruitment campaigns in the Darfur region would most likely result in bolstering the ranks of the RSF in the short to mid – term period, while continued military support from the UAE would likely serve as a prelude towards a larger ground and aerial offensive in the short to mid – term period. South, east and central Darfur are the likeliest flashpoints for renewed armed conflict between the SAF and the RSF while the increased usage of drones is set to dictate the outcome of the upcoming clashes. Diplomatic efforts are currently non – existent which likely indicates that both the SAF and the RSF are set for continued armed confrontations in the foreseeable future. The conflict remains low on the international priority list and still bears risks of further cross – border expansion with civil war tensions rising in South Sudan and Ethiopia.