Khartoum Attack, Explained

Posted on May 19, 2008
Filed Under Sudan, Darfur |

Andrew Heavens has a nice list of possible reasons for JEM’s recent attack on Khartoum:

  1. A bloody PR move to get JEM some headlines
  2. Retribution – to bring some of Darfur’s suffering to Khartoum
  3. Humiliation of Khartoum and exposure of holes in its security system
  4. Chad-backed revenge for the two Khartoum-backed rebel raids on N’Djamena
  5. The move of a mad, power-hungry warlord
  6. A move to break the stalemate in the Darfur peace process AKA Operation Longarm
  7. Distraction while JEM prepares for an offensive on El Geneina
  8. A genuine coup attempt
  9. The first stages of a coup attempt to test for support among army and opposition
  10. Creating chaos in the capital leading to the breakdown of the state

As for why the rebels managed to reach all the way until Khartoum, apparently the army was prevented from properly responding due to fears of a fifth column. The defense minister actually spoke about this in parliament when he was getting grilled over his failure of protecting the capital.

Thing is, it is now clear that the battle in Umdurman wasn’t exactly fully fought between the rebels and the Sudanese army but mainly between the rebels and the Sudanese security forces who are thought to be more loyal to the government. Still though, the parliament isn’t satisfied with the defense minister’s explanation and many have demanded his resignation plus setting up an investigative committee.

Comments

6 Responses to “Khartoum Attack, Explained”

  1. Andrew Brehm on May 19th, 2008 8:47 am

    “A genuine coup attempt”

    I wonder… would a successful JEM coup be good?

  2. Drima on May 19th, 2008 9:01 am

    Oh hell no. Like I said, replacing this government with another that will be just as bad and most probably even worse, will be a disaster.

    Remember, JEM is Islamist and its leadership consists of former students of the terrorist-loving al-Turabi. A JEM coup won’t just mean JEM alone. You’ll get along al-Turabi and his lovely political party too.

    Abdul Wahid Nur’s SLM is pretty much secular.

    A coalition of rebels and opposition groups that genuinely believes in a liberal democracy is something I’m completely for. Yes to John Garang’s vision of a New Sudan!

  3. Andrew Brehm on May 19th, 2008 1:51 pm

    “Remember, JEM is Islamist and its leadership consists of former students of the terrorist-loving al-Turabi.”

    Good point.

    I’d rather have an evil Sudanese government that shares intelligence with the US than an evil Sudanese government that wouldn’t.

    However, how much influence do al-Turabi’s people have in today’s JEM? Are JEM not allied with the SLM now?

    This is very complicated.

  4. Roman Kalik on May 19th, 2008 9:43 pm

    Andrew, if historic multi-faceted civil wars are to be taken into account, then the reality here is most likely “The enemy of my enemy is still my enemy… but we’ll pretend otherwise until *we* have all the guns.”

  5. ras babi babiker on May 21st, 2008 12:51 am

    First; read Bob Marley
    Ambush in the night
    See them fighting for power
    But they know not the hour
    So they bribing with
    Their guns, spare-parts and money
    Trying to belittle our integrity
    They say what we know
    Is just what they teach us
    Thru political strategy
    They keep us hungry
    When you gonna get some food
    Your brother got to be your enemy

    Ambush in the night
    All guns aiming at me
    Ambush in the night
    They opened fire on me
    Ambush in the night
    Protected by His Majesty

    See them fighting for power
    But they know not the hour
    So they bribing
    With their guns, spare-parts and money
    Trying to belittle our integrity
    Well what we know
    Is not what they tell us
    We’re not ignorant, I mean it
    And they just could not touch us
    Thru the powers of the most high
    We keep on surfacing
    Thru the powers of the most high
    We keep on surviving

    Ambush in the night
    Planned by society
    Ambush in the night
    They are trying to conquer me
    Ambush in the night
    Anything money can bring
    Ambush in the night
    Planned by society
    Ambush in the night

    second ras babi say:
    this is not new…
    who is responsible?
    The Sudanese right wing…

  6. anna on June 23rd, 2008 2:25 pm

    I wish Andrew Heavens had explained why the most chilled out people group (sudanis), predominantly use violent means with each other…

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