Darfur governor prioritizes military action over ‘powerless’ interim government
March 10, 2025 (PORT SUDAN) – The governor of Sudan’s Darfur region, Minni Arko Minawi, said on Monday that military operations must take precedence over forming an interim government. He argued that any such administration would be too weak to rule effectively during the current conflict.
In an exclusive interview, Minawi, who also leads the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) movement, told Sudan Tribune that a government formed now would lack “the necessary powers to govern the country effectively.”
His comments follow recent constitutional amendments that expanded the powers of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the military and the ruling Sovereign Council. These changes are seen as paving the way for a civilian government, but Minawi dismissed them as a “temporary situation.”
“The priority now is to complete military operations, not to form a government that will undoubtedly be, as I said, ‘broken-winged’,” Minawi stated, suggesting powerlessness. “These amendments do not constitute a permanent situation, nor do they establish one; they are merely temporary arrangements.”
On February 19, Sudan’s Sovereign and Ministerial Councils jointly approved revisions to the constitutional document. These gave the Sovereign Council broader authority, including the power to appoint and dismiss the prime minister based on recommendations from a transitional legislative body (comprising the Sovereign and Ministerial Councils). The Council can also appoint and remove regional and state governors.
The amendments also increased the military’s representation in the Sovereign Council. The army now appoints six of the 11 members, with peace forces nominating three. Al-Burhan’s term as head of the Sovereign Council (and head of state) was extended by 39 months.
Turning to the humanitarian situation, Minawi, who oversees the Joint Force in the region, highlighted a severe deterioration in El Fasher, North Darfur. He accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of deliberately destroying food supplies in rural areas by setting fires and targeting hospitals and water sources. “Now there is no medicine in El Fasher,” he said, adding that the RSF was employing a “policy of starvation.” He said the only option was to try to open roads to deliver aid.
El Fasher, the last major city in Darfur still controlled by the army and allied forces, has been under siege by the RSF and subject to intense fighting since last May.
Minawi asserted that the “military and operational situation in El Fasher is under full control. We are reassured now.”
Regarding a recently announced alliance between the RSF and the SPLM-N faction led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, Minawi predicted that while it might achieve some battlefield gains, it would ultimately lead to “sporadic civil wars” both within the alliance and in the broader region.