| Sudan Revolutionary Front | |
|---|---|
| Participant in the Sudan–SPLM-N conflict (2011) | |
| Active | 12 November 2011 — present |
| Ideology | Revolutionary |
| Groups | Justice and Equality Movement Sudan Liberation Movement (al-Nur) Sudan Liberation Movement (Minnawi) Sudan People's Liberation Movement (northern sector) |
| Leaders | Yasir Arman Malik Agar Abdelaziz al-Hilu Minni Minnawi Abdul Wahid al Nur Khalil Ibrahim † |
| Area of operations |
Sudan Blue Nile North Darfur North Kordofan South Darfur South Kordofan West Darfur |
| Allies | South Sudan (alleged) |
| Opponents | Sudan |
The Sudan Revolutionary Front, sometimes called the Sudanese Revolutionary Front, is an alliance between Sudanese factions opposed to the government led by President Omar al-Bashir. It was declared on 12 November 2011, following several months of support by Darfuri rebel groups for the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (northern sector) in its conflict with Khartoum.
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The alliance brings together the two main factions of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army, as well as the other major rebel group in Darfur, the Justice and Equality Movement, with rebels in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states. The declaration of the SRF's formation was delayed until a disagreement between JEM and the other factions on the role of Islam in a post-revolutionary federal government was resolved.[1]
The signers for each group were Yasir Arman for the SPLM-N, Ahmed Tugud for the JEM, Abul Gassim Al-Haj for the SLM-al-Nur, and Al-Rayah Mahmoud for the SLM-Minnawi.[2]
Yasir Arman, the secretary-general of the SPLM-N and a prominent member of the SRF's high political committee, said shortly after the SRF's formation that "all Sudan is a theatre for operations, including Khartoum". However, the JEM and both SLM factions are based in the region of Darfur, and the SPLM-N has not expanded its fight against the Sudanese government north of Blue Nile and South Kordofan.[1][3] In late December, JEM fighters advanced into North Kordofan with the stated intention of ousting President Omar al-Bashir from power, though they suffered a setback when their leader, Khalil Ibrahim, was killed in action in the state.[4]
The Sudanese government, meanwhile, has accused neighbouring South Sudan of supporting the rebel groups. In addition to bombing South Sudanese infrastructure and camps, Sudan has also allegedly backed armed opposition factions within South Sudan, Juba claims.[2]