After Omar al-Bashir's coup in 1989, an Ikhwani government was formed, with Hassan al-Turabi as the chief ideologue behind the regime. He admired what the Iranians had done with their proxies, so he attempted to replicate their model by inviting Islamist militant groups and allowing them to train in Sudan. His biggest objective was to use these groups in both Sudan’s foreign and domestic policies. He wanted to be a strongman like Gaddafi, but also drew inspiration from the religiosity of Khamenei. He aimed to use groups like Al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya to cause chaos in Egypt, FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) in Algeria, LIFG (Libyan Islamic Fighting Group) in Libya, and even collaborated with Osama bin Laden in Saudi Arabia.
Domestically, Turabi believed he could win the war with the South by framing it as a holy war. To achieve this, he formed a volunteer army known as the Popular Defense Forces (PDF), which would later evolve into the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). However, after some time, Omar al-Bashir grew frustrated with Turabi’s antics and ousted him in 1999, removing his influence from the government.
Did Turabi’s anti-American stance and his influence on Bashir’s government, which led to missile strikes, sanctions and Sudan being designated a “state sponsor of terrorism,” contribute to the long-term destruction of Sudan?
Domestically, Turabi believed he could win the war with the South by framing it as a holy war. To achieve this, he formed a volunteer army known as the Popular Defense Forces (PDF), which would later evolve into the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). However, after some time, Omar al-Bashir grew frustrated with Turabi’s antics and ousted him in 1999, removing his influence from the government.
Did Turabi’s anti-American stance and his influence on Bashir’s government, which led to missile strikes, sanctions and Sudan being designated a “state sponsor of terrorism,” contribute to the long-term destruction of Sudan?
