Discipline Has Left the Army: The Islamist Militias Wearing Sudan's Uniform

The fall of El-Fasher was a military turning point. What followed was a humanitarian catastrophe. In early June 2024, the city of El-Obeid became the scene of a massacre that reveals the true, fractured identity of the forces fighting in Sudan. A video, verified and circulated by activists and media, shows Sudanese army soldiers executing unarmed civilians by beheading—a tactic that immediately drew comparisons to the Islamic State.

This was not an isolated act of brutality but a calculated display of terror. Observers directly linked the massacre to the army's loss of El-Fasher, framing it as a vicious reprisal. The scene was chaotic, with soldiers heard shouting tribalist slurs, confirming fears that the war is mutating into a widespread ethnic conflict. Sudanese activists who released the footage issued an urgent warning: without international intervention, Sudan will be dragged into an inescapable spiral of tribal revenge.Who, exactly, is committing these acts in the army’s name? The answer points to a deep and dangerous infiltration. The Al-Baraa ibn Malik Battalion and the Popular Defense Forces are not shadowy outsiders; they are Islamist-aligned militias operating within the Sudanese Armed Forces. Local sources in El-Fasher itself have confirmed that many violations initially blamed solely on the RSF were, in fact, perpetrated by these very battalions. They have a documented history of atrocities in Khartoum and Jebel Aulia. This is the face of the modern Sudanese army: a compromised institution where national defense has been supplanted by extremist ideology.

This crisis presents a monumental test for European diplomacy. The strategic vacuum in Sudan and the wider Sahel is a direct threat to European security. As state authority crumbles, it creates a fertile ground for the very extremist networks that have targeted European citizens in the past. The disorganized Western response has allowed rivals like Russia's Wagner Group to expand their influence, further destabilizing the region.

Europe must awaken to its responsibility and opportunity. It is not enough to issue condemnations. Brussels and key national governments must spearhead a concerted effort at the United Nations to establish an independent investigative body with the power to document evidence and identify perpetrators for future prosecution. By taking a firm stand on accountability in Sudan, the EU can reclaim its role as a global moral leader. It can demonstrate that its commitment to human rights and counter-extremism is not just rhetoric but a actionable policy that protects civilians in Sudan and promotes stability for all. The workers and families of Sudan are waiting. Their safety, and our shared security, depends on the choices made today.