The resignation of Fares Al-Nour, a leader in the “Ta’sees” alliance, the political wing of the “Rapid Support Forces”, has brought renewed attention to his controversial path, which has witnessed many transformations since the outbreak of the Sudanese revolution.
Al-Nur resigned from his membership in the coalition and from his position as governor of the Khartoum region within the “Rapid Support Forces” government.
In a statement, he spoke of deep political reviews that led him to make the decision, noting concerns about the future of Sudan, its unity and sovereignty, in light of the continuation of the war and the widening political and military division.
Al-Nur resigned from his membership in the coalition and from his position as governor of the Khartoum region within the “Rapid Support Forces” government.
He considered that the path he had engaged in during the past period no longer achieved the goals he had hoped for when he joined the Rapid Support Forces, stressing that the continuation of the current situation entails risks that threaten the cohesion of the state.
The resignation is the second of its kind, and it has opened a wide discussion about the transformations of the man who moved between voluntary work and political positions in the leadership of “Support”, before he ended up leaving his last declared position within the “Establishment” structure.
This is the man’s second resignation, as he submitted the first one in December 2023, when he announced his resignation from his position as political advisor to the commander of the “Rapid Support Forces” Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemedti”, in addition to his withdrawal from the negotiating team of the same forces.
He said at the time that the top priority had become stopping the war, and that he wanted to devote himself to working to end the conflict away from official positions and organizational obligations, in light of what he described as the complexity of the humanitarian and political landscape.
Al-Nur’s name was not strongly present in the Sudanese political scene before the years of the revolution, and he was not known as a party leader or prominent political activist. He came to the public sphere through a completely different gateway, the gateway of voluntary work and community initiatives that flourished among Sudanese youth during the last decade of former President Omar al-Bashir’s rule.
During those years, Al Nour’s name became associated with the “Mujaddidun” organization and a number of youth initiatives that focused on humanitarian and service work, through which he was able to build a wide network of relationships within youth and civil circles.
His image at that time was more that of a community activist than a politician. His winning the "Makers of Hope" award also contributed to introducing him to the public as one of the young figures active in volunteer work, which gave him media exposure.
With the outbreak of the Sudanese revolution, which began in December 2018 and ended with the fall of al-Bashir's regime in April 2019, al-Nur emerged as a central figure in the public sphere, his influence growing within the sit-in movement. His presence, however, was not through political platforms or leading marches and sit-ins, but rather through service and volunteer work associated with the sit-in at the army headquarters in Khartoum. There, youth initiatives emerged, providing food, services, and logistical support to the protesters, and al-Nur's name frequently appeared among a group of activists involved in this aspect of the movement.
The light emerged at the heart of the public scene as the popular tide surged within the sit-in. But its presence was not through political platforms or leading marches and sit-ins.
For this reason, he was not seen at the time as one of the revolution's leaders or political figures. The spotlight was on the leaders of the Sudanese Professionals Association and the various political parties and forces, while Nour remained more involved in civil society work and community initiatives, without taking prominent political stances. However, his presence within the revolutionary movement, and the moral capital he accumulated through volunteer work, earned him a positive image among broad segments of Sudanese youth.
But that image began to change dramatically in March 2020 when Hemedti, then deputy head of the Sovereignty Council, announced the appointment of Al-Nur as his political advisor. The decision surprised many, not only because of the man's civilian background, but also because of the stark contrast between his image as a volunteer activist and the nature of the paramilitary institution he had chosen to join.Furthermore, he had criticized the Rapid Support Forces on his official social media pages after the violent dispersal of the sit-in at the army headquarters in June 2019.
At the time, Al-Nur justified his move by saying it came after lengthy discussions with Hemedti, and that he had become convinced it was possible to influence the course of events from within decision-making circles. He said that Sudan was going through a complex transitional phase that required communication with various centers of power, and that the presence of civilian figures within those centers could contribute to advancing the democratic transition process.
But the explanation did not end the controversy. Al-Nour faced sharp criticism from some activists and politicians who saw the move as a shift from the revolutionary camp to the camp of the armed forces. Others argued that the "support" needed reputable civilian figures in society to improve its public image and strengthen its political presence.
From that moment, a completely new phase began in Al-Nur's life. The man, previously known in volunteer circles, became one of the civilian figures associated with the Rapid Support Forces. Gradually, he moved from the position of advisor to that of political and media defender of the Rapid Support Forces and their commander, and his presence in public discussions and political dialogues began to increase.
In the following years, Al-Nur became one of the civilian figures closest to Hemedti, appearing at various political meetings and events both inside and outside Sudan. He also played a key role in building a network of political and media relationships linked to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). For his supporters, this demonstrated his success in gaining access to positions of influence and decision-making. His critics, however, viewed him as part of a project aimed at whitewashing the RSF's image amidst accusations of widespread human rights abuses, as well as providing the parallel paramilitary force with a civilian veneer and a more palatable image in the eyes of the public.
As tensions between the Sudanese army and the “Support” movement escalated during the transitional period, Al-Nour became increasingly visible in the media and on social media platforms as one of the political voices defending the “Support” movement’s vision for the future of Sudan.
Al-Nour is no longer seen as a former volunteer activist, but rather as part of the political circle surrounding the leadership of the forces.
He is no longer seen as a former volunteer activist, but as part of the political circle surrounding the leadership of the forces.When war broke out between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, al-Nur's name resurfaced as a negotiator representing the RSF. He had transformed from a political advisor into a key figure directly involved in the war and negotiations. His name became prominent at the Jeddah platform, which hosted rounds of negotiations between the two sides under regional and international auspices, representing the RSF.
At that stage, his name became almost entirely associated with the political project of “support.” The debate surrounding him was no longer about his transition from voluntary work to politics, but rather about his position within one of the most divisive military forces in Sudan.
However, the end of 2023 brought the first indication of a possible change in his political course. In December, he announced his resignation from his position as political advisor to Hemedti and from his role on the negotiating team.
He stated at the time that ending the war was his top priority and that he wanted to dedicate himself to this task, free from any official position. The move was interpreted in various ways; some saw it as a veiled political disagreement, while others viewed it as an attempt to reposition himself amidst the complexities of the war.
Despite that resignation, Nour's influence within the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) did not disappear. He later reappeared within the political arrangements that formed around the forces and their allies. With the establishment of the "Ta'sees" alliance, his name resurfaced within the new political structures, and he assumed the position of governor of Khartoum State under the arrangements announced by the alliance.
“Hemedti” was the governor of Khartoum, which at the time was under the complete control of the army, meaning that it was closer to a symbolic position with no influence, as “Hemedti” announced, in what was known as the parallel government, governors of regions for all the country, despite the decline of his forces at that time and the army’s control over most of the regions.
This resignation, the second of its kind, has revived old questions about the character of Fares Al Nour and his true role over the past years.
But another chapter of the story came when he announced his resignation for the second time, this time from the “foundation” alliance and from his position as governor of the Khartoum region, where he spoke in a lengthy statement about what he described as deep political reviews and concerns related to the unity, sovereignty and future of Sudan, considering that the path he had embarked upon no longer achieved the goals that had prompted him to participate in it from the beginning.
This resignation, the second of its kind, has revived old questions about Fares al-Nour’s personality and his true role over the past years: Was he a civil activist who saw that it was possible to influence the centers of power from within? Or was he part of a project aimed at improving the image of “support” and giving it an acceptable civil facade amid accusations of widespread violations and war crimes? according to his critics.
But what seems certain is that Fares al-Nour did not make his name through traditional political parties, institutions, or well-known armed groups. He began his journey in the world of volunteering and community work, then unexpectedly moved to the heart of one of the most controversial political and military experiences in modern Sudanese history, transitioning from the backrooms of the sit-in to the political wing of Hemedti's forces, accused of widespread violations and war crimes, before jumping ship once again, this time from the so-called "foundation" alliance.
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