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Al-Bara' ibn Malik Battalion

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Al-Bara' ibn Malik Battalion
كتيبة البراء بن مالك
Notable leadersAlmusbah Abuzaid(Commander)[1]
Anas Omar (POW)
Huzeifa Istanbul
Muhammad al-Fadl†
Hudheifa Adam†
Gusay Bushra†
Dates of operation7 January 2020;4 years ago(2020-01-07)[2]
CountrySudanSudan
AllegianceNational Congress Party(formerly theNational Islamic Front)
IdeologyIslamism
Salafi jihadism
Part ofPopular Defence Forces(currently known as the Shadow Battalions)[3]
Popular Resistance
AlliesSudanese Armed Forces
OpponentsRapid Support Forces
Battles and warsWar in Sudan

TheAl-Bara' ibn Malik Battalion(Arabic:كتيبة البراء بن مالك), also spelled asEl-Baraa Ibn MalikorAbaraa Iban Malik,is a SudaneseIslamist militiathat emerged within the complex network of militias and armed factions in Sudan, operating within theSudanese Popular Resistancemovement. The militia is linked to thePopular Defence Forces,a paramilitary group that was active duringBashir regime era,and currently known as the 'Shadow Battalions'.[4][5][6]It has been active in supporting theSudanese Armed Forces(SAF) in theirongoing battlesagainst theRapid Support Forces(RSF).[7][8][9]

The organization is currently fighting with the SAF on theKhartoumfront lines against the RSF and has consequently gained popularity among locals.[10]The militia is accused of committing war crimes.[11][12]

Origin

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The battalion,Al-Bara' ibn Malik,is named after a famous Muslim combatant during the early Muslim conquests.[7]

The Al-Bara bin Malik Battalion and similar militant groups have significantly bolstered the Sudanese army's ranks.[7][8][3]Their involvement with the army traces back to the 1990s when they were part of thePopular Defence Forces(PDF), a paramilitary group closely linked to theHassan al-Turabi'sNational Islamic Front(later theNational Congress Party) andOmar al-Bashir.[8]The army was 'Islamised' in the early 1990s under al-Bashir's rule, with suspected opponents often removed or executed.[13][14][15]

The PDF, which fought against theSudan People's Liberation Army(SPLA) in thesecond Sudanese civil war,has been operating covertly sinceBashir's removaluntil thewar in Sudanbroke out on 15 April 2023. Since then, the PDF joined theSudanese Armed Forces(SAF) side in its fight against theRapid Support Forces(RSF).[8][16][3]

Creation and role in the Sudanese civil war (2023–present)

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The Al-Bara' ibn Malik Battalion and thebroader Islamic movementhave been preparing their fighterssince 2019and have connections with some officers in Sudan's military intelligence.[16][8][13]The group has been actively fighting alongside the SAF in theirongoing battlesagainst theRapid Support Forces(RSF) since the war started on 15 April 2023, suffering many casualties in various locations.[8][7][15]One of the deadliest battles for the Al-Bara bin Malik fighters occurred inside and around the militaryArmoured Corpsin Khartoum.[8]According to Daraj, Al-Bara' ibn Malik Battalion has representation in at least two military divisions, namely the Armoured Corps and theInfantry Corps.They also have a presence in a third location, theCentral Reserve Forces,which have been sanctioned by the United States due to their involvement inquelling peaceful demonstrations.[14]

The battalion has made appearances in numerous video clips, depicting its active participation in these battles.[7]The group, led by Almusbah Abuzaid, promotes amilitant Islamist ideology.Abuzaid, who was injured in thefighting in Khartoum,was visited byAbdel Fattah al-Burhan,Commander-in-Chief of the SAF, at a hospital inAtbara.Videos on social media show Abuzaid chanting militant slogans and advocating for a "jihad"against the RSF.[8][16]Another leader, Anas Omer, was a notable member of the now-disbandedNational Congress Party(NCP) under President al-Bashir, and was taken into custody by the RSF on 16 May 2023.[7]Muhammad al-Fadl Abd al-Wahed Othman, another leader, previously has sworn loyalty toIslamic State,and he waskilled in actionJune 2023.[17]

On 11 July 2024, Hudheifa Adam, the commander of its southern sector coveringSennarandBlue Nilestates, was killed in action in Mairuno, south ofSennar city,along with Gusay Bushra, its commander in Sennar state.[18]In July 2024, the commander of the battalion Almusbah Abuzaid was arrested by Saudi authorities.[19]He was later released.

The organization is currently engaged on theKhartoumfront lines against the RSF and has consequently gained a notable degree of recognition and popularity among the local population.[10]

Reception

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At the meeting of theUnited Nations General Assembly,the commander of RSF,Hemedti,alleged that the army was being assisted in their fight by the Islamic State (IS) and supporters of the al-Bashir regime. In a development in May 2023, the RSF detained a number of individuals, among them Mohamed Ali Al-Jazouli, a well-known supporter of IS, who had previously pledged to fight the RSF.[8]

On 29 March, SAF commanderShams al-Din Khabbashistressed that groups like Al-Bara' ibn Malik Battalion "need to be better controlled."[20]On 2 April 2024, 15 people were killed and more than 50 were injured after a drone attack inAtbarathat struck aniftargathering organised by the Al-Bara Islamic militia.[21][2][22]The RSF is yet to claim responsibility of the attack that happened 300 kilometres (190 mi) away from its nearest camp.[21]Mustafa Tambour,leader of theSudan Liberation Movement (Tambour)which is allied with the SAF, insinuated the SAF involvement in the attack as he stated that "In no way can our internal disagreements lead us to events like these that took place today in the city of Atbara, in which a number of heroes were killed. They could have been an addition to the armed forces and not an opponent to them."[23]

The RSF,Tagadum,andBeja Congressparty accused the militia, an Islamist-affiliated militia allied with the SAF, of killing 70 youth soup kitchen volunteers in Halfaya,Khartoum Bahri,for allegedly collaborating with the RSF.[11][12]

References

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  1. ^"هل تنجح واشنطن في إحياء مفاوضات السودان؟".شبكة النقار الإخبارية.Retrieved2024-04-10.
  2. ^ab"استهدف في عطبرة.. من هو لواء البراء بن مالك؟"(in Arabic). 2024-04-03.Retrieved2024-04-10.
  3. ^abcعثمان, مزدلفة."ما الجهات التي تساند الجيش السوداني في حربه ضد الدعم السريع؟".الجزيرة نت(in Arabic).Retrieved2024-04-10.
  4. ^"كتائب الظل: ما حدود انخراط الإخوان في المواجهات المسلحة بالسودان؟".الحائط العربي(in Arabic). 2023-10-09.Retrieved2024-04-10.
  5. ^العرب, Al Arab (2023-07-07)."كتائب الظل تخرج إلى النور لإنقاذ الجيش السوداني من ورطته |".صحيفة العرب(in Arabic).Retrieved2024-04-10.
  6. ^"حرب السودان.. الإسلاميون يستنفرون التنظيمات الجهادية".International Center for Strategic Studies(in Arabic). 2023-09-11.Retrieved2024-04-10.
  7. ^abcdefLisa (2023-09-26)."Unravelling Sudan's militia matrix: PRF and other emerging forces".Dabanga Radio TV Online.Retrieved2024-04-10.
  8. ^abcdefghi"Sudanese revolutionaries fighting alongside army against RSF".Middle East Eye.Retrieved2024-04-10.
  9. ^"الحرب في السودان: كيف يقاتل أنصار عمر البشير في صفوف الجيش السوداني؟".BBC News عربي(in Arabic). 2023-10-02.Retrieved2024-04-10.
  10. ^abBrachet, Eliott (2024-11-17)."The lost children of Sudan's revolution: 'We fight today alongside the men who fought us yesterday'".Le Monde.Retrieved2024-11-18.
  11. ^abSudanTribune (2024-10-01)."Sudanese army accused of executing civilians in Khartoum Bahri".Sudan Tribune.Retrieved2024-10-02.
  12. ^abLisa (2024-10-01)."Battles persist in Sudan capital, governor calls for support for people in Khartoum Bahri".Dabanga Radio TV Online.Retrieved2024-10-02.
  13. ^ab""كتيبة البراء بن مالك".. تحقيق لـ "العربي" يكشف قصتها ودورها بأحداث السودان ".التلفزيون العربي(in Arabic). 2023-07-17.Retrieved2024-04-10.
  14. ^ab""مجاهدون" الى جانب الجيش… السودان يوشك أن يصبح بؤرة إرهاب مشتعلة ".Daraj(in Arabic). 2023-07-17.Retrieved2024-04-10.
  15. ^abالنور, النور أحمد."هل أسهمت" المقاومة الشعبية "في ترجيح كفة الجيش السوداني؟".الجزيرة نت(in Arabic).Retrieved2024-04-10.
  16. ^abc"What are the limits of the Brotherhood's involvement in armed confrontations in Sudan?".The Arab Wall.2023-11-21.Retrieved2024-04-10.
  17. ^"Islamist 'shadow brigades' emerge as key factor in Sudan conflict as fighting resumes".The Arab Weekly.2023-06-21.
  18. ^"Sudan army and RSF fighting for Sennar, WFP concerned about aid routes".Radio Dabanga.Retrieved2024-07-13.
  19. ^"مصير قائد لواء البراء بن مالك.. السودان يخاطب الخارجية السعودية"(in Arabic).Retrieved2024-06-10.
  20. ^Lisa (2024-03-29)."Sudan Army Commander Kabbashi: popular resistance groups need control".Dabanga Radio TV Online.Retrieved2024-04-10.
  21. ^ab"مقتل 12 شخصا بهجوم طائرة مسيّرة شمال شرقي السودان | الحرة".www.alhurra.com(in Arabic).Retrieved2024-04-03.
  22. ^مبارك, ميعاد (2024-04-03)."السودان: ارتفاع عدد ضحايا تفجير إفطار كتائب «البراء بن مالك» الإسلامية إلى 15 قتيلا وعدد الجرحى يتجاوز الـ50".Al-Quds.
  23. ^"قصف كتيبة البراء بن مالك.. خلاف أم خداع؟".وكالة راينو الإخبارية(in Arabic). 2024-04-05.Retrieved2024-04-10.
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