Reliable sources say Minni Arko Minnawi, head of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), did not leave Port Sudan merely to embark on “an overseas tour.” Instead, the trip was hastily arranged to dodge mounting pressure from Port Sudan’s SAF junta, who were preparing to place him under de-facto house arrest after he signaled a willingness to open channels with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Calls for his confinement grew louder this week inside the Islamist movement and segments of the SAF command. Critics accused Minnawi of “mixed messages” on the fighting in Darfur and Kordofan.
According to insiders:
- Military backlash:
Minnawi openly accused senior officers of pouring resources into the defense of El Fasher while neglecting other parts of Darfur, undermining the SAF’s narrative of multi-front victories. - Media campaign:
Pro-SAF and Islamist-aligned outlets intensified criticism, portraying Minnawi as undermining morale by claiming some commanders believe the war effectively ended once the RSF withdrew from Khartoum, Sennar and Gezira. - House-arrest threat:
Faced with demands to confine him in Port Sudan, Minnawi opted to leave Sudan under the pretext of a multi-country tour, sources said.
The SLM leader’s abrupt departure highlights widening rifts within the anti-RSF camp, pitting hard-line Islamists and SAF loyalists against political actors who favor negotiations to end the conflict.
