Rasha Awad, editor-in-chief of the Sudanese newspaper Al-Tayyar, has sharply criticized General al-Burhan’s SAF and Islamist groups for manipulating the media and public perception following the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023.
In a recent editorial, Awad accused the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood, known as the “Kizan,” of initiating the conflict with the goal of dismantling the revolution and reinstating the old regime, backed by the military, militias, and security forces.
Awad explained that the war’s main objective was to decisively neutralize the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), either by permanently removing them from the military landscape or relegating them to a subordinate role in support of the Brotherhood’s agenda.
Despite the war not achieving its intended results in the short term, Awad claimed that military-aligned media outlets are relentlessly attempting to use the conflict as a political tool to restore military rule. This, she argued, is being done by distorting facts, misleading the public, and unfairly blaming civilian forces—sometimes even the revolution itself—for the war.
The editor accused state-run media of shifting from misinformation to outright “slander,” accusing the military and Islamist groups of waging a war on civilians while manipulating public discourse to suit their narrative. “They are fighting on the backs of innocent people,” Awad said, “while trying to control the truth.”
She also criticized the Islamist narrative, which she said falsely portrays the Sudanese public as having turned against political parties such as the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) and “Taqaddum.”
Awad pointed out that the Kizan are accusing these groups of starting the war, while the true responsibility lies with the SAF and its allies, who continue to devastate the country.
In addition, Awad denounced the use of social media manipulation, alleging that Islamist groups have spent millions on digital campaigns to present the Sudanese public as supporters of the SAF and opponents of peace and democracy.
These efforts, she claimed, aim to create the false impression that the public favors war and opposes the civilian-led peace process.
In a related development, Sudan’s Minister of Information, Khalid Al-Issar, warned journalists that they could face legal action if they fail to adhere to the government’s media guidelines. Al-Issar stated that any journalist found supporting political groups opposed to the government would be pursued legally.
This statement has drawn concern from press freedom advocates, who see it as an escalation in efforts to restrict journalistic independence and force journalists to align with one side of the ongoing conflict, undermining ethical standards of the profession.
