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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]
CountrySudan Sudan
Allegiance National Congress Party (formerly the National Islamic Front)
IdeologyIslamism
Salafi jihadism
Part of Popular Defence Forces (currently known as the Shadow Battalions)[3]
Popular Resistance
Allies Sudanese Armed Forces
Opponents Rapid Support Forces
Battles and warsWar in Sudan

The Al-Bara' ibn Malik Battalion (Arabic: كتيبة البراء بن مالك), also spelled as El-Baraa Ibn Malik or Abaraa Iban Malik, is a Sudanese Islamist militia that emerged within the complex network of militias and armed factions in Sudan, operating within the Sudanese Popular Resistance movement. The militia is linked to the Popular Defence Forces, a paramilitary group that was active during Bashir regime era, and currently known as the 'Shadow Battalions'.[4][5][6] It has been active in supporting the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in their ongoing battles against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).[7][8][9]

The organization is currently fighting with the SAF on the Khartoum front 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 the Popular Defence Forces (PDF), a paramilitary group closely linked to the Hassan al-Turabi's National Islamic Front (later the National Congress Party) and Omar 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 the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in the second Sudanese civil war, has been operating covertly since Bashir's removal until the war in Sudan broke out on 15 April 2023. Since then, the PDF joined the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) side in its fight against the Rapid 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 the broader Islamic movement have been preparing their fighters since 2019 and have connections with some officers in Sudan's military intelligence.[16][8][13] The group has been actively fighting alongside the SAF in their ongoing battles against the Rapid 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 military Armoured Corps in Khartoum.[8] According to Daraj, Al-Bara' ibn Malik Battalion has representation in at least two military divisions, namely the Armoured Corps and the Infantry Corps. They also have a presence in a third location, the Central Reserve Forces, which have been sanctioned by the United States due to their involvement in quelling 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 a militant Islamist ideology. Abuzaid, who was injured in the fighting in Khartoum, was visited by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Commander-in-Chief of the SAF, at a hospital in Atbara. 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-disbanded National 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 to Islamic State, and he was killed in action June 2023.[17]

On 11 July 2024, Hudheifa Adam, the commander of its southern sector covering Sennar and Blue Nile states, was killed in action in Mairuno, south of Sennar 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 the Khartoum front 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 the United 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 commander Shams al-Din Khabbashi stressed 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 in Atbara that struck an iftar gathering 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 the Sudan 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, and Beja Congress party 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. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  2. ^ a b "استهدف في عطبرة.. من هو لواء البراء بن مالك؟" (in Arabic). 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  3. ^ a b c عثمان, مزدلفة. "ما الجهات التي تساند الجيش السوداني في حربه ضد الدعم السريع؟". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  4. ^ "كتائب الظل: ما حدود انخراط الإخوان في المواجهات المسلحة بالسودان؟". الحائط العربي (in Arabic). 2023-10-09. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  5. ^ العرب, Al Arab (2023-07-07). "كتائب الظل تخرج إلى النور لإنقاذ الجيش السوداني من ورطته |". صحيفة العرب (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  6. ^ "حرب السودان.. الإسلاميون يستنفرون التنظيمات الجهادية". International Center for Strategic Studies (in Arabic). 2023-09-11. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Lisa (2023-09-26). "Unravelling Sudan's militia matrix: PRF and other emerging forces". Dabanga Radio TV Online. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Sudanese revolutionaries fighting alongside army against RSF". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  9. ^ "الحرب في السودان: كيف يقاتل أنصار عمر البشير في صفوف الجيش السوداني؟". BBC News عربي (in Arabic). 2023-10-02. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  10. ^ a b Brachet, Eliott (2024-11-17). "The lost children of Sudan's revolution: 'We fight today alongside the men who fought us yesterday'". Le Monde. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  11. ^ a b SudanTribune (2024-10-01). "Sudanese army accused of executing civilians in Khartoum Bahri". Sudan Tribune. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
  12. ^ a b Lisa (2024-10-01). "Battles persist in Sudan capital, governor calls for support for people in Khartoum Bahri". Dabanga Radio TV Online. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
  13. ^ a b ""كتيبة البراء بن مالك".. تحقيق لـ"العربي" يكشف قصتها ودورها بأحداث السودان". التلفزيون العربي (in Arabic). 2023-07-17. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  14. ^ a b ""مجاهدون" الى جانب الجيش… السودان يوشك أن يصبح بؤرة إرهاب مشتعلة". Daraj (in Arabic). 2023-07-17. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  15. ^ a b النور, النور أحمد. "هل أسهمت "المقاومة الشعبية" في ترجيح كفة الجيش السوداني؟". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  16. ^ a b c "What are the limits of the Brotherhood's involvement in armed confrontations in Sudan?". The Arab Wall. 2023-11-21. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  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. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  19. ^ "مصير قائد لواء البراء بن مالك.. السودان يخاطب الخارجية السعودية" (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  20. ^ Lisa (2024-03-29). "Sudan Army Commander Kabbashi: popular resistance groups need control". Dabanga Radio TV Online. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  21. ^ a b "مقتل 12 شخصا بهجوم طائرة مسيّرة شمال شرقي السودان | الحرة". www.alhurra.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  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. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
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