Sudan Liberation Movement/Army facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sudan Liberation Movement |
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| Participant in the Sudanese Civil Wars and other North and East African conflicts | |
Logo of the SLM/A
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| Active | 2002–present |
| Leaders |
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| Area of operations | Western Sudan (mostly Darfur), northern South Sudan, southern Libya |
| Part of | Sudan Revolutionary Front |
| Allies |  Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (SLA-Unity; until 2011) South Sudan (SLA-MM and SLA-AW) |
| Battles and wars |
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The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) is a group that started in Sudan. It is also known as the SLM, SLA, or SLM/A. This group is mainly active in a region called Darfur. It was first called the Darfur Liberation Front. The SLM/A was founded by people from three main groups in Darfur: the Fur, the Zaghawa, and the Masalit. Key leaders included Abdul Wahid al-Nur, Khamis Abakar, and Minni Minnawi.
Contents
How the SLM/A Started
In 1989, a new government took control in Sudan. This change made many people in Darfur feel left out. They felt they were not treated fairly, especially those who were not Arab.
These feelings grew stronger in 2000. A book called The Black Book was published. It showed how some groups in Sudan were treated unfairly. It explained that they did not have equal justice or power.
In 2002, Abdul Wahid al-Nur, a lawyer, and Ahmad Abdel Shafi Bassey, a student, started the Darfur Liberation Front. This group later became the Sudan Liberation Movement. They said they wanted to help all people in Sudan who felt oppressed.
2008 Plane Hijacking Incident
In August 2008, a plane with 100 people on board was hijacked. It was a Sun Air flight going from Nyala to Khartoum. Members linked to the Sudan Liberation Movement were involved. The plane was forced to fly to Kufra in southern Libya.
SLM leader Abdul Wahid al-Nur said he was not involved. He also said he did not agree with using hijackings. The passengers and crew were all released safely. Al-Nur suggested the government was trying to distract from its own actions. The hijackers were later held by Libyan authorities.
Libya's Role
Before 2011, the Libyan army supported some parts of the SLM/A. Later, some SLM/A groups got involved in Libya's own conflicts. They fought for different sides in exchange for money and supplies.
For example, the SLM/A-Minnawi group joined forces with the Libyan National Army. They fought together in the Battle of Derna in 2018-2019. The SLM/A-Minnawi also clashed with another rebel group in southern Libya in January 2019.
Main Groups and Factions
The Sudan Liberation Movement has split into several different groups over time. Each group has its own leader and sometimes different goals.
Sudan Liberation Movement (Minnawi)
This group is led by Minni Minnawi. In May 2006, they signed a peace agreement for Darfur. Minnawi was a leader in the Darfur region from 2007 to 2010. His group officially left the peace agreement in February 2011.
The SLM-Minnawi group has been active in other conflicts in Sudan. They also fought for the government in the South Sudanese Civil War. Minnawi was appointed as the governor of the Darfur region in August 2021.
Sudan Liberation Movement (al-Nur)
The SLM (al-Nur) group was formed in 2006. It is led by Abdul Wahid al Nur. This group did not agree with the 2006 Darfur Peace Agreement. They do not officially demand full independence for Darfur. Both men and women are part of their fighters.
The SLM/A (al-Nur) also fought for the South Sudanese government. As of 2021, they control an area in the Marrah Mountains. About 300,000 people live there. This area is mostly separate from the rest of Sudan. The group runs a government there, trains new fighters, and has built schools for children. The SLM/A (al-Nur) did not join the 2019 Sudanese peace process. They said that attacks continued in Darfur. Fighting between this group and government forces continued in 2021.
Sudan Liberation Forces Alliance
The SLFA was created in July 2017. It brought together parts of other groups. El-Taher Abu Bakr Hajar was the chair of the SLFA. In March 2021, El Taher Hajar became a member of Sudan's Transitional Sovereignty Council. This was part of a peace agreement.
Sudan Liberation Movement-Transitional Council
As of March 2019, the SLM-TC was led by El-Hadi Idris Yahya. This group broke away from the SLM (al-Nur). They were against talking with the former Sudanese president. In March 2021, El-Hadi Idris also became a member of Sudan's Transitional Sovereignty Council. In July 2025, El-Hadi Idris was named a member of a new presidential council. This council was set up to manage areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces.
Sudan Liberation Movement (Tambour)
The SLM (Tambour) was formed in 2018. Its leader is Mustafa Tambour. This group split from the SLM (al-Nur). On July 31, 2023, the SLM (Tambour) announced they joined the Sudanese Armed Forces. They are fighting against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). They claimed to have caused many casualties to the RSF in Zalingei. Tambour's brother had been killed by the RSF earlier.
August 2020 Peace Agreement
Minni Minnawi signed a peace agreement on behalf of the Sudan Liberation Movement. This was with the Transitional Government of Sudan on August 31, 2020. The agreement means the group will now take part in Sudan's move towards democracy.
Under this agreement, the groups that signed it received three seats on the sovereignty council. They also got five ministers in the government and a quarter of the seats in the legislature. At a local level, they received between 30% and 40% of the seats in regional governments.
Sudanese Civil War (2023–Present)
The SLM (al-Nur) has created a safe zone around the town of Tawila. This happened after both government and RSF forces left the area. This zone includes several nearby villages in North, South, and Central Darfur.
On January 22, 2024, groups that signed the Juba Peace Agreement met in Cairo. They recommended that a ceasefire agreement be put into action. This agreement called for all Rapid Support Forces to leave Darfur. However, Minni Minnawi and his group did not attend this meeting.
On March 24, 2024, Minawi announced that 1,500 SLM fighters would join the Sudanese Armed Forces. They would fight the Rapid Support Forces to "defend civilians and Sudan's sovereignty." SLM forces planned to move towards the center of the country. Their goal was to remove the RSF from Khartoum and Gezira State.
Images for kids
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Map of Sudanese Civil War (2023-present) Controlled by Sudanese Armed Forces and allies
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