This Issue Brief examines the history of Sudan’s militia strategy and the role of militias in the country’s armed conflicts, notably in Darfur and the Two Areas of South Kordofan and Blue Nile. It discusses the use of para-military forces and militias in Sudan from the 1980s until the present day, including their alleged roles in resource exploitation. It then examines the long-term economic, political, and social costs of the militia strategy for the Sudanese state and society. Finally, it discusses the implications of the militia strategy for any future security sector reform (SSR) process in Sudan, noting that the maintenance of a para-military marketplace in Sudan is an impediment to peacebuilding there and in the wider region.

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