These two delightful soldier boys have taken it upon themselves to tear apart Sudan, killing at least 15,000 of their own people and displacing millions in just over a year. Largely fighting it out in the densely populated capital of Khartoum, the warring generals’ forces have used sexual violence, recruited child soldiers and levelled civilian infrastructure as they vie for control of the country. After a year of war, the United Nations is now warning that Sudan faces mass starvation. So who are these erstwhile patriots who planned and carried out this mayhem?

Both are war criminals but of distinctly different origins. The 64-year-old Abdel Fattah al-Burhan is a career military officer born to the north of Khartoum, the region that has dominated Sudanese politics for decades. Commander-in-chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), the general has been the de facto head of state since April 2019 when the country’s brutal dictator Omar al-Bashir was ousted by a popular uprising.