The appointments, announced Sunday night, include Lamia Abdulghaffar as Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Moatasem Ibrahim Ahmed as Minister of Energy, Ahmad al-Dardiri Ghandour as Minister of Digital Transformation and Communications, Tihami al-Zain Hajar as Minister of National Education, and Ahmad Adam Ahmad as Minister of Youth and Sports.

Additionally, three new ministers of state were named: Omar Mohamed Ahmed Siddiq at the Foreign Ministry, Mohamed Nour Abduldaem at the Finance Ministry, and Salima Ishaq at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Welfare.

These changes bring the total number of appointed ministers to 20, out of a planned 22. Idris, who was appointed by the Sovereignty Council on May 19, has been gradually building his cabinet amid delays caused by armed group negotiations and political infighting.

RSF Declares Rival Government As War Intensifies

The appointments come as the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemedti,” declared the formation of a rival government headed by Mohamed Hassan al-Ta'ishi under a newly established presidential council. This parallel authority, reportedly supported by SPLM-North leader Abdelaziz al-Hilu, has been dismissed by Sudan’s Foreign Ministry as illegitimate and detached from the suffering of the Sudanese people.

The war between the army, under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF has claimed more than 20,000 lives and displaced 15 million people, according to UN and local estimates. The conflict has destroyed essential services across much of the country, including access to water and healthcare, particularly in regions like Khartoum and Darfur.

While the army has recently regained control of areas in the capital, the RSF continues to dominate most of Darfur. The United Nations has repeatedly warned that Sudan is facing one of the worst humanitarian disasters globally, with the collapse of basic infrastructure and mass displacement.