The army has traditionally played a prominent role in Sudan’s socioeconomic and political life. The events of April 2023 once again confirmed the country’s failure to establish stable political institutions since gaining independence. This study aims to examine the historical prerequisites and conditions that led Sudan into civil war and a humanitarian crisis, ultimately resulting in the degradation and collapse of the state. The article concludes that the armed forces are no longer the only successfully functioning institution in the country, as previously believed. As demonstrated in the research, the army has transformed from a guarantor of stability into a source of threats to national security. Furthermore, a ‘deep state’ has emerged in Sudan since independence in 1956. The military elite maintained complete control over the country for an extended period, acting solely in their interests, which inevitably impacted the socioeconomic situation in Sudan. The current events in the country are not an ethno-confessional conflict but a power struggle between two military formations: the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.