This article was originally published by African Arguments on June 16, 2026. It examines why the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) failed to achieve a rapid military takeover in Sudan despite significant early gains. It analyzes strategic assumptions, operational limitations, legitimacy challenges, and the long-term advantages retained by conventional military institutions during protracted conflict. The analysis explores how early battlefield successes failed to translate into strategic victory and highlights the importance of institutional resilience, command structures, logistics, legitimacy, and political support during modern conflicts.