Large group leaves RSF for army
The Sudanese army has reported that 318 fighters from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), including four commanders, have defected and joined its ranks. According to Sudanese authorities, the group arrived with up to 50 combat vehicles in Al-Dabba locality in Northern State, where it publicly announced its decision to switch allegiances.
Border Guards commander Mohamed Saleh Younes welcomed the defectors, saying the army would accept those choosing to return to its ranks and that military forces would continue efforts to restore security across the country. Younes was quoted by the Middle East Monitor as saying, "The doors of the homeland are open to everyone who wishes to return to the ranks of the armed forces."
Defectors explain their decision
Lieutenant-Colonel Musa Ali Ahmed, the reported leader of the defecting group, attributed the decision to a "lack of institutional structures" within the RSF, a statement carrying an internal weakness theme. Ahmed added that the group chose to join the army to preserve Sudan's unity.
The defections are not isolated. Last week, Sudanese authorities announced that 300 other RSF personnel, including 21 commanders, had also joined the armed forces. Recent high-profile departures from the RSF include political adviser Fares al-Nour, field commander Ali Rizqallah, and Major-General Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, indicating strain within the paramilitary's leadership.
Continuing conflict and humanitarian toll
The army and the RSF have been locked in a devastating conflict since April 2023, which erupted from a power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. Since last October, heavy clashes have continued in Darfur, Blue Nile, and the states of North, West, and South Kordofan.
According to UN and international estimates, the war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced nearly 13 million people, marking one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises.