Five Advisors Defect from Rapid Support Forces Amid Escalating Conflict
In a significant development in the ongoing conflict in Sudan, five advisors to Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemeti, have officially defected from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This announcement was made during a press conference held in Port Sudan on October 26, 2024. The defectors, led by Mohamed Abdullah Wad Abuk, expressed their concerns regarding the RSF's intentions to control the Sudanese coasts along the Red Sea, which they believe threaten national sovereignty.
The defection follows a similar move by Abu Aqla Kikil, the RSF commander in Al-Jazeera State, who recently joined the Sudanese army. This trend of defections poses a serious challenge to the RSF's stability and morale, particularly as the group has been accused of escalating violence against civilians. Just a day prior to the advisors' announcement, the RSF reportedly launched a brutal attack on villages in Al-Jazeera State, resulting in at least 50 deaths and over 200 injuries. The violence has raised alarms about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the region, which has already seen over 10 million people displaced since the conflict began in April 2023.
The RSF's ambitious projects in the Red Sea State, which include plans for three airports and three ports costing an estimated $30 billion, have also come under scrutiny. Abdel Qader Ibrahim Muhammad, a senior RSF official, indicated that these projects were initially supported by Hemeti but faced rejection from the army leadership due to concerns over national security. This rejection reportedly led Hemeti to threaten a power seizure, further escalating tensions within the military landscape of Sudan.
