Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have suffered another major defection, with 318 fighters, including four commanders, reportedly abandoning the paramilitary group and joining the Sudanese army.
The defectors reportedly arrived in Al-Dabba locality in Northern State with up to 50 combat vehicles before announcing their decision to join the armed forces, according to Sudanese authorities.
Border Guards commander, Mohamed Saleh Younes, welcomed the development, saying the army would receive RSF members willing to return to its ranks.
Younes added that the military would continue its efforts to restore security and stability across Sudan.
Lieutenant-Colonel Musa Ali Ahmed, identified as the leader of the defectors, attributed their decision to what he described as a lack of institutional structures within the RSF.
He said the fighters chose to join the army in what they considered the best interest of preserving Sudan’s unity.
The latest development comes barely a week after another group of about 300 RSF personnel, including 21 commanders, reportedly defected and joined the army.
The growing number of defections is adding pressure on the RSF, which has suffered losses among its military and political leadership as the conflict continues.
Among those recently reported to have left the paramilitary group are political adviser Fares al-Nour, field commander Ali Rizqallah and Major-General Al-Nour Ahmed Adam.
The Sudanese army and the RSF have been engaged in a devastating war since April 2023 following a power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, popularly known as Hemedti.
Despite years of fighting, neither side has secured a lasting political settlement, while attempts to end the conflict have repeatedly failed.
Heavy clashes have continued in several parts of the country, including Darfur, Blue Nile and the North, West and South Kordofan states.
The conflict has triggered one of the world’s largest displacement crises, with tens of thousands of people reported killed and nearly 13 million displaced, according to United Nations and international estimates.
The latest defections could strengthen the army’s manpower and provide it with additional combat vehicles as it seeks to consolidate its position against the RSF.
For the paramilitary group, however, the continued loss of fighters and commanders could further weaken its ranks and expose growing internal divisions as Sudan’s prolonged war enters another phase.
