Sudan: RSF leader calls on army officers and soldiers to join him

Nearly four months after armed conflict erupted between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the militia’s leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also known as Hemedti) has called on army officers and soldiers to join what he called “the people’s choice.”

In an audio recording, Hemedti called on members of the Sudanese army in the General Command and the Corps of Engineers to leave the armed forces and join the RSF. He added that the battle his forces are waging against the army “will end very soon,” denying accusations that his forces have killed prisoners.

The militia leader pointed out that his forces did not have heavy weapons such as tanks, and that they did not have warplanes, but they have obtained some of these weapons from the army, according to Al-Arabiya news website.

“We will defend Sudan and ourselves until the last soldier and until we bring democracy to all Sudanese,” said Hemedti. “We do not seek to seize power in Sudan.”

Last week, Ibrahim Mukhayer, one of Hemedti’s advisors, denied media claims that the head of the RSF had been assassinated. “The RSF commander is leading battles and is also leading on diplomatic work,” explained Mukhayer.

READ: IOM: over 7m internally displaced in Sudan