Sudan’s army reports first defection of senior RSF officer
Sudan’s army said on October 20th that a commander from the Rapid Support Forces had defected, according to the Arab News via Reuters. The move is the first of its kind from a senior figure since the war began more than 18 months ago.
Army supporters posted photos online purporting to show former army officer-turned RSF senior commander Abuagla Keikal in El Gezira following his defection.
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The RSF published a statement later on claiming Keikal had switched sides following a “deal,” adding that it had inflicted losses on the defecting forces. The army on the other hand said Keikal switched due to the “destructive agenda,” of the RSF. Keikal himself made no immediate comment.
The RSF has seized control of swathes of Sudan in a war that has displaced 10 million people, driven much of the country into hunger and famine and drawn in foreign backers on both sides. The UN says the war has caused one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
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The war broke out in April last year when tensions between the RSF and the army boiled over, following a jostling between the two ahead of an internationally-backed move to civilian rule.
The two had until then shared power after staging a coup back in 2021, two years after the overthrow of Omar Al-Bashir.
Reuters
