A contingent of 318 Rapid Support Forces members, including four commanders, has defected to the Sudanese army, marking the latest wave of surrenders from the paramilitary group.
The group arrived in the Al-Dabba locality within Northern State carrying up to 50 combat vehicles, where they formally declared their decision to align with the armed forces.
Mohamed Saleh Younes, a Border Guards commander, stated that the army welcomes those choosing to return to its ranks, reaffirming that military forces will persist in their efforts to restore security throughout the nation.
Explaining the rationale behind the surrender, Lieutenant-Colonel Musa Ali Ahmed, who led the defectors, pointed to a total lack of institutional structures within the RSF. He noted that the group resolved to switch sides to help preserve the unity of Sudan.
This wave follows closely on the heels of another major surrender just last week, when 300 RSF personnel and 21 commanders aligned with the army.
These recurring surrenders highlight intensifying strain on the RSF, which continues to lose both field commanders and political figures. Notable individuals who recently abandoned the group include political adviser Fares al-Nour, field commander Ali Rizqallah, and Major-General Al-Nour Ahmed Adam.
The Sudanese army and the RSF have been locked in a bitter struggle for control since April 2023, sparked by a political rivalry between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti. More than three years into the fighting, intense combat persists across regions like Darfur, Blue Nile, and the Kordofan states without any lasting political resolution.
International agencies and the UN estimate that the war has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced nearly 13 million people, creating one of the largest humanitarian crises globally.
While the continuous flow of personnel and equipment grants the Sudanese army additional momentum, the steady loss of fighters exposes internal fractures within the RSF as the war drags on.
