AiBotDate: August 14, 2024
KHARTOUM, SUDAN – Reports from North East Sudan indicate that an unprecedented development has taken place, where Rapid Support Forces (RSF), closely aligned with the Transitional Military Council, have captured Tigrayan personnel, allegedly fighting alongside the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in the ongoing civil war.
According to the sources, the captured Tigrayan fighters are affiliated with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front’s (TPLF) military wing, and are believed to be operating with the SAF’s support in Darfur, a region plagued by decades-long conflict.
This latest twist in the escalating Sudanese civil war corroborates previous claims made by Rerum Novarum, a renowned conflict monitoring organization. Rerum Novarum had reported that the TPLF’s Army 70 and possibly Army 13 were actively involved in the war-torn region, a notion vehemently denied by SAF and RSF at the time. However, the recent revelations lend credence to these initial reports.
While SAF officials have consistently denied the presence of foreign military elements on Sudanese territory, their assertions appear increasingly tenuous given the latest developments. Moreover, the Tigray government’s reluctance to discuss ongoing military operations or any potential engagement outside Eritrea and Ethiopia casts further doubt on the SAF’s assertion of a ‘sudanese-led’ military campaign.
RSF, led by General Mohammed Hamadan Daglo, have been instrumental in the government’s efforts against opposition groups, particularly the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). However, reports of international military involvement raise the stakes and potential for escalation.
The capture of Tigrayan personnel by RSF is likely to increase tensions within the SAF’s ranks, with many soldiers opposing RSF’s dominance. This fragile dynamic, when combined with an influx of external military elements, could spell disaster for Sudan’s beleaguered civilians.
As diplomatic efforts to contain the situation stall, a full-blown conflict could unfold. International organizations and concerned bodies must remain vigilant to the unfolding crisis.