Published on 5/20/2026
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Last update: 01:01 (Mecca time)
The dissident commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Ali Abdullah Rizkallah, known as “Al-Safna,” released a number of positions and field testimonies about the scenes of the Sudanese war and the nature of the leadership structure within the Rapid Support, warning at the same time that the continuation of the fighting currently taking place between the army and the Rapid Support may undermine the country’s unity and ultimately lead to the division of Sudan.
Al-Safna revealed, in an interview with Al-Jazeera Mubasher, the size of his latest defection step, stressing that about 5,000 members and officers of the Rapid Support Forces had defected with him simultaneously.
In the context of the political and field movements aimed at ending the crisis, Al-Safna announced that he met with the Commander of the Sudanese Army, Chairman of the Sovereignty Council, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, where they agreed during the meeting on the necessity of reaching a radical and complete solution aimed at ending the war and stopping the bloodshed.
On the other hand, the defected commander revealed the scenes of another meeting he had one month ago with the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
Al-Safna quoted Hemedti as directly admitting that “the current war is completely out of his hands,” pointing out at the same time that the Rapid Support Commander currently lives moving between several countries, and that although he may be interested in achieving peace in Sudan, the course of field affairs has already gone out of his effective control.
Rapid support structure
In his analysis of the internal reality of the Rapid Support Forces, Ali Al-Safna explained that the numerical strength of these forces is so huge and large, that Hemedti himself does not know its precise details or its entire composition.
Regarding the dilemma of decision-making leadership and field violations, Al-Safna stressed that Hemedti remains the one who has the first and final say within the Rapid Support, while his brother, Abdul Rahim Dagalo, stands out as the first and direct responsible for the common violations committed by those forces.
In a context related to the violations file, Al-Safna indicated that the decision to kill extrajudicially is taken directly and independently by field commanders on the ground, categorically denying that he committed any violations of any kind during the course of this war.
Regarding the accusations against some field leaders, he revealed that the prominent leader accused of committing widespread violations, known as “Abu Lulu,” has not yet been subjected to a prison sentence as rumored.
Appearance before the court
The defected commander defended his military career and his fluctuating field positions, denying the accusations against him of dual positions. He said, “At no time was I a double agent for the army or the Rapid Support, and my military and political loyalties were completely clear throughout my career.”
Al-Safna also showed flexibility and complete conviction that he would be held accountable legally, declaring his complete and unconditional readiness to appear for investigation before any court, whether a local Sudanese court or an international court, to provide his testimony and hold him accountable regarding all the events and details of this war.
At the conclusion of his statements, Ali Al-Safna charted a path for his vision regarding the solution, stressing that it is not possible to achieve real and sustainable peace in Sudan without first providing field stability, stressing that the Sudanese people are the only ones who have the right and the final decision regarding the details of the negotiations and the future of the country.
The dissident leader concluded his speech on an optimistic tone, considering that the military option will not last, and that all the conflicting parties will eventually return to the peace table, no matter how long the fighting lasts and how long the war continues.
The defection of Al-Safna is the second to strike the Rapid Support Forces, after the defection of Al-Nour Al-Qubba last April, and he is one of its founders and prominent field leaders.
Since April 2023, the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces have been engaged in military confrontations against the backdrop of disagreements over the integration of forces, causing a massive humanitarian crisis and famine that is considered among the worst in the world, in addition to the killing of tens of thousands and the displacement of about 13 million people.
