Top RSF Commander Defects, Citing Nepotism and Family Control in Sudan's Paramilitary Force

A senior commander within Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Siddiq Ander, has announced his defection, citing deep-seated nepotism and family control within the organization's leadership. Exclusive video footage obtained by Al Jazeera, released on Friday, features Ander accusing relatives of RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as “Hemedti,” of monopolizing the group's finances, weaponry, troop movements, and military promotions.

Ander's departure is the latest in a series of high-profile defections from the RSF this year, with several commanders leaving alongside hundreds of fighters. "It has become clear to us beyond any doubt that we were serving a purely family-based project controlled by Hemedti’s relatives in every aspect, money, weapons, fighters’ movements and the granting of ranks," Ander stated. He further warned that "Anyone who speaks out and tells the whole truth faces expulsion, imprisonment or a hidden death." Hemedti’s brother, Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, currently holds the position of RSF deputy commander.

This wave of defections has seen multiple senior RSF commanders break ranks. Notably, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Azraq al-Fanjari announced his departure on October 8, accompanied by 300 officers and soldiers and 30 military vehicles. Al-Fanjari urged other fighters to leave the RSF, expressing remorse for the suffering caused by the ongoing war. Prior to this, on September 25, Al-Tayeb al-Wahidu defected with 50 fighters to the rival Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Omdurman, as reported by The Sudan Tribune. Al-Wahidu cited abuses within the RSF as his primary reason for leaving.

Earlier in May, Brigadier Ali Rizqallah, known as Savannah, also announced his departure. Another senior commander, Major General al-Nour Ahmed Adam, also known as al-Qubba, joined the SAF in April and received public endorsement from Sudanese leader and military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, according to The Tribune, which also reported that Al-Qubba's exit stemmed from disagreements over military appointments within the RSF leadership.

Sudan's conflict erupted in April 2023, fueled by a power struggle between the Sudanese army and the RSF, including disputes over integrating the paramilitary force into the regular military. The war has since displaced approximately 13 million people and has led to widespread famine in parts of the country. The recent defections coincide with an escalation in drone warfare by both sides, resulting in a significant increase in civilian casualties. On October 26, strikes targeted a market and residential area in Nyala, a city under RSF control in South Darfur. Emergency Lawyers, a Sudanese rights organization, reported over 100 fatalities, though other medical organizations provided lower figures. The United Nations has identified drone strikes as the leading cause of civilian deaths in Sudan's ongoing conflict.