Former Hemedti Adviser: Al-Safana Defection Signals RSF’s Inevitable Collapse

Cairo – Sudanhorizon – Sabah Moussa

Former adviser to the commander of the Rapid Support Forces militia, Yaqoub Al-Damouki, said that the announcement by field commander Ali Rizqallah, known as “Al-Safana,” of his defection from the militia represents its inevitable end, stressing that the withdrawal of the Mahamid faction from the RSF signals its true collapse.

In an exclusive statement to Sudanhorizon, Al-Damouki explained that after his defection, Al-Safana is now aligned with civilians, although in practice he is currently closer to the government. He added that information emerging in recent weeks, following the attack on the Mustariha area—Al-Safana’s home region—indicated that an RSF force demanded that Al-Safana’s group, currently outside the country, surrender its weapons.

According to Al-Damouki, Al-Safana’s group initially refused to hand over its weapons, and tensions nearly escalated into a dangerous confrontation before Al-Safana instructed his men to surrender their arms and return home. He said this effectively amounted to the disbanding of Al-Safana’s forces. He also noted that Al-Safana had relocated his family to Juba and no longer had anything left to protect or fear losing.

Al-Damouki added that Al-Safana had been detained since the beginning of the war before being released as part of a deal with the militia to fight on its side. He said Al-Safana led several military confrontations and belongs to the Mahamid tribe, the same group to which Musa Hilal and Al-Nour Guba belong.

He further stated that Al-Safana had been facing mounting pressure from his fighters in the field over unpaid financial obligations, delayed entitlements, and ongoing complaints, asserting that militia leaders failed to respond to the demands of his forces. He added that Al-Safana is considered close to Sheikh Musa Hilal, and that the attack on Mustariha and the defection of Al-Nour Guba created growing suspicion toward all Mahamid members within the RSF, including Al-Safana.

Al-Damouki stressed that the Mahamid are now entirely outside the RSF, describing them as a key branch within the Rizeigat tribe. He said the Mahariya faction controls the RSF leadership, while the Mahamid represent its primary field force in terms of experience and manpower.

He also stated that the Mahamid were the original founders of the Border Guards forces, from which the RSF later emerged under the leadership of Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, emphasizing that their departure effectively means the end of the militia.

Al-Damouki further argued that other Arab tribes fighting alongside the RSF are not organically part of it, but were mobilized under tribal banners. He predicted that the militia would face complete paralysis in the coming period as participating tribal groups return to their regions.

He concluded by saying that the conflict has now shifted inward to divisions within the Rizeigat tribe itself, describing this as the inevitable end of the RSF, and called on the Sudanese government to launch a comprehensive tribal dialogue across the Darfur region.

Shortlink: https://sudanhorizon.com/?p=13748