Photo credit: Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged Sudan’s military authorities to investigate and prosecute former Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanders who recently defected to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
The group stated that allegations of serious abuses should not be overlooked because they switched sides in the country’s conflict.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the rights group urged Sudanese authorities to cooperate with ongoing international investigations and ensure accountability for commanders accused of involvement in atrocities committed during the war.
The appeal follows the defections of senior RSF commanders Ali Rizq Allah, known as Al-Savannah, and Major General Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, known as Al-Nour Al-Qubba, who joined the army in April and May this year.
According to HRW, both men held leadership roles during RSF operations in Darfur, including around El Fasher, where rights groups and international investigators have documented attacks on civilians.
Furthermore, the organization said it had verified videos showing the presence of the two commanders during the RSF’s prolonged siege on El Fasher. HRW has previously documented killings, sexual violence, and abuses allegedly carried out by RSF fighters in the area.
The Sudanese military has publicly welcomed several former RSF commanders since the conflict began in April 2023. Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burham has previously offered amnesty to RSF fighters willing to abandon the paramilitary group and join government forces.
While HRW said there was no public indication that the defected commanders had received formal amnesty, the rights group stressed that obligations under international law require Sudanese authorities to pursue accountability for war crimes and other grave abuses.
The group also highlighted growing concerns among victims’ advocates that alleged perpetrators could evade justice by switching sides in the conflict.
