Defector ‘Savannah’ Arrives in Khartoum, Deepening RSF Crisis

Former Rapid Support Forces (RSF) field commander Brigadier General Ali Rizqallah, known as “Savannah,” arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum days after announcing his split from the paramilitary force led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), in a move observers say highlights growing divisions within the RSF leadership and field ranks. When Savannah announced his defection last week, he stressed he would not side with either party in the conflict, saying only that he had “sided with the will of the people.” But his arrival in Khartoum was widely seen by observers as a practical indication that he had joined the Sudanese army, dealing another blow to the RSF, which has faced a growing wave of defections in recent months. Media sources said Savannah arrived in Khartoum without official details about his next moves, but the timing of his arrival, amid escalating military operations on several fronts, reinforced speculation of significant internal shifts within the RSF structure. Defected RSF Major General Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, known as “Al-Nour al-Qubba,” told local media that Savannah was among the RSF’s most prominent field commanders and that his defection had generated wide attention because of his military influence and standing within the force. He described Savannah as “one of the strong men and men of principle,” predicting that his joining the army would represent “a real addition to the armed forces and the Sudanese people.” Al-Qubba also hinted at further defections within the RSF, saying the coming days would witness new developments following Savanna’s move to the army, in remarks suggesting that other commanders could join the Sudanese armed forces. Savannah emerged as one of the leading RSF field commanders in the Kordofan region after the outbreak of war in April 2023. He led several military operations against the army and helped expand RSF control across large parts of the region. He is the fourth prominent commander to defect from the RSF in recent months after Abu Aqla Keikel, commander of the Sudan Shield forces, who joined the army in October 2024, followed by Major General Al-Nour Ahmed Adam al-Qubba and field commander Bashara al-Huwaira, who also defected and joined the armed forces. Tribal leader Musa Hilal, the former head of the Janjaweed militia, had previously declared support for the army after relocating to Port Sudan following the RSF’s takeover of his hometown of Misterei in Darfur, in a development observers say contributed to growing unrest and divisions within the RSF. Observers say RSF attacks on areas controlled by Musa Hilal and his forces affected tribal and military balances in Darfur and indirectly accelerated defections from the paramilitary group. Neither the Sudanese army nor the RSF issued official comment on Savannah’s arrival in Khartoum. The RSF had previously described him in a Telegram statement as a “defeated general,” while pro-RSF platforms circulated videos showing fighters from his combat group rejecting his defection. The war between the Sudanese army and the RSF has entered the first month of its fourth year, with humanitarian and security conditions continuing to deteriorate across the country. The International Organization for Migration estimates that the conflict has displaced more than 14 million people, including nearly four million who fled to neighboring countries, while the United Nations has described the Sudan crisis as the world’s “largest humanitarian catastrophe.” Unofficial estimates say the war has killed around 150,000 civilians, in addition to thousands of fighters from both sides, amid the absence of precise figures on military losses.