Chadian authorities release former RSF political adviser 

November 14, 2026  (N’DJAMENA) – Chadian authorities have released Youssef Ibrahim Ezzat, the former political adviser to the commander of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), from a prison in N’Djamena after 13 months of detention.

Ezzat was arrested on Oct. 11, 2025, near the Adre border crossing between Sudan and Chad while attempting to enter Sudanese territory with two of his cousins. He was freed on Nov. 12 without charge following a decision by the supreme prosecution in N’Djamena, his brother, Mohamed Ibrahim Ezzat, said in a statement.

Since his arrest, Ezzat’s family had been unable to determine his whereabouts or fate. The prolonged disappearance sparked accusations that the RSF was behind his detention, given the close ties between RSF leaders and the Chadian government.

Mohamed Ibrahim Ezzat said his brother was apprehended at the Adre crossing by Saleh Abdullah Jar, a Chadian general with close links to RSF commanders, while travelling from N’Djamena to El Geneina in Sudan’s West Darfur state to visit family.

Throughout his detention, Ezzat was held in a facility run by Chad’s National Security Agency, and his whereabouts were revealed only upon his release, his brother said.

International intervention

In a video message recorded after his release, Ezzat confirmed he was in good health and had departed Chad. Without naming the state, he said he was under the protection of a country whose passport he holds, adding that the government had recognized the irregular nature of his detention and intervened on his behalf.

The former political adviser reportedly holds a Canadian passport and has lived there for a while.

Ezzat attributed his freedom to diplomatic pressure from countries he is affiliated with and the “unseen efforts” of allies who contacted the leadership of Chad’s security apparatus directly. He also credited relatives, including Mona Ezzat, who travelled to Chad to search for him.

Addressing the political sensitivities surrounding his arrest, Ezzat warned those responsible not to take credit for his release.

“Let no one claim they had a hand in getting us out, because the one who puts the knife to your neck can never be the saviour,” he said, adding that he would decide later whether to disclose the circumstances of his detention publicly.

Ezzat also said two fellow detainees, whom he identified as Madahim Abubakr and Youssef Saleh, were in good health and expected to be released within hours or days. His brother had previously noted that release procedures for several detained cousins would be completed once charges were dropped.

Ezzat served as a political adviser to RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, from early 2021 and became the paramilitary group’s primary spokesperson after war broke out with the Sudanese army on April 15, 2023. Hemedti dismissed Ezzat in July 2024 following disagreements over the group’s political direction.