Musa Hilal denies involvement in killing of senior RSF commander
January 4, 2026 (MISTERIYA) – Tribal leader Musa Hilal on Sunday dismissed accusations that he was involved in the recent killing of a senior Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander, instead pointing the finger back at the paramilitary group for the death of its own official.
The denial follows a January 1 drone strike near Zalingei, Central Darfur, which killed Hamid Ali Abubakr, the security advisor to the RSF commander for Darfur, along with several high-ranking officers from a pro-RSF breakaway faction of the Revolutionary Sahwa Council (RSC).
Addressing a military gathering in the town of Misteriya in North Darfur, Hilal characterized the allegations against him as “lies” intended to incite internal tribal strife. He urged observers to consider which parties have the technical capability to carry out such an attack and who stands to benefit from the elimination of these leaders.
“Only two parties possess armed drones: the army and the Rapid Support Forces,” Hilal said. “We consider the RSF the primary suspect and the army the secondary suspect.”
Hilal, who leads the RSC and has declared his support for the Sudanese army, claimed that 75% of the available evidence suggests the RSF itself was responsible for liquidating its personnel in the Al-Fardous area.
He suggested the move was part of a pattern of internal purges, citing the May 2023 killing of General Hafiz Daoud by RSF forces in Kutum as a precedent for the group targeting members of his tribe.
The late Abubakr, a member of the Mahameed tribe, was a central figure in the RSF’s regional strategy and a close advisor to Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.
While the slain commander held significant influence within the RSF, he was a controversial figure among his own kinsmen. Some tribal members accused him of using financial incentives to lure youth away from Hilal’s leadership and of plotting a direct military assault on Hilal’s stronghold in Misteriya.
Despite the growing tension between the two factions, Hilal stated that local investigative committees are currently working to uncover the facts of the drone strike. He pledged to manage the fallout of the incident to prevent a broader escalation of tribal violence in the region.
The RSF has not responded to the allegations.