RSF field commander killed in Darfur clashes with Sudanese allied forces

August 4, 2026 (EL GENEINA) – A senior Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander was killed on Tuesday in heavy clashes with Sudanese army-aligned forces in West Darfur, both sides confirmed, marking a fresh setback for the paramilitary group in the western region.

Brigadier General Mahdi Jebel Moon, who led RSF operations north of West Darfur’s capital El Geneina, died during intense fighting in the areas of Hajar Marfain and Bir Saliba, local sources and officials said.

Minni Arko Minnawi, head of the Sudan Liberation Movement and general supervisor of the Joint Forces, an alliance of armed groups fighting alongside the Sudanese Armed Forces, said on Facebook that his forces achieved a battlefield victory, killing Jebel Moon.

Pro-RSF media channels later confirmed his death in the combat north of El Geneina.

Jebel Moon was one of the paramilitary group’s top field commanders in Darfur. He recently took command of the RSF’s 128th Group following his promotion to brigadier general, having previously commanded RSF artillery forces in Khartoum.

In recent months, he led RSF combat units across several operational axes in Darfur, including Jirjira and Tine in North Darfur, as well as Kulbus, Bir Dqeeq, and Bir Saliba in West Darfur.

Clashes have escalated north of El Geneina as Joint Forces attempt to block RSF advances toward Tine, a key border town in North Darfur State.