RSF second commander renews calls to hand over power to civilians in Sudan
March 4, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Second Commander, Abdel Rahim Daglo reiterated their support for the framework agreement and called on the army leaders to hand over power to civilians.
Relations strained last February between the leaders of the regular army including the head of the Sovereign Council Abdel al-Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dalgo Hemetti when the latter did not support their calls to open the agreement for more political groups.
On February 19, Hemetti repeated his calls n favour of a power handover to the civilians and travelled to the United Arab Emirates from where he returned on Thursday after a mediation by the Gulf country to end tensions between the two military leaders.
Unexpectedly, his brother and RSF second commander renewed strongly worded statements in support of the pro-democracy forces on Saturday.
“We have a message for our brothers in power, we tell them to hand over power to the people, without delay,” said Abdel Rahim Daglo in remarks he made during a meeting with West Kordofan Native Administration leaders in Khartoum.
“We have a lot in our hearts but would not be a reason (for war) and we do not want to be a reason for it at all,” he said expressing their anger about the recent criticisms against them by the army leaders.
In a response to the army leaders last month, Hemetti recalled that he was for the RSF integration in the national army and he signed the framework agreement which clearly provides its merger in the national army.
The RSF second commander stressed they would not back down from their support to the civilian government and justice, two things to which the Sudanese are attached, he added.
Dalgo had already said they would not wage war against the Sudanese army, on February 26.
“From today onwards, after the death of the martyr (a protester killed in the East Nile this week), we will not allow any killing of young demonstrators and we will not allow any arrest of politicians.”
On February 28, a police officer brutally killed a protester at close range after chasing him.
(ST)