RSF confirms arrival of troops in Khartoum for training

March 8, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) admitted, on Wednesday, the transfer of 700 new recruits from the Darfur region, to Khartoum, for a training programme denying any relationship with escalation between the military leaders.

Last week, the RSF dispatched hundreds of troops to the Sudanese capital from the Darfur region. The move coincided with the growing tensions over the framework agreement between their commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo “Hemetti” and the army leadership.

Following the arrival of the additional paramilitary troops to Khartoum, there were reports that the army put troops on high alert levels in response to this move.

“The forces in question belong to the 13th batch, whose members were transferred from the five Darfur states, to receive military training,” a senior RSF officer told Sudan Tribune under the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the press.

He added that the new recruits will be distributed to RSF camps in Karari, Taiba and other military facilities in Khartoum state.

He stressed that the move had nothing to do with the disputes between the Rapid Support Commander and the commander in chief of the national army

“These forces have nothing to do with any conflict,” he said, “Their arrival to the training camps in Khartoum was decided several months ago”.

Also, the RSF military was keen to underscore that the new recruits were not limited to the Darfur region but many arrived from other states.

On Tuesday, Hemetti publicly confirmed that he was at odds with the Sudanese army commanders.

(ST)