RSF commander defects to Sudanese army in Al Jazirah state
October 20, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – Abu Aqla Kakil, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander in Al Jazirah state, has defected to the Sudanese army, the armed forces said on Sunday.
The Sudanese army spokesman said Kakil “chose the side of righteousness and the nation today after leaving the rebels’ ranks and deciding to fight alongside our forces.” It added that Kakil and many of his troops recognized the “falsehood and invalidity of the claims made by the terrorist militia of Al Dighlo and their aides,” who were merely “cheap tools” used to further a destructive international and regional agenda.
A video circulating on social media shows Kakil smiling and posing with Sudanese army soldiers as local residents celebrate. This suggests a potential weakening of the RSF’s hold on central Sudan.
The armed forces welcomed Kakil’s defection and said they are open to all who choose to support the nation. They also highlighted the amnesty offered by the Chairman of the Sovereign Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to any rebel who joins the army, urging them to report to the nearest military command.
Military sources told Sudan Tribune that Kakil surrendered to the army in the Al Abaitor mountains, about 65 km (40 miles) northeast of Rufaa in Al Jazirah state. Brigadier General Ahmed Shaa Al-Din, commander of the Butana region, supervised the surrender.
Sources said the surrender followed intensive negotiations involving military leaders from the Butana region, tribal leaders, and members of Kakil’s family. These negotiations resulted in an amnesty for Kakil and his group and a pledge to fight alongside the army to retake Al Jazirah state from the RSF.
An RSF leader downplayed Kakil’s defection, telling Sudan Tribune that he fled with only three vehicles and a few companions, mostly family. He said their cause remains strong and would not be affected by the defection of those he called “traitors.”
Kakil founded the “Sudan Shield Forces” in 2022, which were active in Al Jazirah, Gedaref, and Khartoum states. He criticized the Juba Peace Agreement and advocated integrating armed movements into the military. After the war broke out between the army and the RSF in April 2023, Kakil disappeared from public view before reappearing in July to announce that his forces were joining the RSF.