200 RSF fighters defect to Sudanese army: State media

A force of 200 fighters led by an intelligence commander has defected from Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to join the regular army, arriving in Omdurman with their equipment in the latest blow to the rebel group, state media reported on Sunday.

The group was led by Abu Bakr Hamouda Dahloop, who commanded the special missions intelligence division in North Kordofan state, according to the state-run Sudan News Agency. Dahloop stated that the fighters had realized "their mistake in following the project being implemented by the RSF militia." He added that they had joined the "national camp" and would fight "for the demands of the Sudanese people to eliminate the rebel RSF militia."

Wave of desertions hits paramilitary

The defection follows several other reported departures from the RSF in recent weeks. On Aug. 19, Sudanese authorities announced that four military commanders and 318 fighters had defected along with 50 combat vehicles, led by Lt. Col. Musa Ali Ahmed, known as "Khamsin."

Earlier, on Aug. 13, authorities said another force comprising 21 commanders and 270 fighters had switched sides. The RSF has also seen desertions among senior figures including political adviser Fares Al-Nour, Maj. Gen. Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, known as "Al-Nour Al-Qubba," and field commander Ali Rizqallah, known as "Savanna."

Civil war displaces millions

Sudan has been engulfed in civil war since April 2023, when clashes erupted between the army and the paramilitary RSF. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced around 13 million, according to UN and international estimates.

The three Kordofan states — North, West and South — have witnessed intensified clashes between the army and the RSF since October 2025. The fighting has devastated the region and contributed to the humanitarian crisis gripping the country.