Rapid Support Forces commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemetti, has delivered a defiant address to his forces, claiming the paramilitary group has tripled in size from 143,000 to 450,000 fighters since Sudan’s civil war began in April 2023. Speaking from an undisclosed location, Hemetti blamed the military leadership—whom he accused of operating as fronts for the Muslim Brotherhood and ISIS—for the continued violence. While claiming the RSF desperately wants an immediate ceasefire, he warned that his forces are prepared to wage war for 40 years if a mutual peace agreement is not reached. Hemetti boasted that the RSF has the military capacity to push the national army all the way to its stronghold in Port Sudan, but claimed his forces are holding back to protect civilians. Hemetti’s address, which projects strength, popular legitimacy, and staying power, grants the RSF leverage in any potential negotiation to end the war. Meanwhile, Sudan’s civilian population remains the primary loser of the conflict as they face an entrenched conflict with no end in sight. Furthermore, Hemetti’s rhetoric signals the RSF is consolidating into a parallel state, with plans for governance, healthcare, and education in controlled areas—transforming a military faction into a long-term political rival.
Sudan Tribune
