Sudan’s paramilitary RSF threatens to attack northern states amid reports of Khartoum executions

The deputy leader of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Abdel Rahim Hamdan Daglo, has threatened to invade two northern states following significant losses to the Sudanese army.

In a video statement filmed in Darfur, Daglo vowed to attack the Northern State and River Nile State, claiming his forces, bolstered by 2,000 vehicles, would soon strike. This comes after the RSF was pushed out of several regions, including Khartoum, and suffered setbacks in other parts of the country. Daglo’s declaration follows the RSF’s capture of al-Maliha in North Darfur and a brief occupation of Merowe in Northern State, but his forces were later ousted by the Sudanese army. In the video, he criticized deserters, promising death for anyone found selling weapons or ammunition, while calling for the killing of suspected regime supporters.

The escalation follows horrific reports from Khartoum, where the UN rights chief, Volker Turk, condemned the execution of civilians “in cold blood,” allegedly for suspected ties to the RSF. These deaths highlight the brutality of the ongoing conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese military, which has been ongoing since April 2023. “I urge the commanders of the Sudanese Armed Forces to take immediate measures to put an end to arbitrary deprivation of life,” Turk said. As violence continues to spread, both sides appear to be preparing for further bloodshed, raising fears of a prolonged and devastating conflict.