Anger mounts as Sudan’s army takes in Darfur paramilitary defectors

By Eltayeb Siddig, Nafisa Eltahir and Khalid Abdelaziz Reuters and Posted by TOE Last month, Ali Rizkallah, a commander in the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group, was welcomed to Sudan’s capital ​Khartoum and given a uniform and a rank in the armed forces he had spent about  three years fighting . The army-affiliated government hailed his defection — the latest in a series of ‌high-level switches that have been reshaping Sudan’s alliances and boosting the military in  one of the deadliest conflicts  of the century. But many others have balked at the sight of Rizkallah and other former RSF figures feted in public, holding press conferences and sometimes literally embracing their former rivals. They fear that the defectors will evade justice for alleged crimes committed under their command. ‘I CAN’T FORGIVE THEM,’ SAYS DARFUR WOMAN “These RSF soldiers, even if they seek God’s forgiveness, I can’t forgive them because of what I ​...

Chad shuts border with Sudan in bid to stop conflict spreading

Chad closed its eastern border with Sudan on Monday after weekend clashes linked to Sudan’s civil war killed five Chadian soldiers, two sources told Reuters.

The conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which erupted in April 2023, has periodically spilled over into Chadian territory, causing casualties and property damage.

A border guard officer in Tine confirmed the deaths of the five soldiers and said additional security measures were needed to protect civilians on the Chadian side.

The two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media, said more Chadian troops were being deployed to the area.

Chad’s government said on Monday that the border would remain closed until further notice, citing “repeated incursions and violations committed by forces in Sudan’s conflict.”

The move “aims to prevent any risk of the conflict spreading to our soil, to protect our fellow citizens and refugee populations, and to guarantee the stability and territorial integrity of our country,” a government statement said.

Sudan’s army and the RSF did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Last year, a drone attack killed two Chadian soldiers, according to local authorities and a security source, though it was unclear who carried out the attack.

“One thing is certain: whether we like it or not, Chad now appears to be a party to the conflict,” said Ahmat Yacoub from the Center for Studies for the Development and Prevention of Extremism, a think tank.

SOURCE: REUTERS AND AGENCIES



from The Times Of Earth https://ift.tt/ZLeGA9F

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