Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), vowed on Saturday to escalate the conflict, making it clear that his forces would not retreat from the presidential palace or the capital, Khartoum. In a video statement, Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, said the ongoing war in Khartoum had reached a new phase, with the RSF firmly holding their ground.
“We will not leave the presidential palace,” he declared, emphasising that the situation was different now. He also warned countries supporting the Sudanese army, threatening that they “will pay the price.” Dagalo announced plans to target Port Sudan, a key strategic location used by the army for managing national affairs, as well as home to the headquarters of various UN agencies and diplomatic missions.
Dagalo’s comments came during significant gains by the Sudanese army in recent months. Despite the RSF’s continued resistance, reports from the Wall Street Journal had previously highlighted Dagalo’s absence from the frontlines, which led to frustration among his troops, who felt abandoned.
In response, Sudanese army commander Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan stated last week that there would be no negotiations with the RSF unless they surrendered their weapons and held their members accountable for the ongoing conflict, which has been ongoing since mid-April 2023. The army is reportedly making steady progress against the RSF forces across multiple fronts.
