Sudanese SAF officers and soldiers stationed in eastern Jebel Marra say their salaries and financial entitlements have been suspended since October 2023, worsening their living conditions, according to testimonies provided from their current deployment areas.
Members of the force said they have not received any payments since leaving El Fasher after the Rapid Support Forces took control of the headquarters of the 6th Infantry Division on October 26.
Several soldiers said their presence in areas controlled by the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Mohamed al-Nur has forced them to rely on limited humanitarian assistance provided by organizations operating in the region. They added that their families have been severely affected by the prolonged suspension of salaries.
The officers and soldiers said hundreds of SAF personnel and allied forces arrived in eastern Jebel Marra over recent months following their withdrawal from El Fasher, stressing that the halt in financial entitlements has placed an additional burden on them amid the severe economic conditions caused by the conflict, which has been ongoing since April 2023.
They called on Sudan’s SAF leadership to intervene to address their situation and to pay the overdue salaries, warning that the continued suspension is deepening their suffering and that of their families.
The developments come after the SAF redeployed units to various locations following the loss of control over El Fasher, while areas of Jebel Marra have received large numbers of withdrawing forces in recent months.
