General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, head of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), emerged for the first time outside Sudan since the conflict between RSF and the Sudanese army commenced in April.
Dagalo’s meeting with Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday comes on the heels of army’s retreat from central Sudan.
RSF leader discussed Sudan’s ongoing developments and outlined his vision for negotiating an end to the war. President Museveni affirmed the meeting in a social media post, extending a welcome to Dagalo at his residence in Rwakitura.
Since mid-April, the army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo have been engaged in a war that has resulted in more than 12,000 deaths and over 7 million displaced and refugees, according to the United Nations.
In a display of increasing strength, the RSF recently seized control of Wad Madani, a central city in Sudan. However, allegations of misconduct, including looting and civilian killings in neighboring villages, have been leveled against RSF soldiers.
RSF vehemently denies these allegations and blames factions in the army who are loyal to Sudan’s former dictator Omar al-Bashir for being responsible for the atrocities.
Al-Burhan has vowed to “hold accountable those failing to do their duties” following the announcement on Dec. 18 by the Rapid Support Forces of their control over the city of Wad Madani after four days of battles with the army.
On Dec. 19, the Sudanese army announced the withdrawal of its forces from the city and initiated an investigation into the reasons and circumstances of the withdrawal from their positions.
Sudan’s Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that Dagalo encountered obstacles preventing his travel to Djibouti for a planned initial meeting with Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, under the aegis of the regional body IGAD, chaired by Djibouti presently.
Due to unspecified “technical issues,” the Foreign Ministry statement confirmed the postponement of this crucial meeting, intended to broker an end to the ongoing conflict. An undisclosed source familiar with the matter suggested that disagreements between the involved parties led to the meeting’s delay, refraining from divulging further details.
Turkey and Egypt issue travel warnings
Turkey and Egypt on Wednesday advised their citizens to avoid traveling to Sudan as fighting escalated between the Sudanese armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
“It is regrettable that the security situation in Sudan has deteriorated. We recommend that our citizens avoid traveling to Sudan except for absolutely essential situations,” Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli said on X.
“It is important for our citizens who are currently in Sudan to continue to follow additional warnings and announcements that may be made by our Ministry and our Khartoum Embassy and to take the necessary precautions for their personal security,” Keceli added.
Egypt urges citizens to leave Sudan
Egypt on Wednesday called on its citizens to leave Sudan quickly and refrain from traveling to it “under any circumstances.”
In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced the evacuation of several Egyptian students stranded in the city of Wad Madani in Al-Jazirah state in Sudan which is experiencing military conflicts.
It noted that the Egyptian Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan successfully evacuated 18 students, including some of their parents, from the city of Wad Madani.
The ministry urged all citizens in Sudan, including those in areas not affected by armed conflicts, to leave Sudan quickly, advising against any travel to Sudan at the present time.
