The Congolese news site “Beto” has reported that SAF chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has adopted a controversial new policy: offering Sudanese citizenship and permanent residency to fighters from Ethiopia’s Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in exchange for military service.
The move is seen as part of Burhan’s broader strategy to bolster his forces in the ongoing war against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). According to the report, hundreds of Tigrayan fighters have already been deployed in Sudan over the past year, participating in operations in Khartoum as well as the Darfur and Kordofan regions.
Field sources confirmed that some of these fighters were recently stationed in Wad Madani and Al-Hashaba in White Nile State, and in parts of West Kordofan, as the army seeks to reclaim strategic areas.
The policy reportedly extends beyond veteran TPLF combatants. Sources say General al-Burhan’s army (SAF) has also begun recruiting Ethiopian refugees from camps such as Um Rakouba in eastern Gedaref State, capitalizing on deteriorating humanitarian conditions and the absence of security oversight.
New recruits are reportedly offered financial incentives, promises of citizenship, and basic living provisions—drawing many desperate young men into the conflict.
Observers warn that the decision, which was implemented without civilian or legislative oversight, could erode Sudan’s national fabric and sovereignty.
Analysts fear Sudan is becoming a recruitment hub for foreign mercenaries in exchange for military service. Reports suggest this approach is not limited to Tigrayan fighters, but includes other African nationals brought in since the outbreak of war in April 2023.
While the enlistment of TPLF fighters may offer short-term reinforcement for Burhan’s overstretched SAF, it raises troubling issues—militarizing refugee populations, internationalizing the conflict, and weaponizing citizenship as a political and military tool.
The development comes amid growing international condemnation of wartime abuses and renewed calls for a nationwide ceasefire. Experts warn that if left unchecked, Sudan’s internal war could spiral into a broader regional conflict.
