General al-Burhan’s army (SAF) has begun formally restructuring pro-SAF Islamist groups by registering, classifying and reorganising them, with plans to integrate some units into the regular military. The steps have triggered sharp opposition from the Islamist Al-Baraa bin Malik Battalion, which condemned the measures as “catastrophic” and called for the removal of the army’s Chief of Staff.
Military sources told Sudan Tribune that the process implements an order issued by al-Burhan in mid-August requiring all auxiliary forces to be brought under the Armed Forces Act and placed under a unified command, especially in Darfur and Kordofan. According to the sources, the SAF started the registration phase two months ago, dissolving several “mobile columns” made up of pro-army political groups and reconstituting them under new structures.
The sources denied that the restructuring was driven by U.S. pressure or linked to a ceasefire plan, describing it instead as a “routine and natural” adjustment as fighting continues, particularly after clashes in El Fasher and Babanusa.
Leaked documents: Al-Baraa warns of “national collapse”
Reports published in recent hours revealed leaked military documents attributed to the leadership of the Al-Baraa bin Malik Battalion – one of the most prominent Islamist factions fighting alongside the SAF – highlighting severe internal disputes over what they called the “field classification” imposed by the General Staff.
A memo dated 9 December 2025 and addressed to the acting Secretary-General of the Islamic Movement said the new restrictions on the battalion and the prohibition on operating independently had produced “catastrophic” consequences for national security. It claimed the measures contributed to battlefield setbacks, including the loss of areas in West Kordofan and vital supply lines near Heglig.
The battalion accused the SAF leadership of carrying out a “political classification” against it, based on allegations of foreign links, which it said undermined morale among its fighters.
The memo, signed by battalion commander Al-Misbah Abu Zaid Talha, went further by recommending the dismissal or investigation of the SAF’s Chief of Staff and his deputies, and calling for replacement by “courageous” military leaders. It also demanded the lifting of restrictions placed on the battalion so it can resume its role as “shock forces” on front-line axes. It warned political leaders that delaying a resolution risks squandering the “last chance to save what remains of the country.”
Auxiliary forces supporting the SAF include several Islamist and National Congress Party-aligned formations, such as Al-Baraa bin Malik, Al-Bunyan al-Marsous, Al-Nukhba, and Al-Naba’ al-Yaqeen, along with other mobile groups like “Special Operations” and “Lions of the Den.”
