2,500 more RSF militiamen in North Darfur capital for arms collection

A new contingent of 2,500 members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia has arrived in the North Darfur capital of El Fasher to assist with arms collection and vehicle control. The new contingent will reinforce the existing 10,000 RSF soldiers who have been deployed to the state.

El Fasher Commissioner El Tijani Abdallah said that the forces are especially “for collecting weapons in El Fasher locality, deterring the partial chaos as well as fighting, the negative phenomena of bearing weapons and wearing the face-covering kadamol, in addition to controlling the movement of unlicensed vehicles.

He confirmed that this force will be entrusted with inspections and raids which will be organised throughout the city and the countryside in the coming days according to the directives of the State Security Committee.

Deadline              

Commissioner Abdallah pointed out that the deadline for the voluntary collection of weapons is on Thursday for the first phase. “This will be followed by the beginning of the forcible disarmament in North Darfur.”

He said there are three centres for voluntary collection in El Fasher locality, namely at the central and southern police departments, and the command of the 6th Infantry.

Last week, the Sudanese government deployed a force of 10,000 Rapid Support Force (RSF) soldiers to North Darfur to contribute to the forced weapons collection in the state. United States officials said to support the nationwide process.

‘New Dawn’

The 10,000 paramilitaries are equipped with 400 military vehicles, North Darfur Governor Abdelwahid Yousif Ibrahim said during a press conference. “With the name 'New Dawn' these forces come from North and South Kordofan to enhance the security and stability in the state, and to implement the second phase of the collection process starting this month.”

The commander of the RSF in North Darfur, Maj. Gen. Yahya Ali Mohamed, added that the convoy's primary objective is contributing to the collection of weapons throughout North Darfur in cooperation with other security agencies. The RSF is Sudan’s largest militia.

In addition Mahmour Babikir Himeid, commander of the 11th Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) Infantry said that the trafficking of people “remains one of the problems that plague the state”, confirming that the army will work to beat the criminals.