Rapid Support Forces pull out from Darfur’s Saraf Omra

The North Darfur authorities have ordered the withdrawal of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces from Saraf Omra locality.

Reasons were not provided, a listener told Radio Dabanga from the area on Sunday. He said that the people living in the locality are concerned that “The pull-out might cause chaos to prevail again”.

Other sources reported a visit by the RSF second commander, Maj. Gen. Abdelrahim Dagalo, to a number of places in the locality.

They said the visit coincided with reports about the distribution of military ranks and weapons to members of Arab tribes in these places, and the demarcation of land for each of these tribes, where model villages are said to be built.

Saraf Omra has been one of the strongholds of former janjaweed leader Musa Hilal, who was detained together with dozens of his militiamen in North Darfur’s Misteriya in end November.

The Sudanese government has deployed the RSF, its main militia, to implement a nationwide disarmament campaign announced in July. The collection of illicit weapons and unlicensed vehicles started in Darfur, and South and West Kordofan in August.