RSF deputy addresses Sudanese from captured East Darfur base

Abdelrahim Dagalo, the deputy leader of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and brother of the group’s commander, Mohamed ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo, arrived in Ed Daein, the capital of East Darfur, yesterday morning. The Native Administration in Adila, in coordination with the RSF, announced a three-day curfew in the locality.

Speaking before a crowd of RSF members at the gate of the 20th Infantry Division in Ed Daein, Abdelrahim Dagalo, the second commander of the RSF, asserted the paramilitary group’s responsibility to “protect civilians and their property in all areas under their control”. Simultaneously, he emphasised that “everyone is responsible for security” and warned that unruly people will be dealt with “with live ammunition.”

Dagalo specifically threatened supporters of the dissolved National Congress Party (NCP), established by ousted president Omar Al Bashir, with detention if they incited strife in the state, adding, “you have the right to live here as good citizens.” He extended amnesty for members of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) who would return to Ed Daein after the RSF takeover, and urged the SAF to “cease bombing civilians”. RSF soldiers were directed to treat prisoners “in a dignified manner.”

The RSF took control of the 20th Infantry Division in Ed Daein and gained control of the Adila and Abu Karinka garrisons in East Darfur on Tuesday morning.

The following day, the security committee of Ed Daein, with the Native Administration* and the Initiative to Combat Negative Phenomena and Promote Tolerance, jointly announced that the Grand Market and other markets in the state capital will reopen “from today”. Ed Daein locality issued a decision on Wednesday prohibiting armed people and vehicles from entering markets, warning that violators of these regulations face criminal legal accountability.

A source from Ed Daein told Radio Dabanga that Dagalo held a meeting with the Native Administration and judicial police upon his arrival in the state capital, adding that conditions in Ed Daein had stabilised by Wednesday. The source anticipated that institutions would resume operations on Sunday.

Curfew in Adila

In Adila, East Darfur, the RSF and the Native Administration imposed a curfew on Tuesday evening. Awad Hamed, a listener in Adila, told Radio Dabanga that residents were informed of a three-day curfew from 18:00 to 06:00, with markets, cafes, and gathering places obliged to close during this time. Hospitals and health facilities were exempt from the curfew.

According to Hamed, the head of the Ma’aliya tribe made an address to the people of Adila, calling for a commitment not to open fire, and for business to continue as usual in the markets. A cautious calm and stability prevailed in Adila after a state of panic on Tuesday morning, he added.

*The Native Administration was instituted by British colonial authorities seeking a pragmatic system of governance that allowed for effective control with limited investment and oversight by the state. The Native Administration also took on new responsibilities for executing policies, collecting taxes, and mobilising labour on behalf of the central government. According to the Darfur Bar Association (DBA), the Native Administration during the 30-year rule of dictator Omar Al Bashir did not represent the real local leaders: “It was only a tool used by ousted President Omar Al Bashir until his last days in power to prevent the escalation of the uprising.”