Savannah Defection: RSF Commander Joins SAF, Vows to Fight Sudan’s Paramilitary
A senior commander from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has defected to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), dealing a major blow to the paramilitary group.
Brig. Ali Rizqallah, widely known as Savannah, launched scathing criticism against the RSF and its leaders, vowing to fight his former allies across the Darfur and Kordofan regions.
Savannah Defection
On May 11, 2026, Savannah declared his formal defection from the RSF. “Today, I announce my total departure from the (Rapid) Support Forces,” he said in a video that went viral on social media.
The defected commander said that “politics, interests and greed” have caused divisions among the Sudanese people. He noted that he would not side with any party in the conflict, but with “the will of the people.”
“We are not warmongers. We are for peace, stability and education,” he added.
Before making the announcement, Savannah withdrew from the frontlines and traveled abroad. He later revealed that he traveled to South Sudan, then to India, from where he is believed to have declared his defection.
Alignment with SAF
Savannah arrived in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum on Friday, May 15. A day later, he announced he would fight alongside the SAF and allied forces to drive the RSF out of Kordofan and Darfur.
In a press conference, Savannah appeared in SAF uniform with the rank of brigadier general. He said that all his troops are currently present in areas under the Sudanese army’s control.
Savannah was a prominent field commander within the ranks of the RSF. He played a critical tactical role in the battles for Khartoum, and led the RSF operations in the Kordofan front. He was also known for recruiting foreign fighters from neighboring countries, such as Chad and Niger.
Internal Corruption
The defected commander criticized the RSF for internal corruption, exposing shocking details about the paramilitary group and its leaders.
According to Savannah, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) suffered a critical injury in a previous strike near the General Command in Khartoum and no longer holds real decision-making power.
He also claimed that Hemedti is held hostage to foreign parties who would assassinate him if he deviated from their plans.
Moreover, he accused the RSF of systematically assassinating its own senior commanders to push specific agendas. He noted that prominent figures, including Jalha, Abdallah Hussein, and Hamid Ali Abu Bakr, were eliminated in targeted drone strikes.
Additionally, he claimed that RSF commanders Osman Hamid “Omaliat” and Essam Saleh Fadhil are currently being held under house arrest in the UAE.
UAE Connections
Savannah pointed to the UAE involvement in the Sudan conflict. He alleged that former Sudanese Vice President Hasabo Mohamed Abdel Rahman acts as the primary adviser and coordinator between the RSF and Abu Dhabi.
Furthermore, he claimed that after failing to seize control of the entire country, the UAE plans are now focused on dividing the regions of Darfur and Kordofan.
The UAE faces accusations from the Sudanese government and rights groups of supplying the RSF with weapons, mercenaries and political backing – allegations that Abu Dhabi consistently denies.
Earlier in May, Sudan accused the UAE and Ethiopia of involvement in a drone attack targeting Khartoum International Airport, while stressing Sudan’s right to respond.
Sudan severed all diplomatic ties with the UAE in May 2025, designating the Gulf country as an “aggressor state” and withdrawing its ambassador from Abu Dhabi.
RSF Growing Cracks
The defection of Rizqallah came on the heels of a series of similar moves by other senior commanders, most notably Major General Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, also known as Nour Al-Qubba, who announced his defection in April to join the SAF.
Other defections among the group’s ranks include field commander Bishara Al-Huwaira, who defected weeks ago in North Kordofan, and commander of the Sudan Shield Forces Abu Aqla Keikel, who left the group in late 2024.
The war in Sudan broke out in April 2023 between the SAF and the RSF, triggering what the UN called “the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis.”
Recent data show that the conflict has killed at least 59,000 people and left around 11,000 people missing. It has also displaced 14 million people in Sudan and neighboring countries.
