Sudan war: Senior RSF commander defects to army in major blow to paramilitaries

Sudan’s brutal conflict has entered its fourth year, and a major shift on the battlefield may signal new cracks in the fighting.

A senior commander from the Rapid Support Forces, Major General al-Nour Adam also known as “Qubba” has defected, abandoning the paramilitary group to join Sudan’s national army. His move marks one of the highest-profile defections since the war began.

Army chief General Abdel-Fattah Burhan personally welcomed Adam in Sudan’s Northern Province, near the Egyptian border. In a statement, Burhan declared that “doors are open” for those willing to lay down arms and support national rebuilding.

Video released by Sudan’s ruling council shows Adam alongside soldiers who followed him in switching sides.

The defection comes as Sudan faces what aid groups call the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, millions displaced, widespread famine, and relentless violence with no clear end in sight.