Regional diplomacy and Sudan’s conflict: Questions around Al-Safana’s movements and shifting alliances

A senior commander of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has defected to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) after a journey that reportedly took him through South Sudan, India and Saudi Arabia before he appeared in Khartoum earlier this month.

Ali Rizqallah, known as Al-Safana, announced his departure from the RSF on 11 May, arrived in Khartoum on 15 May and joined the Sudanese army the following day. He said he intended to support operations against RSF positions in Kordofan and Darfur.

Before resurfacing in Khartoum, he reportedly moved under an RSF movement order through El Daein in East Darfur, then to South Sudan, on to India for medical treatment linked to an old injury, and subsequently through Saudi Arabia before returning to Sudan.

Al-Safana was a senior RSF field commander who operated in North Darfur and West Kordofan. Conflict monitoring groups and regional observers have previously linked him to recruitment activities across border regions, including areas near Chad and Niger.

His defection comes amid broader divisions and shifting alliances within the RSF. Several commanders associated with the same Mahamid-Rizeigat network have reportedly left the group in recent months, according to conflict monitoring organisations and Sudan-focused analysts.

RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti, reportedly responded by stripping Al-Safana of his rank and accusing him of desertion and rebellion, according to reports by regional media outlets including Middle East Monitor and Sudan Tribune.

Al-Safana’s reported transit through regional capitals, including Riyadh, has drawn attention from analysts examining the wider diplomatic and political dimensions of Sudan’s conflict. Observers note that the movement of military and political figures across neighbouring and Gulf states reflects the increasingly regional nature of the crisis.

Saudi Arabia has publicly supported diplomatic initiatives aimed at ending the conflict in Sudan and has hosted negotiations and ceasefire discussions involving Sudanese parties. Regional and international observers continue to monitor how external engagement by multiple countries may influence future political and security developments connected to the war.

Human rights organisations and humanitarian groups have continued to express concern about the impact of the conflict on civilians, particularly in Darfur, Kordofan, and other affected areas. International agencies and advocacy groups have repeatedly called for accountability, civilian protection, and renewed diplomatic efforts to reduce violence and support humanitarian access.

Analysts say Sudan’s conflict remains shaped by a combination of military confrontations, political fragmentation, regional diplomacy, and evolving alliances among armed and political actors. As negotiations continue, the role of regional powers and international mediators is expected to remain an important aspect of discussions surrounding Sudan’s future and prospects for stability.

Sudan’s national war crimes committee has registered thousands of complaints involving allegations related to the conflict, including claims of forced displacement and other abuses. No court ruling has been issued against Al-Safana, and no formal legal proceedings involving him were cited in the reports referenced above.

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