Darfur Governor Mini Arko Minawi claims that Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) deputy commander proposed a plan to join forces to facilitate Darfur’s secession. Speaking to Radio France Internationale (RFI), Minawi said that during discussions in N’Djamena in June, Abdel Rahim Daglo encouraged him to work together to separate Darfur from Sudan’s army. Minawi added that Daglo avoided explaining the purpose behind his proposal.
The RSF, led by Abdel Rahim’s brother, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has been clashing with Sudan’s army since April 2023, reigniting longstanding tensions in Darfur. This is the first public claim linking the RSF to a secessionist agenda, amid ongoing reports of foreign influence pushing to divide Sudan.
A senior Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) figure, speaking anonymously, confirmed Minawi’s statements to local media, mentioning that an RSF member had informed him of international discussions regarding Darfur’s potential as a separate state. The source explained that RSF leaders believed this could occur if the region’s primary communities, including the Arabs, Zaghawa, and Fur, reached a consensus on autonomy.
Meanwhile, RSF adviser Ibrahim Mukhir dismissed the accusations, asserting that Abdel Rahim Daglo consistently upholds Sudan’s unity as a “strategic priority.” Mukhir stated, “Anyone seeking refuge through regional boundaries has no choice but to embrace peace and engage in political dialogue to resolve the conflict.”
Minawi is currently on a European tour, advocating for humanitarian aid to address the crisis in Sudan. In discussions with French officials, he proposed an airdrop of supplies to El Fasher, North Darfur’s capital, which is under RSF siege.
After seven months of conflict, several armed groups in Darfur, which had previously agreed to a 2020 peace deal with the government, joined the fight against RSF in November 2023. Their decision to abandon neutrality came as the RSF took control of most of Darfur, except for El Fasher. Alarming reports of human rights abuses and war crimes have since emerged throughout the region.