Egypt Daily News – The commander of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), stated that the deployment of his forces to the tri-border area between Sudan, Egypt, and Libya, near Jabal al-Oweinat, will not harm neighboring countries and may in fact benefit them. He emphasized that there is no problem with Egypt and that he respects its sovereignty and borders.
In a pre-recorded speech broadcast via his official Telegram channel, Hemedti appeared for the first time among his soldiers in what appeared to be a field training camp in one of the Darfur states in western Sudan. His tone toward Cairo appeared conciliatory, following earlier tensions that included accusations of Egyptian support for the Sudanese army, claims that Egyptian authorities have consistently denied.
Hemedti said: “We’ve reassessed our position and concluded that our issues with Egypt can be resolved through dialogue, not confrontation.” He affirmed that his forces are not hostile toward any neighboring country, and instead seek joint cooperation to secure and monitor borders, especially in desert areas.
He added: “Our entry into the border triangle, if it brings no benefit to our neighbors will certainly not harm them,” pointing out that the RSF’s presence in the area contributes to the security of neighboring countries including Egypt, Libya, and Chad. “We respect all our neighbors and their borders, and we have no desire to escalate with anyone,” he said.
The speech comes about a week after the RSF announced control of the strategic triangle, following the withdrawal of the Sudanese army, described as part of defensive realignment.
Discussing recent battlefield developments, Hemedti acknowledged that his forces have lost control of several key areas, referencing the Sudanese army’s recapture of states such as Khartoum, Gezira, and Sennar. However, he vowed to retake those areas “with pride and dignity,” affirming continued mobilization and training of forces in Darfur.
He also sought to reassure residents of the northern states, saying the RSF is not against them, while hinting at plans to expand military operations into areas not yet involved in the conflict that began more than two years ago.
“This war was forced upon us,” Hemedti said. “We are advocates for peace, but we are compelled to defend ourselves.”
