Sudanese opposition leader claims RSF commander Hemedti is dead

KHARTOUM, MAY 30, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – The leader of the Sudanese Umma Party Mubarak el-Fadel el-Mahdi is claiming that the country’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has lost its leader, General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who is better known locally as Hemedti.

In a statement following the signing of a five-day humanitarian truce in Saudi Arabia by the Sudanese army and the paramilitary group last night, el-Fadel said another ceasefire with the RSF, which he said has lost its leader, will lead to more suffering as they have no direction.

“Agreeing to a third truce without removing the remaining Rapid Support Forces from citizens’ homes and hospitals, in accordance with the Declaration of Principles, only means prolonging the suffering of citizens, endangering their lives, continuing to loot their property, and prolonging the crisis,” he said.

“Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has lost its leader and founder, Hemedti, and the rest of its soldiers are wandering without a goal other than theft and sheltering citizens,” he added.

He said that the American-Saudi Arabian mediation “must realize the disintegration of this militia and the absence of its founder and give those who claim to lead it 48 hours to withdraw their fighters from residential neighborhoods and public facilities.”

The claims that Hemedti has been killed have been making rounds on social media since mid-May. Activists have claimed that Hemedti was wounded on May 17 and succumbed to wounds a few days later, though there is no evidence of him being wounded.

In a recorded statement last week, Hemedti denied that he died, and said he is still roaming with his forces in different areas of the capital Khartoum and called on his forces to either “win or die” for the sake of the country.

The paramilitary group has also denied the death claims, but Hemedti’s whereabouts have remained unknown as activist have doubted that the recorded message was “faked in order to no destroy the morale of their (RSF) forces.”