Hemedti’s Mysterious Disappearance: Is the Rapid Support Forces’ Collapse Imminent?
As the RSF faces mounting losses and internal turmoil, reports suggest its leader’s absence is fueling speculation and reshaping the war in Sudan.
Watan-Western reports have revealed shocking developments regarding the commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), who has not appeared in public for months, sparking widespread speculation about his whereabouts. This comes as his forces suffer increasing losses on multiple fronts.
Hemedti’s absence has led to widespread frustration within the RSF ranks, with hundreds of his fighters reportedly leaving the capital, Khartoum, and returning to their homes in Darfur. It appears that his elder brother and deputy, Abdelrahim Dagalo, is currently leading operations amid declining morale among fighters who feel that Hemedti has abandoned them, according to a former fighter in Uganda.
This development comes amid reports of massive losses suffered by the RSF, particularly in the battle for control of the Republican Palace, which is considered crucial to the fate of Hemedti and his forces. If the RSF loses the neighborhoods south of the Blue Nile, its ability to receive supplies from western Sudan—where its main strongholds are located—will be at serious risk.
Meanwhile, an RSF spokesperson downplayed the significance of these reports, insisting that claims of Sudanese army victories are exaggerated and asserting that the RSF still controls most of the capital, Khartoum.
However, if RSF losses continue, the war could shift to the Darfur region, increasing the risk of violence against civilians and escalating regional tensions. Other countries have already exploited the war to serve their own interests, given Sudan’s strategic location on key trade routes connecting the Red Sea to Africa.
The report also noted that the UAE has been supplying weapons to the RSF since the war broke out in 2023, while the Sudanese army has acknowledged receiving drones from Iran—highlighting the growing international dimension of the war.
With Hemedti absent and his forces facing mounting losses, the question remains: Are we witnessing the imminent end of the RSF, or is the war about to enter a new and even bloodier phase?
