RSF Issues Death Sentence in Absentia for Defected Commander Al-Safna

Khartoum, May 21, 2026 - The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have confirmed that commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo “Hemetti” has approved an in absentia death sentence against defected Brigadier General Ali Rizqallah, known as “Al-Safna,” following his departure from the paramilitary group earlier this month.

According to an internal RSF directive circulated on Wednesday, the decision ratifies a ruling issued by a Grand Field Court on May 17, which found Al-Safna guilty of desertion, rebellion against the constitutional order, and collaboration with opposing forces. The directive was signed by Omar Hamdan, head of the RSF Administrative Department, and distributed to all units and sectors within the organization.

The ruling includes the revocation of Al-Safna’s military rank, his dismissal from service, and a sentence of execution in absentia.

Al-Safna formally defected from the RSF on May 11, publicly criticizing the group’s leadership. He later arrived in Khartoum on May 15, where he announced his alignment with the Sudanese Armed Forces and declared his intention to participate in military operations in Kordofan and Darfur.

Before his defection, Al-Safna held a senior operational role within the RSF, including command responsibilities in North Darfur and participation in offensives that expanded the group’s control in West Kordofan.

The RSF’s action follows a similar response taken against other high-profile defectors, including Major General Al-Nour Al-Qubba, who was also stripped of his rank and declared wanted after joining government-aligned forces in previous months.

The latest developments highlight escalating internal fractures within the RSF amid ongoing battlefield losses and a growing wave of defections from senior commanders.