The Sudanese army warned early Thursday morning of what it described as "the mobilization of forces and opening up within the capital and some cities" by the leadership of the Rapid Support Forces, stressing that "the movements of the forces constitute a clear violation of the law." Relations between the army and the Rapid Support Forces have deteriorated, prompting the postponement of the signing of an internationally backed agreement with political parties regarding a two-year civilian-led transitional period that would lead to elections.
Two military sources indicated that the crux of the disagreement between the Vice President of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo (known as Hemedti), and the army lies in his hesitance to set a clear final date for the integration of the Rapid Support Forces into the army.
Earlier, the Rapid Support Forces stated in a statement that they are "deploying across the country as part of their regular duties," adding that they "move throughout the nation to achieve security and stability, combat human trafficking, illegal immigration, drug smuggling, transnational crime, and confront armed robbery gangs wherever they exist."
