RSF Senior Commander Defects, Accusing Sudan Group’s Leadership of Nepotism

What happened

Al Jazeera reports on exclusive footage featuring Siddiq Ander, a senior commander who has defected from Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Ander accuses the RSF leadership, particularly relatives of RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (“Hemedti”), of controlling finances, weapons, troop movements, and promotions exclusively within the family, describing the organization as a 'purely family-based project'.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. Ander’s defection is part of a wave of high-profile departures from the RSF throughout 2026, with several commanders leaving accompanied by dozens or hundreds of fighters. For instance, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Azraq al-Fanjari announced his defection with 300 officers, soldiers, and 30 vehicles, urging other fighters to abandon the RSF. Previous defections include Major General al-Nour Ahmed Adam joining the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) amid leadership disputes.

These defections come in the context of Sudan’s ongoing war, which began in April 2023 due to a power struggle between the SAF and the RSF involving disagreements over the RSF’s integration into the regular military. The conflict has resulted in approximately 13 million displaced people and parts of Sudan facing famine conditions.

Known from the source

• Siddiq Ander, a senior RSF commander, has defected from the RSF.
• Ander accuses the RSF’s leadership, specifically relatives of Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (“Hemedti”), of controlling the group’s finances, weapons, troop movements, and promotions within the family.
• Several other senior commanders have defected from the RSF during 2026, including Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Azraq al-Fanjari and Major General al-Nour Ahmed Adam.
• Sudan’s conflict began in April 2023 due to disputes between the SAF and the RSF over integration plans.
• The war has displaced about 13 million people and contributed to famine conditions in parts of the country.

What remains unclear

The fighting is marked by increasing drone strikes, causing mounting civilian casualties. On October 26, strikes targeted a market and residential area in Nyala, South Darfur—an RSF-controlled city—with reported deaths over 100 according to Emergency Lawyers, though other medical groups report lower figures. The United Nations identifies drone strikes as the leading cause of civilian deaths in Sudan’s war.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Confirm the exact casualty numbers from the Nyala drone strike and reconcile differences between Emergency Lawyers and other medical organizations. Verify all direct quotes from Siddiq Ander and other commanders in the footage and reports. Confirm details about the defection timings and numbers related to other commanders who left the RSF.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: Al Jazeera Sudan. Open the source.