Paramilitary RSF Fighters Defect to Sudanese Armed Forces in Major Shift
Approximately 200 fighters from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) defected and joined the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on September 1, 2026. This mass defection occurs as fighting intensifies across multiple fronts, including Kordofan and Blue Nile states. The shift in personnel is seen as a potential blow to RSF morale as the military continues to conduct drone operations against paramilitary positions in Darfur and other contested regions.