{"id":20076826,"date":"2024-03-11T16:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-11T15:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/?p=20076826"},"modified":"2024-03-11T17:20:13","modified_gmt":"2024-03-11T16:20:13","slug":"saf-rsf-war-of-words-as-sudan-pow-transfer-called-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/saf-rsf-war-of-words-as-sudan-pow-transfer-called-off","title":{"rendered":"SAF-RSF war of words as Sudan POW transfer \u2018called off\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In a war of words as fierce as the fighting on the ground, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have issued contradictory statements regarding a proposed transfer of hundreds of prisoners of war. The transfer, to coincide with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, was purportedly to be facilitated by the <\/strong>International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), however, the organisation has declined to confirm or deny the reports, saying: \u201c<\/strong>Our dialogue with the parties to the conflict is confidential\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As reported by Radio Dabanga yesterday, in a press statement<\/a> via X (formerly Twitter), the RSF says it \u201cstrongly condemns and deeply regrets the current situation within the SAF, wherein leadership has declined to accept 537 SAF prisoners of war<\/a> in our custody\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RSF says the prisoners include members of the SAF and other regular forces. \u201cOur offer to return these individuals as a gesture of goodwill during the holy month of Ramadan<\/a> was unfortunately refused,\u201d the RSF laments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cInitially, the ICRC agreed to facilitate this process and approached the SAF to finalise the transfer. However, the SAF leadership refused to accept our proposal to return their personnel as a sign of goodwill during Ramadan, as well as our previous unilateral initiatives since the current crisis began,\u201d the RSF claims, adding that \u201cthe SAF Command\u2019s prior orders to attack areas in Khartoum under RSF protection where prisoners were located led to numerous casualties, eliciting disappointment and dismay among the general public\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in a later counterstatement via X<\/a>, the SAF accuses the RSF of \u201ccontinuation of its familiar pattern of releasing misinformation and falsifying the truth\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calling the RSF as the \u201cDagalo terrorist militia\u201d in reference to its commander Lt Gen Mohamed \u2018Hemedti\u2019 Dagalo, the statement says: \u201cThe armed forces would like to clarify that it did not receive any communication, through call or in writing, from [any] international organisation\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SAF statement claims that \u201cwhat the Dalgo terrorist militia stated are lies\u2026 which proved it is merely a tool to carry out an immoral project built and continues to be built on repeatedly lies and falsifying facts\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Responding to questions from Radio Dabanga regarding the veracity of the SAF and RSF claims, the ICRC regional spokesperson for Africa would neither confirm nor deny either report. \u201cOur dialogue with the parties to the conflict is confidential, so we will not be able to provide specific details about any discussions\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spokesperson told Radio Dabanga: \u201cThe ICRC, in its neutral intermediary role, can facilitate release of people detained based on an explicit request and agreement between parties to the conflict. Such operations need the agreement of all sides and security guarantees for ICRC teams to operate. Once an agreement is reached, the parties can ask the ICRC for assistance in facilitating the release and transfer of detainees, in accordance with its neutral, impartial, and humanitarian role.\u201d The ICRC spokesperson points out: \u201cLast year, the ICRC facilitated the release of 565 detainees in Khartoum, West Darfur, Central Darfur, North Darfur, and South Darfur in 13 release operations.\u201d<\/p>\n