Arming Retired Sudan Soldiers, Civilians Show Burhan Wants Civil War – RSF, Our Action Legal – SAF

Rapid Support Forces, RSF, one of the two warring parties in the ongoing war in Sudan has faulted the plan of the Sudanese Armed Forces, SAF, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to give weapons to retired soldiers and civilians in the country to fight them.

RSF in a statement on Friday, said SAF decision to mobilize innocent civilians to bear arms is a potential recipe for disaster.

SAF also in a tweet on Friday, said its action is legal and the distribution of the arms and the collection of the weapons after the war will be carried out through a specialized committee.

SAF insisted that its action is to enable the citizens have the ability to defend themselves.

RSF statement reads in quote; “The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has read a very dangerous statement today published by the Sudanese Defense Ministry, announcing the commencement of general mobilization in Sudan.

“This mobilization entails arming retired soldiers and all citizens capable of bearing arms.

“The decision clearly reflects the despair and confusion of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and its coconspirators from the former regime of military dictator Omar al-Bashir.

“Since the outbreak of the war, they have repeatedly failed to successfully confront the RSF on the battlefield and now seek to take refuge behind the innocent civilian population.

“The decision to allow ordinary civilians to bear arms is a potential recipe for disaster.

“In addition to all else, it could render null and void the successful efforts taken in recent years to collect the myriad illegal arms once harbored by the civilian population, which were aimed at reducing the rate of violent crime and the potential for interethnic/other conflict in Sudan.

“The Defense Ministry’s decision also contradicts international norms, ethics, and accepted military strategy, and proves once more that multiple decision-making centers presently exist within the SAF leadership hierarchy, which is now under the control of the al-Bashir regime.

“We are confident in the vigilance and wisdom of the people of Sudan.

“We know that they will not allow the SAF and its henchmen from the former regime to ignite a civil war that would again turn our homeland into a safe haven for Islamist extremists.

“The RSF calls on the honorable members of the SAF to stand together against this decision aimed at fragmenting the social fabric of our country.

“We will not stop until we have achieved a definitive victory and secured Sudan’s democratic transformation.

“We vow to bring to justice this corrupt junta and eradicate these sick cells from the body of our great nation”.

The Sudanese Armed Forces, SAF said the operations of arming the pensioners of the Armed Forces is a legal process and an international protocol to protect their property, lands and neighbors.

“Further to the statement of the Sudanese Minister of Defense to arm the pensioners of the armed forces, the statement is very clear to protect themselves and their neighbors from the violations of the Janjaweed.

“As for the military operations, they concern the armed forces exclusively. The operations of arming the pensioners is a legal process and an international protocol
to protect their property, lands and neighbors.

“Armament is carried out through a committee specialized in distributing and collecting weapons later”, SAF said.