From Two Armies to One: The Unfinished Question of Integration

The central issue at the heart of Sudan’s war was, in part, a question of whether the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) would be integrated into the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), under what terms, and within what timeframe.

Three and a half years later, after immense loss of life and the devastation of communities across Sudan, former RSF fighters are increasingly leaving the force and joining the national army.

For some Sudanese, welcoming them is an affront to victims of RSF atrocities. For others, these defections raise suspicions about the relationship between the two forces and the motives behind their shifting allegiances.

Both concerns deserve serious consideration. But neither should obscure the larger question: can Sudan emerge from this war with a genuinely unified national military, under a single command and subject to a coherent legal framework?

Defection is not the same as reconciliation. Integration is not immunity. And changing uniforms cannot, in itself, erase responsibility for crimes committed.

The objective must be to end the existence of competing armed forces, not to transfer their divisions into a new structure. That requires disciplined integration, proper vetting, accountability and a military institution that serves the Sudanese state rather than individual commanders or political interests.

Sudan cannot build a lasting peace while armed power remains fragmented. Nor can it build one by sacrificing justice in the name of military unity.

The challenge is to achieve both.