[Sudan] Strategic developments: Change to group/activity

Summary

Single-source ACLED detection — awaiting independent verification. On April 6, 2025, 380 members of the Gathering of Sudan Liberation Forces (GSLF) reportedly defected from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in North Darfur's El Fasher area, led by Colonel Abdo Babiker Hashim Kweim. This represents a tactical shift in the ongoing conflict dynamics within Sudan's western Darfur region.

Supply chain impact

No commodities or chokepoints are directly mapped to this event; second-order effects depend on how the situation escalates and whether it signals broader shifts in territorial control within Sudan's conflict zones.

Watch points

• Monitor for independent confirmation of the defection and any follow-on military actions in the El Fasher area
• Track whether this signals a broader pattern of RSF-aligned group defections that could alter regional control dynamics
• Watch for escalation in North Darfur that could affect humanitarian corridors or cross-border trade routes