STORY: RSF commander says solution to Sudan crisis lies in changing army command
DATELINE: July 30, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:12
LOCATION: Khartoum
CATEGORY: MILITARY
 
SHOTLIST:
1. various of the army (courtesy of RSF's website)
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): MOHAMED HAMDAN DAGALO, Commander of Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (courtesy of RSF's website)
 
STORYLINE:
 
The commander of Sudan's paramilitary at war with the Sudanese army has demanded a change of command from the latter as a precondition to an urgent solution to the Sudan crisis.
   
In a video posted Friday on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)'s website, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo said the paramilitary "can reach an agreement within 72 hours if the command of the Sudanese army has changed."
 
SOUNDBITE (Arabic): MOHAMED HAMDAN DAGALO, Commander of Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces
"Our message for our brothers in the (Sudanese) Armed Forces is that if you want the urgent solution you should change this command. If this happens, we can reach an agreement within 72 hours. We apologize to all the Sudanese people over the consequences of this senseless war."
 
At the beginning of the video, Dagalo appeared in a military vehicle surrounded by RSF soldiers before he addressed them.
   
He accused the Sudanese army's command of working according to instructions from the leaders of the former regime in Sudan.
   
Sudan has been witnessing deadly clashes between the Sudanese army and the RSF in Khartoum and other areas since April 15, resulting in over 3,000 deaths and more than 6,000 injuries, according to figures released by the Sudanese Health Ministry.
   
More than 3 million people have been forced into displacement, inside and outside the country, since the conflict broke out in Sudan, according to UN estimates.
 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Khartoum.
(XHTV)