Sudan’s Lt. Gen. Yasser Al-Atta: RSF Recruits Mercenaries

The Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Yasser Al-Atta (SUNA)
The Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Yasser Al-Atta (SUNA)
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Sudan’s Lt. Gen. Yasser Al-Atta: RSF Recruits Mercenaries

The Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Yasser Al-Atta (SUNA)
The Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Yasser Al-Atta (SUNA)

The Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan Armed Forces, Lt. Gen. Yasser Al-Atta, declared that “80% of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been destroyed.”

Nevertheless, Al-Atta noted that the RSF continues to recruit mercenaries weekly from certain neighboring Western countries to fight alongside them.

According to the prominent army leader, these mercenaries lack experience.

Al-Atta further explained that last week, the RSF introduced 6,000 fighters, “whom the army repelled.”

RSF chief Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, generally referred to as Hemedti, wanted to become the ruler of Sudan and diligently pursued that goal, noted Al-Atta.

While within the military institution, we discussed with him the modernization of the Sudanese state in line with the aspirations of the Sudanese people during the glorious December revolution, revealed Al-Atta.

However, Hemedti’s affiliations with malevolent international entities and suspicious agendas nurtured the idea in him that he could govern Sudan.

Al-Atta, in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, pointed out that there are countries that provide weapons to the RSF, with all relevant information available to the military.

He emphasized that attaining power in the country should come through free and fair elections, allowing the people to choose their leaders.

Regarding the battlefield situation in the war that erupted between the army and the RSF in mid-April, Lt. Gen. Al-Atta stated that “the army has full control over operations on the ground, and its morale is exceptionally high due to the people's support.”

He noted that the RSF had transitioned to a phase of repelling attacks from the army.

He affirmed that the army achieved significant victories against the RSF in the recent battle of Omdurman, which encompassed five main fronts, dealing them substantial losses.

The army had recently issued a statement confirming a wide-ranging sweep operation in Omdurman city that inflicted major losses on the RSF.



Israel Escalates Strikes in Southern Lebanon, Targeting Hezbollah

A UNIFIL vehicle on patrol in the southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun (AFP)
A UNIFIL vehicle on patrol in the southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun (AFP)
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Israel Escalates Strikes in Southern Lebanon, Targeting Hezbollah

A UNIFIL vehicle on patrol in the southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun (AFP)
A UNIFIL vehicle on patrol in the southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun (AFP)

Israel intensified its military operations in southern Lebanon on Saturday, carrying out four raids against suspected Hezbollah operatives in the deadliest day of attacks in two months. The strikes killed one person and wounded six others.

The escalation comes as Lebanese officials struggle to finalize a unified response to a US proposal demanding Hezbollah’s disarmament and sweeping reforms. The response is expected to be delivered to US envoy Thomas Barrack on Monday.

According to the Israeli army, one drone strike killed a member of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force near the town of Ainata. Lebanese authorities reported that the attack targeted a vehicle in the Saf al-Hawa area at the entrance to Bint Jbeil.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said an initial strike killed one person and injured two. Later strikes in Bint Jbeil and neighboring Shaqra wounded four more, including two critically. Another attack in Shebaa reportedly targeted a house, injuring a civilian.

Israel’s Army Radio confirmed that the military had tried to assassinate four Hezbollah members in separate operations, confirming one fatality while assessing the status of the others.

The attacks represent the largest number of targeted strikes in a single day since April. Lebanese observers see the surge in military pressure as an Israeli attempt to influence the tense negotiations in Beirut.

Hezbollah has yet to provide an official response to the American demands and has signaled it will not compromise without guarantees, particularly requiring Israel to fully implement a ceasefire agreement reached last November. That truce called for Israel’s withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory, an end to air and ground violations, and the release of Lebanese prisoners.

Since the ceasefire, Hezbollah has demanded Israel withdraw from five strategic positions it continues to occupy in southern Lebanon, while Israel insists it will maintain military pressure unless Hezbollah disarms.

On Thursday, an Israeli drone strike near southern Beirut killed a man and wounded three others. Israeli forces claimed they had targeted an “Iranian-affiliated terrorist.”

Under the ceasefire terms, Hezbollah was to dismantle its military infrastructure south of the Litani River, about 30 kilometers from the Israeli border, in exchange for expanded deployment of Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers. Israel was to withdraw from the newly occupied positions, though it has so far refused to pull out of key sites.