Brussels, 20 April 2026 — IFRD has published a new briefing on the defection of RSF Brigadier General Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, known as Al-Qoba, to the Sudanese Armed Forces, warning that the move risks deepening impunity for atrocity crimes in Sudan. The briefing also calls for an EU Special Envoy for Sudan and for Al-Qoba to be included in the next EU sanctions package.
The briefing says Al-Qoba arrived in Dongola on 19 April 2026 after escaping from RSF-controlled North Darfur, where he was received by SAF Commander-in-Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and granted blanket amnesty under the SAF’s defector policy. IFRD argues that this mirrors the earlier treatment of RSF commander Abu Aqla Kaikal, whose defection in 2024 was also followed by impunity and reprisals against civilians.
IFRD warns that the defection comes as Sudan’s war enters its fourth year and the humanitarian crisis keeps worsening, with the UN and European Parliament both emphasizing the scale of the catastrophe and the need for accountability. The organization says the EU should respond to the situation with targeted sanctions, stronger diplomatic engagement, and a dedicated envoy for Sudan rather than relying on a broader Horn of Africa mandate.
Main concerns
The briefing highlights three immediate risks: the loss of accountability for alleged crimes linked to the El Fasher campaign, likely collective punishment against the Mahameed community in Kutum, and a widening diplomatic gap in the EU response to Sudan. IFRD says these developments show that defection with immunity is becoming a pathway to renewed violence rather than justice.
EU action
IFRD is calling on EU institutions to:
- Add Al-Nour Ahmed Adam to the next EU Sudan sanctions package.
- Appoint an EU Special Envoy for Sudan, as requested by the European Parliament in November 2025.
- State clearly that blanket amnesties for commanders facing command-responsibility exposure are incompatible with accountability commitments.
Notes for editors
- The European Parliament adopted its Sudan resolution on 27 November 2025 and called for an EU Special Envoy for Sudan.
- The UN Fact-Finding Mission reported in February 2026 that atrocities in El Fasher bore the hallmarks of genocide.
- IFRD’s briefing says Al-Qoba’s case should be treated as a test of whether sanctions and accountability tools are applied consistently.
Contact: info@ifrd.be | www.IFRD.be
