Sudan army division commander in South Darfur ‘assassinated’ – statement

KHARTOUM, AUGUST 22, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – The commander of the 16^th infantry division of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in South Darfur State, Maj. Gen. Yasser Fadlallah, was assassinated on Monday while on duty, according to the army.

Army spokesman Brigadier Nabil Abdallah said in a statement seen by Sudans Post that General Yasser was “assassinated by treachery and betrayal” in Nyala, the capital of the restive South Darfur state while on duty.

The army spokesman did not provide further details about circumstances leading to the commander’s assassination, but fighting has been intensifying around the army base in Nyala in recent days between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Yasser was a highly decorated officer who had served in the Sudanese army for decades years.

He was a graduate of the military staff college in Khartoum and had held a number of senior positions, including commander of the non-commissioned officers institute and commander of the elite Popular Defense Forces in Darfur.

His assassination is a major blow to the Sudanese army which has seen setbacks in its fight against the rebellious RSF.

In a related development, the President of the Transitional Sovereign Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan promoted all the forces of the Sudan Armed Forces in South Darfur to high rank.

The army spokesman said in a statement that the promotion was a “gesture of appreciation” for the sacrifices made by the SAF forces in South Darfur. He also said that the promotion was a “recognition of their role in maintaining security and stability in the region.”