Mohamed ‘Hemeti’ Dagalo: Sudan’s top military says coup was a mistake

Gen Dagalo is a controversial figure in Sudan

A prominent military leader in Sudan called the overthrow of civilian authorities two years ago a “mistake”.

General Mohamed Dagalo, the deputy head of Sudan’s Governing Council, said the coup politically benefited supporters of former longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir.

Military leaders have been accused of undermining the transition to civilian rule since Bashir was ousted in 2019.

Since then, pro-democracy activists have organized protests against the military authorities.

Sudan has faced economic and political turmoil since 2021, when a military junta seized power from the civilian-led interim government.

In a televised address on Sunday, Gen Dagalo, widely known as “Hemeti,” said: “Unfortunately, it is so [the coup] has become a gateway for the return of the former regime.”

He warned that allies of the imprisoned former leader Bashir, who ruled the country for nearly three decades, were regaining a political foothold.

He was referring to supporters of the former ruling National Congress party in the army and those appointed to government after the coup.

General Dagalo welcomed a transition plan signed last year aimed at relaunching a two-phase political process to restore civilian rule. He also said he supports pro-democracy protesters’ calls, but acknowledged he “sometimes made mistakes”.

His comments come amid rising tensions between his paramilitary entity called Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the country’s de facto leader.

General al-Burhan warned last week that he would not tolerate the RSF acting as an independent force and should instead be incorporated into the army.

In his speech, General Dagalo said he “won’t allow what’s left of the defunct regime to drive a wedge between the RSF and the regular army,” but didn’t elaborate.

For a man who has not shied away from expressing his political ambitions in recent years, his recent comments could be seen as a deliberate attempt to break with the army and ally with some civilian groups.

There are some signs that such an offer could be welcomed, as civilian groups feel they need an armed ally to take on the military authorities. However, there is concern that such a move could lead to further instability.

Early reaction to General Dagalo’s speech was mostly ridiculous.

Critics point out that the speech failed to address accountability for the killings of civilians, including a June 3, 2019 massacre allegedly committed by the RSF.

They also say he raised no allegations about the same entity then allied with Bashir committing genocide in West Darfur. This conflict began in 2003 and is estimated to have killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions from their homes.

Source