The leaders of and dignitaries affiliated with the Mahamid Rizeigat Arab tribe of Sudan’s Darfur on Thursday unequivocally announced their rejection of the stance of Sheikh Musa Hilal, the tribe’s leader, who on Monday declared his support for the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF).
Hilal decided to back the SAF against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which is led by Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly referred to as Hemedti, who also hails from a section of the same Rezeigat tribe.
At a press conference in the city of El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur State, on Thursday, Prince Masar Abdulrahman stated that Hilal’s recent statements do not represent the Mahamid tribe and accused the Army of encroaching on the lands, wealth, and community of the Mahamid tribe.
“The Mahamid tribe has been affected by the Army’s practices. The tribe has not authorized any individual or entity to speak on its behalf, whether it is Musa Hilal, the Mahamid Coordination Committee, or any other. Musa Hilal does not represent the Mahamid tribe, nor does he have guardianship over them.” He stated. “The Mahamid tribe declares their rejection of his statements supporting the Army in the name of the tribe.”
Prince Abdulrahman claimed that the Mahamid tribe stood with RSF and supported them in what he described as a battle for justice and fairness.
On his part, another prince, Hafiz Taj Al-Deen, said, the Mahamid tribe is large and no one can speak for them without broad consultations.
“The Mahamid tribe represents a broad social entity, and no one has the right to speak on its behalf except through full coordination with the tribe’s leadership in the five states of Darfur, which did not happen in Musa Hilal’s case,” he stated.
According to Taj Al-Deen, the Mahamid tribe comprises 13 branches, each represented by its prince. Currently, there are seven princes in West Darfur.
He added that standing with the Army does not come in a form that does not represent the components of the tribe in its various regions.
Meanwhile, Prince Mohamed Abdulaziz Tekizo, affirmed that they stand by RSF without hesitation or fear, downplaying the voices supportive of the Army from the Mahamid tribe through its Coordination Committee or through Sheikh Musa Hilal, who represents only a small part of the tribe.
He emphasized that their support for the RSF remains unchanged, emphasizing that the origins of the Mahamid tribe are in El Geneina, West Darfur, and they do not need the Army, which has left the states of Darfur.
Another prince, Sanusi Karshoum, clarified that Musa Hilal’s was a mere individual opinion.
“It does not reflect the reality of our stance regarding the current war,” he clarified.
He said his tribe has administrative structures and bodies that represent it and speak on its behalf, not Sheikh Hilal.
“The Army did not allow us to say a good word about the Armed Forces. After being composed of all segments of the Sudanese people, it has now become a gang that kills people without guilt or purpose,” Prince Karshoum added.
Activists on social media circulated video clips of Sheikh Musa Hilal speaking about his support for the Army and backing them in the war against RSF.
In the video, Hilal describes RSF as being comprised of foreign mercenaries, urging the members of his tribe to stand with the nation and protect the state’s institutions.