A senior commander of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces has been killed following internal fighting within the paramilitary group in the Darfur region, according to local sources.

The sources reported that Abdullah Abu al-Qasim, commander of the RSF’s Sha’iriya sector, died during clashes that broke out late Sunday night in the Khazan area, triggered by leadership disputes among RSF elements, with several other casualties recorded, although the exact figures remain unclear.

Abu al-Qasim, also known as Dawli, was described as a prominent RSF field commander and a brother to Muhammad Abu al-Qasim, the tribal chief of the Birgid community.

The RSF has yet to comment officially on the incident, which comes amid Sudan’s ongoing conflict that erupted in April 2023 between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces, a war that has plunged Darfur and other parts of the country into prolonged violence and instability.