Full Report
Generative AI is rapidly becoming a critical component of information warfare. A number of violent non-state actors are beginning to embrace this new technology, which has substantially altered the information ecosystem within the ongoing Sudanese Civil War. The information sphere has been an important aspect of human warfare for millennia. The ancient Sumerians built massive monuments…
Analysis Summary
# Threat Actor: Rapid Support Forces (RSF)
## Attribution & Identity
* **Actor Name:** Rapid Support Forces (RSF)
* **Actor Type:** Violent Non-State Actor (VNSA) / Paramilitary group.
* **Associated Groups:**
* **Africa Corps** (formerly the **Wagner Group**): Known to provide support, specifically AI-generated imagery and disinformation capabilities.
* **Russian and Chinese Entities:** Identified as primary state-level influencers fueling the disinformation ecosystem in which the RSF operates.
## Activity Summary
The RSF is currently engaged in the ongoing Sudanese Civil War (erupted April 2023) against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). A significant portion of their recent operations involves "Information Warfare" and the weaponization of the information ecosystem. The group has embraced Generative AI to manipulate public perception and conduct psychological operations within Sudan and the broader Sahel region.
## Tactics, Techniques & Procedures
* **AI-Generated Imagery:** Use of synthetic media to create propaganda and potentially fabricate events on the battlefield.
* **Coordinated Disinformation Campaigns:** Large-scale efforts to spread narratives that favor RSF objectives and delegitimize the Sudanese state.
* **Xenophobia Fomentation:** Utilizing social media and digitized "information spheres" to encourage ethnic tension.
* **Foreign Enablement:** Leveraging external expertise (specifically from Russian Africa Corps) to acquire and deploy advanced digital tools.
* **MITRE ATT&CK IDs:**
* **T1584.004:** Indirect association with the recruitment of Botnet/Disinformation infrastructure.
* **T1592.002:** Information Gathering (Social Media).
## Targeting
* **Sectors:** Government, Defense, Media, and Civil Society.
* **Geography:** Primarily Sudan; secondary impacts in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
* **Victims:**
* Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
* Sudanese civilians (subjected to psychological warfare).
* International NGOs and observers.
## Tools & Infrastructure
* **Generative AI Systems:** Large Language Models (LLMs) and Image Generators (specific platforms not named, but noted as critical components).
* **Social Media Platforms:** High-volume dissemination through standard social networking architecture.
* **Infrastructure:**
* Associated with state-backed disinformation farms from Russia and China.
* [https]://threatbeat[.]com/violent-non-state-actors-and-generative-ai-in-warfare-the-rsf-and-the-sudanese-civil-war/ (Reference Source)
## Implications
The adoption of Generative AI by the RSF represents a paradigm shift for violent non-state actors. It lowers the barrier to entry for high-quality propaganda, making it increasingly difficult for international observers to verify human rights abuses or battlefield realities. This "democratization" of information warfare tools allows paramilitary groups to challenge state narratives with unprecedented speed and efficiency, potentially prolonging conflicts by polarizing the population.
## Mitigations
* **AI Detection Tools:** Implementation of advanced synthetic media detection to identify "deepfake" imagery used by the RSF.
* **Information Resiliency Training:** Educating local populations and international monitors on the hallmarks of AI-generated disinformation.
* **Platform Governance:** Increased scrutiny by social media companies on coordinated inauthentic behavior (CIB) originating from conflict zones in Africa.
* **Attribution Tracking:** Monitoring the supply chain of AI tools and expertise from entities like Africa Corps to non-state actors.