N’DJAMENA – Youssef Ibrahim Ezzat, a former political adviser to Rapid Support Forces commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemedti,” said he had been released after about 13 months in detention in Chad and had since left the country.

In a video verified by Sudan Now, Ezzat said his release was ordered by Chadian prosecutors and that he was now outside Chad under the protection of a country he did not identify.

He said he was in good health but would not disclose details of the case or the circumstances of his detention for now, adding that he would speak publicly about what happened at a time of his choosing.

Ezzat said international efforts and interventions by several countries and individuals had contributed to securing his release. He thanked his family and others who had campaigned on his behalf.

His family said he was detained on Oct. 11, 2025, at the Adré border crossing between Chad and Sudan while travelling from N’Djamena toward Sudan with two relatives.

According to the family, he was subsequently transferred to the Chadian capital and held at a facility linked to the country’s security and intelligence services, while his relatives were unable to establish his whereabouts for much of his detention.

The family announced on Nov. 13 that Ezzat had been released the previous day by order of prosecutors in N’Djamena and said he had not been formally charged or convicted.

Chadian authorities have not publicly provided a detailed explanation for his detention or the legal basis on which he was held.

Ezzat served as Hemedti’s political adviser from 2021 and became one of the RSF’s most prominent political and diplomatic representatives after war broke out between the group and the Sudanese army in April 2023.

Hemedti ended Ezzat’s assignment in July 2024. Ezzat later said he had sought to leave the role following internal restructuring of the RSF’s political and civilian operations.

His detention in Chad fuelled speculation over his relationship with the RSF leadership, particularly after people close to him criticised the group for failing to publicly intervene on his behalf.

In the video, Ezzat also said several people detained with him were still awaiting release and could be freed within hours or days. He did not identify them or provide further details about their cases.