Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have announced the arrest of several of its fighters, accusing them of human rights violations during the recent capture of the city of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.
The announcement comes amid widespread reports of atrocities committed in the city. The RSF released video showing a fighter, identified as Abu Lulu, being placed in a detention cell. The group stated that Abu Lulu had been featured in videos on the social media platform TikTok allegedly committing summary executions.
An unnamed RSF officer, speaking in the provided footage, stated that the arrest was conducted “in accordance with the instructions of RSF commander General Muhammad Hamdan Daglo.” The officer claimed the detention was carried out “in an atmosphere of discipline and professionalism without any obstacles.”
This internal disciplinary action follows the RSF’s capture of El-Fasher this past Sunday, which marked the fall of the Sudanese armed forces’ last stronghold in the Darfur region. The city had been under a brutal siege for more than 500 days as the two factions battled for control.
Eyewitness accounts from the city’s capture, however, paint a starkly different picture from the RSF’s claims of discipline. Residents described a rampage by RSF fighters, who allegedly carried out hundreds of ethnically targeted killings.
The fall of El-Fasher has raised significant international alarm, with fears that the conflict could lead to the fragmentation of Africa’s third-largest country. The RSF now holds much of the Darfur region, while the Sudanese military maintains control of the capital, Khartoum.