Why Has “RSF” Expanded Its Kidnapping for Ransom Practices?

The family of businessman (A.A.) from Rufaa in the Al-Jazirah State (central Sudan) had to pay 50 million Sudanese pounds (about $19,000) to save his life after his captors from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) sent a video threatening to kill him within hours unless the ransom was paid.

A family member told Al-Jazeera Net that they received a phone call from their kidnapped relative, who asked them to transfer a large sum of money to his captors via a banking app. Hours later, they received a video showing him with an armed RSF member holding a gun to his head.

The video showed the abductee wearing traditional Sudanese attire, with his kidnapper beside him, his face covered, and demanding that the family pay the ransom within hours or he would be killed. The family was forced to pay the 50 million Sudanese pounds, as the kidnappers knew he was a businessman with assets and refused to lower the amount or extend the deadline.

The RSF militia often forces captives to record audio or video messages for their families. Amir Mahmoud, Secretary-General of the Jazirah Conference, told Al-Jazeera Net that the militia demanded 5 million Sudanese pounds (around $2,000) to release a captive, and recently, they demanded 50 million pounds ($19,000) from another.

One recent incident involved a kidnapped doctor, (M.T.) from Um Dugarsi in Al-Jazirah, who sent a message to his family urging them to pay the ransom for his release or he would be killed. In an audio message, another captive from Omdurman named Moaz reassured his mother, who resides in Europe, of his health and asked her to negotiate with his captor, who demanded $5,000 for his release. A friend told Al-Jazeera Net that Moaz spent months in poor conditions with his captors, deteriorating both mentally and physically, and he passed away shortly after his release.

Kidnappings have increased recently, with activists on social media discussing cases where RSF members target individuals based on perceived wealth, especially in the Darfur region. According to the Darfur 24 news site, a young man named Fateh Ahmed Adam (18) was kidnapped from his farm in “Um Dae” in East Darfur, with his captors demanding a 100 million Sudanese pounds ($40,000) ransom.

One of the abductee’s relatives said they couldn’t afford the ransom and reached out to RSF leaders in Ed Daein, the state capital, for help. East Darfur has seen similar ransom kidnappings targeting merchants and humanitarian workers.

Security and military expert Ali Salem believes that kidnapping for ransom doesn’t typically occur within official forces. He suggests that RSF members resort to these tactics due to weak leadership and financial motivation. He told Al-Jazeera Net that irregular payment and the absence of resources in areas under RSF control have pushed them to find new ways to obtain money.

Field commanders within the RSF have autonomy in their respective areas, sometimes collaborating with higher ranks unable to provide regular salaries or incentives. This cooperation includes sharing ransom profits, according to the security expert. Salem mentioned that after the outbreak of war, RSF members broke into prisons, releasing thousands of criminals, some of whom joined the fighting and became commanders. Others formed criminal gangs, engaging in violent acts against civilians.

Human rights activist Sahar Abdullah expressed deep concern over the escalation of ransom kidnappings under threat of violence in Sudan. She told Al-Jazeera Net that these crimes are an unjustifiable violation of national and international laws, calling for accountability for the perpetrators and placing full responsibility on those in control of crime areas. She warned that these practices exacerbate Sudan’s humanitarian crisis, causing severe psychological suffering for both victims and their families.