Killings and Kidnappings: Widespread Militia Violations in Eastern Al-Jazirah

The eastern regions of Al-Jazirah state are facing a brutal retaliatory campaign by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), targeting the residents of towns and villages that had, until recently, been spared from military confrontations or violations resulting from the war that began on April 15, 2023.

Retaliatory Campaign:

A circulated video clip offers a glimpse of the scale of violations against citizens in the eastern regions of Al-Jazirah. The video shows a man with his hands tied and eyes blindfolded, while another person points a weapon at him, demanding that his family pay 50 billion Sudanese pounds for his release. The eastern regions of Al-Jazirah state are now enduring a fierce retaliatory campaign by the RSF, targeting towns and villages that had, until recently, remained safe from the military confrontations and violations stemming from the ongoing war in Sudan, which has lasted for more than a year.

On the 20th of this month, Abu Aqila Kikel, a commander of the RSF in Al-Jazirah, who hails from the eastern regions of the state, announced his defection from the RSF and his joining of the Sudanese Armed Forces in the ongoing conflict between the two sides, which has lasted for over a year and a half.

Kikel’s defection to the army prompted the RSF to launch aggressive military campaigns targeting the eastern regions of Al-Jazirah, where the defecting commander is from. The RSF has committed widespread violations against unarmed civilians in these areas.

According to the “Al-Jazirah Conference” entity, the RSF has killed more than 300 civilians in the city of Tambul in recent days. The militia has also attacked nearly 30 villages in eastern Al-Jazirah state, displacing their residents and causing others to go missing.

Condemnations and Warnings:

The Democratic Civil Forces Coordination, “Tagaddom,” condemned the RSF’s violations in eastern Al-Jazirah, stating in a Thursday communiqué that “these brutal violations, which are a stain on the conscience, must stop immediately,” warning the RSF of the consequences of continuing to terrorize unarmed civilians.

Additionally, the National Umma Party issued a statement on Wednesday, demanding that the RSF halt its violations against peaceful villages in eastern Al-Jazirah and ensure the protection of civilians, not putting their lives at risk. According to media sources, the RSF continues to attack villages in eastern Al-Jazirah, targeting unarmed civilians. Reports indicate that 12 people were killed in the village of Maknoon, 13 in the village of Safieta, and 13 more in the village of Azraq.