Journalist Escaping the Hell of the Rapid Support Forces (1)

The day began like any ordinary day, but everything turned upside down when news broke of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) rebelling against the army. Days of unsettling news followed, spreading everywhere. People initially thought it was just another rebellion or a failed attempt to seize power. However, as time passed, anxiety and fears grew. We heard and watched reports through various media outlets until that morning when our ordeal of terror and panic began in Al-Wadi Al-Akhdar, a place once known for its serene quietness.

People awoke to an extraordinary scene: dozens of military vehicles filled with RSF soldiers stormed into Al-Wadi Al-Akhdar, invading the local market. Suddenly, they were everywhere, bringing looted goods to the market. Electrical appliances, food supplies, clothing, and even luxurious furniture — items rarely seen in this area — were sold at a fraction of their value. Opportunists eagerly purchased these items, while others avoided the market entirely until desperation for food forced them to buy from these so-called “Daglo Markets,” infamous for selling stolen goods.

Some neighborhood women collaborated with these looters. When the soldiers raided factories and companies, they took cash while the women seized electrical appliances and food. This escalated to raiding homes in upscale neighborhoods of Khartoum, where the soldiers stole gold and money, leaving the furniture and other valuables for their female accomplices.

I had a bad feeling that we were heading into dark days, especially since RSF soldiers treated civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, with arrogance and brutality. Obscene language filled the streets, and the stench of drugs wafted into our homes. Girls hid indoors, fearing harassment from these soldiers, who harassed anyone out in the evening. Many women donned veils for protection, yet even that did not spare them, as the RSF targeted veiled women wherever they could.

In the early days, flush with stolen money, their crimes were limited to street violence and terrorizing passersby. If someone looked at them, they beat them. If someone greeted them, they mocked or threatened them. If someone didn’t greet them, they might shoot them. These criminals were ruthless, killing on a whim or dragging their victims to one of their detention centers for further torment. For those taken, a gunshot death was considered merciful compared to being beaten, starved, or denied water. No one could intervene or even dare to witness these brutalities, whether it was someone being beaten with sticks, whips, or rifle butts in the streets.

One particularly harrowing day, an elderly man came to the market with a goat to sell. When asked for the price, he named it, only to be mockingly asked if one of his daughters was included. Furious, he retorted that his daughters were not for sale. This enraged the RSF thug, who attacked him. As was their usual practice, more than ten RSF soldiers joined in the assault without knowing the cause. They beat the old man until he was drenched in blood, then took him away. Days later, they released him, but he succumbed to his injuries shortly after. This marked the beginning of a series of painful and heartbreaking events.

To be continued