The paramilitary group acts after execution videos spark outrage, as the UAE pledges $100 million in aid and joins UN calls for an end to civilian targeting.
Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced the arrest of several of its fighters accused of committing abuses during the brutal capture of Al Fasher, a move that comes amid mounting international condemnation over atrocities in the Darfur city.
The RSF stated late Thursday it had detained fighters for “violations that occurred during the liberation” of Al Fasher. Among those detained is a fighter known as Abu Lulu, who has been identified by journalists in multiple videos on TikTok appearing to carry out summary executions.
This development follows what the United Nations describes as the fiercest RSF assault to date on Al Fasher, the last major city in the Darfur region previously held by the regular army. Witnesses and aid groups have reported intensifying bombardment, drone strikes, and ground incursions, with the city becoming an “epicentre of child suffering.”
The growing reports of abuse have triggered a strong global response. At the United Nations, the United Arab Emirates condemned the “heinous attacks against civilians in Al Fasher” and announced an additional $100 million (Dh367.25 million) for lifesaving humanitarian operations.
The UAE joined international demands for “both warring parties—the SAF and the RSF—[to] exercise full restraint and cease all targeting of civilians.” The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) has ravaged the country since April 2023, with Al Fasher becoming a critical flashpoint.
