Arrests as RSF clamp down in North Darfur

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia has arrested at least seven people at the areas of Muzbad and Arori in Um Baru and Karnoi localities on charges of communicating with the armed movements, as part of a campaign of ongoing arrests.

On Wednesday informed sources from North Darfur told Radio Dabanga that the detainees, most of them herders, have been beaten and tortured by the RSF.

A listener told Radio Dabanga that the campaign has caused panic among the population and led to the displacement and flight of some people, fearing “a campaign of retaliation for the killing of their commander Brig. Hamdan El Simeih”. 

He appealed to the authorities and human rights organisations to stop the campaigns and release the detainees who have nothing to do with the armed movements.

Call for reason

Ahmed Minawi El Digeish, the independent MP of Um Baru, Karnoi and El Tina appealed in a statement to Radio Dabanga to the government and the armed movements not to shed blood, exercise aggression on the unarmed civilians, or transfer war to villages and cities.

He called for resort to the voice of reason and solving the problem politically through negotiations not the gun. Also he called on the residents not to move away and stay in their villages and pastures

RSF commander Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan (aka Hemeti) denied during his address to the rapid support forces in Wadi Howar killing the prisoners who have been arrested in the battles of East and North Darfur in the past two days.

Yesterday the Governor of North Darfur, Abdelwahid Yousef, announced the arrival of a number of prisoners of armed movements in El Fasher after capturing them in El Taweisha, Kalimendo and Dar El Salaam localities,” most notably the head of the Transitional Council of the Sudan Liberation Movement, Nimir Abdelrahman.

He confirmed their transfer to Khartoum for trial.

The RSF claim that the battle of Wadi Howar with the Sudan Liberation Movement of Minni Minawi (SLM-MM) ended in no more than 45 minutes.

Maj. El Taj Tijani Abdallah, the commander of the rapid support forces of Kordofan sector told Sudan News Agency that the rapid support forces seized over six armored vehicles and 35 military vehicles with all its equipment from the rebels.

He said they also destroyed 25 other vehicles, two rockets and anti-aircraft SAM 7 missiles as well as two well drillers.

‘Rebel fighters don’t deserve burial’

According to the Governor of East Darfur, the bodies of slain rebel fighters should not be buried but left in the open.

In a speech on 22 May, after fierce fighting between government forces and fighters of the Sudan Liberation Movement in northern East Darfur, Governor Anas Omar called on the people not to bury the bodies of the rebel combatants but to leave them for “the birds of prey”.

“This is a natural end to those who reject peace,” he said. “If they had opted for the peace option and participated in the National Dialogue, they would by now have been accommodated in the Presidential Palace.”

He further said that the rebels are not worth to be shot. “The price of a bullet, SDG7 ($1), is worth more than a mercenary.”