Militiamen force youths to have haircuts in Khartoum, Omdurman

Young travellers at El Soug El Shaabi bus station in Omdurman, and shoppers at the market in Khartoum North, were beaten and forced to submit to haircuts by members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that a number of members of the RSF, wearing uniforms and accompanied by members of the security and intelligence services, on Tuesday inspected travellers’ belongings at the bust station, where many busses depart for the Darfur states. The RSF assaulted several of them, and forced them to have haircut.

The attacks reportedly took place before the eyes of the police.

On Wednesday evening, RSF militiamen forced youths at the market in Khartoum North to cut their hair on the grounds that it is “dense and unfit”.

El Tarig independent electronic newspaper reported that dozens of soldiers from the RSF came to Shendi bus station in Khartoum North and ordered some youths to forcibly have their hair cut after forcing them to sit on the ground.

It added that the people were terrified and closed shops after the deployment of dozens of RSF soldiers.