North Darfur elders detained by RSF in arms collection campaign

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has detained a group of elders of the native administration of Saraf Omra locality in North Darfur as part of the current weapons collection campaign over the past few days.

Sources from the area reported to Radio Dabanga the elders Abdelaziz Kalas, Abakar Wadi, Hamid Madri, Mohammed Firsha, Jugo and Basher were all detained, while the RSF also summoned various native administration leaders to their headquarters in the city to interrogate them for long hours, while they have already handed over their weapons a long time ago.

They said that there is discrimination in the collection of weapons. Some groups have reportedly refused to hand-over their arms in public and are taking refuge in the El Jou mountains southeast of Saraf Omra to avoid their leaders being hunted-down, arrested or summoned.

The Rapid Support Forces arrested nine imams and local leaders in Guldo locality in Central Darfur from Saturday to Monday on charges of the illegal possession of weapons.

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) arrested nine sheikhs, including three imams, from Fuldon and Joi in Guldo over the weekend. RSF members and 30 of their vehicles were stationed in Katlwa to carry out the weapons search.