Rapid Support Forces kill, rob displaced in Gireida, South Darfur

Two people were killed in an attack by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Camp Alef for the displaced in Gireida town on Saturday. On Wednesday, two residents of Forika 1 camp in Gireida locality were injured during an RSF raid.   

“RSF gunmen in two Land Cruisers stormed the camp market on Saturday evening,” a relative of the victims told Radio Dabanga. “They robbed anyone they saw, and stole more than 30 mobiles from a number of shops.”

“They then went to the video club at the camp, and ordered club owner Eisa Osman Eisa to hand them all his money. When he refused, they started firing at him. He died instantly,” the source reported. “Afaf Yagoub Mohamed, who was passing by, was fatally hit too. Afaf’s relative, Asha Mohamed, sustained bullet wounds, and was transferred to a hospital in Gireida.”

The source said that a group of displaced then went to the police in Gireida to report the incident. “Yet, the militiamen intercepted them, and started shooting at them to prevent them to reach the police station.

“The commissioner of Gireida locality and a number of policemen arrived at the camp market much later,” he added. “The displaced protested, and chanted slogans against him, calling for his dismissal. Some threw stones at him, upon which he immediately left the place.”

Forika 1

Last Wednesday, members of the RSF assaulted two residents of Forika 1 camp for the displaced in Gireida locality, when they were returning from the Abuja market to the camp.

“A group of RSF Janjaweed in two Land Cruisers ambushed Abdu Mohamed Yagoub and Salheen Mohamed Shogar, when they were returning to the camp after a visit to the Abuja market to the camp on Wednesday evening,” a Forika 1 camp elder reported to Radio Dabanga.

“The attackers beat them up with their batons, and robbed them of their mobile telephones and their money. Yagoub and Shogar were seriously injured and had to be taken to a hospital for treatment.”

Regular forces

On 5 January this year, the Sudanese parliament passed amendments to the Interim Constitution, by which the National intelligence and Security Service (NISS),  became part of the regular forces, instead of being “a state institution tasked with the collection and analyses of information and data”. The paramilitary RSF, commanded by the NISS, were thus legitimised, and enjoy far going impunity.