White Nile villagers appeal as RSF deny siege

The RSF has denied reports that they have imposed a siege on the village of Wad Kebeish north of El Geteina town, White Nile state, after residents appealed to the commander of the RSF and the international community to save them.

The official spokesperson for the RSF described “the rumours” as “an attempt to drive a wedge between the people and our forces as they advance towards the White Nile” in a press statement yesterday.

“The RSF in White Nile state has good relations with the citizens and provides humanitarian and social services to them,” he claimed.

He accused the army of bombing the El Geteina area and “killing dozens of witnesses to the brutal atrocities of the remnants of the Al Bashir regime.” On January 14, SAF airstrikes on El Geteina caused six deaths and seven injuries, a listener in the area told Radio Dabanga. 

The statement followed an urgent appeal from Wad Kebeish villagers yesterday. The residents urged RSF Commander Lt Gen Mohamed ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo to stop his forces’ threats to attack and burn down the village.

Wad Kebeish has been repeatedly threatened after a paramilitary of the RSF was killed near the village, according to a resident’s social media post.

Two weeks ago, a group of men wearing RSF uniforms tried to steal a lorry from its owner by force. The villagers reported the incident to Omda Sa’ad Wad Sogheiroun and the RSF command in El Giteina locality. 

“They answered that these bandits do not belong to them and that the RSF do not steal. They also said that the villagers should beat up or even kill anyone who attacks or plunders the village,” said the villager. 

He explained that a group of four RSF troops riding on motorcycles then tried to steal another transport vehicle from its owner, and when he refused, a quarrel occurred between them. The brother of the owner of the vehicle reportedly killed one of the thieves, and the rest fled. 

“In response, a group of about 30 paramilitaries in two four-wheel-drive vehicles arrived from El Giteina town to take revenge on the villagers,” Wad Sogheiroun said. “They rounded up all the men of Wad Kebeish and beat them with whips and sticks to make them hand over the killer, but the villagers refused to provide any information.” 

The villagers returned to the omda and told him what happened. The native administration leader then talked with the RSF commander of El Giteina on Friday who told him that the villagers should pay the amount of SDG 20 billion blood money for the dead man. The RSF took control of El Giteina on December 21. 

They were given three days to either pay the full amount or hand over all the weapons in the village. If the deadline was not met, the entire village would be torched. 

The villager said that Wad Kebeish is a safe haven for people who fled from the fighting in Khartoum. He appealed to Hemedti and to “local, regional, and international organisations” to intervene urgently and save the villagers from the threats of the RSF. 

The day before the RSF entered White Nile state in December, Hemedti assured Sudanese people that they “will remain safe, sound, and secure, as the RSF provides protection for all citizens, their money, and their honour.”