Sudan Media Forum: ‘Ongoing conflict deepens lawlessness’
Scenes of El Hurriya Street in Khartoum as fighting, looting, and shortages wreck the city (File photo: RD)
Sudan Media Forum Joint Editing Room
Compiled by Sudan Tribune
The conflict in Sudan is driving rampant theft and looting, with soldiers from both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) accused of plundering civilian property. In areas under military control, stolen goods are regularly sold in local markets.
Old neighbourhoods in Omdurman, particularly in Karari, have seen a surge in looting, with homes raided for electrical appliances and furniture, later sold in makeshift markets. Residents in central and northern Omdurman, areas under the control of the SAF, report a steady rise in thefts, especially in El Sawra.
Journalist Abdelrahman Jabr, a victim of two armed robberies, said soldiers dressed in army uniforms looted his family’s phones. Nearby, a 12-year-old boy was also held at gunpoint and robbed. Another civilian was shot in the face after resisting a soldier trying to steal his phone.
Jabr filed a complaint, but the army has yet to respond. Phone and jewellery thefts from women in the Gharb El Harat area are frequent. Reports of gunmen, sometimes posing as army personnel, have left people fearing for their safety.
One resident, Mesbah Mohamed Atta El Manan, described how he was shot in the foot after refusing to cooperate with looters. His injuries have left him unable to work and support his family.
The SAF refused to comment on these accusations. Videos have surfaced showing armed groups in military uniforms admitting to impersonating soldiers to carry out thefts and drug deals. hotspots in Omdurman have also become hubs for selling stolen goods.
‘Dagalo markets’
In areas controlled by the RSF, looting has become widespread since the war began in April 2023. Soldiers have targeted banks, civilian vehicles, and homes. Markets dubbed “Dagalo markets,” named after RSF commander Lt Gen Mohamed ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo, have sprung up. In these markets, looted goods are openly sold.
Despite efforts by the RSF leadership to curb the criminal activities of their forces, reports of looting persist. People in Khartoum, El Gezira, and Sennar are regularly robbed of food and personal belongings. The RSF has also been linked to armed looting of food supplies being transported across the Nile from Omdurman, with a 30-year-old man killed in a recent raid.
In the Halfaya area of Khartoum North (Bahri), RSF soldiers have repeatedly stolen food, worsening the hunger crisis in the area. Activists in Omdurman are struggling to raise donations to provide essential supplies to those affected by the conflict. In Wad Madani, RSF soldiers have even looted livestock, stripping farmers of their livelihood.
RSF forces have been accused of killing dozens of civilians in El Gezira, causing waves of displacement. Human rights organisations have condemned the violence, but insecurity remains rampant.
The Sudan Media Forum and its partners continue to shed light on these violations, calling for international attention and action. As Sudan’s conflict drags on, civilians remain trapped in a cycle of violence, looting, and displacement.
This report is published simultaneously on the platforms of media and press institutions and organisations that are members of the Sudan Media Forum.
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