Faced with intense gunfire, Adam Ahmed departed from El Fasher in North Darfur State, coinciding with the late October assault conducted by ...
Faced with intense gunfire, Adam Ahmed departed from El Fasher in North Darfur State, coinciding with the late October assault conducted by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), during which they captured the military base in the city. Nevertheless, he was unable to flee. RSF fighters detained him at one of the city's entrances, transported him to an undisclosed place, and requested a ransom of two million Sudanese pounds, roughly $700 USD, for his release.
At that time, Adam — using a pseudonym for security reasons — didn't have the funds to buy a meal, let alone come up with $700 to secure his release. He had endured intense pressure while in El Fasher during the conflict, surviving on community kitchens and animal feed (locally called "ambaz").
For more than a year, the RSF surrounded the city in an attempt to seize the final military-controlled base in the expansive western part of Darfur. By late October, the city ultimately succumbed to the RSF, but at a severe price for its inhabitants, including Adam. According to the Sudan Doctors Network, the death count from the RSF attack reached 1,500 within the first few days following the city's capture, though the actual figure may be significantly higher.
Like many residents caught in the conflict in El Fasher, Adam was tired, hungry, and felt completely overwhelmed. After enduring months of bombardment with limited supplies, he was taken hostage by RSF fighters, according to Adam's family, who shared this information with Ayin.
A member of Adam's family shared a video with Ayin, in which Adam asked his friends and people he knew to assist him in paying the ransom and vowed to return the money once he was set free. The video showed Adam appearing exhausted and defeated, with bruises and injuries visible on his body. Eventually, according to his relatives, the RSF released Adam after the payment was made.
The situation involving Adam is, regrettably, not an isolated incident. Rather, abducting civilians, including those uprooted by the conflict, has emerged as a new revenue stream for RSF fighters and their affiliated militias.
A RSF commander, who spoke to Ayin while requesting anonymity, disclosed that the majority of RSF soldiers do not get a monthly wage and must "make money from the battlefield." According to the RSF source, although making profits from war loot was effective in the initial phase of the conflict, continuous widespread theft has left very few people in the country with anything worth stealing. For example, many individuals stuck in El Fasher depended on family members overseas to send assistance via banking apps as a way to survive. The RSF and their allied forces are now focusing on cutting off this lifeline.
Tawila
Hassan* is a volunteer aiding the large number of individuals who have been forced to leave El Fasher due to conflict and have undertaken a dangerous journey to the extensive displacement camp in Tawila, North Darfur State. As of mid-November, the recent arrival of displaced people in Tawila may exceed 750,000, according to United Nations estimates.
Each day, we get video clips on our phones showing citizens who have been taken by the Rapid Support Forces, asking kind people and their contacts to pay the ransom to the attackers in order for them to be set free," Hassan stated. "People escaping El Fasher have no money or savings, as they have exhausted all their resources during the extended siege; even their clothing is worn out.
As per accounts gathered by Ayin, RSF fighters arbitrarily arrest individuals escaping El Fasher, record them, and transmit ransom video messages to their loved ones, requiring payment within a specific timeframe. Heartbroken families have initiated fundraising efforts, desperately seeking means to meet ransom fees that can reach up to 4 million Sudanese pounds (approximately US$1,200).
Abdullah, a resident of North Darfur State who is now outside the country, had to pay 6 million Sudanese pounds to secure the release of multiple family members who escaped the conflict in El Fasher. "From what I have seen, there are many citizens being detained by Rapid Support Forces fighters, awaiting substantial amounts of money for their freedom. Abducting people and demanding ransom has turned into a profitable venture for the Rapid Support Forces in El Fasher and nearby areas, further intensifying the hardship faced by civilians escaping the horrors of war."
Mellit
A female medical volunteer who stayed in El Fasher during the conflict shared with Avaaz her experience of being searched, robbed, and extorted by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) while attempting to go to Mellit, a town located approximately 60 kilometers north of El Fasher. "We had no choice but to use RSF vehicles for travel since they controlled the area; there were no other options available," she stated.
"We were on our way to Mellit, and we were so near that we could spot the minarets of the mosques there, but the driver suddenly changed direction. He took us into a forest beside the main road and stopped the vehicle," recalls the medical volunteer. Two Rapid Support Forces soldiers then installed a "Starlink" satellite and ordered all passengers to transfer money or face being killed, she added.
They instructed us to get in touch with our family to pay the ransom, but we told them our phones had been stolen and we didn't have any numbers saved. They weren't concerned." The RSF began firing into the air and divided the men from the women, warning they would kill the men. "Eventually, they returned us to Mellit at night. They threatened us once more, asking for payment. I was able to contact someone who paid for me, and most of the others did the same as well." Three men were unable to make the payment and were handcuffed before being taken away in an RSF vehicle, she mentioned. "I have no idea what happened to them.
In certain situations, the RSF do not ensure the release of hostages, even when a ransom is paid. Ishaq Mohamed informed Darfur 24 that his family had paid four million Sudanese pounds (US$1,200) to free his nephew. He mentioned that the kidnappers had promised to deliver his nephew to Kabkabiya, approximately 155 kilometers west of El Fasher, but no communication occurred after the payment was made. "They took the money and vanished. We have no idea if he is alive or dead," Ibrahim stated.
Kordofan
Much like the situation in El Fasher, there has been a surge in civilian abductions and ransom demands across the Kordofan region, particularly in North and West Kordofan states, where the RSF holds significant areas. While RSF raids have declined, as reported by locals in West Kordofan State to Ayin, abductions have risen. Local sources indicate that over 12 individuals were taken from the area near Abu Zabad city in West Kordofan state within the last month.
Hassan Mohammed* shared the story of how the RSF abducted him in Abu Zabad earlier this year. A military vehicle carrying several armed individuals in RSF uniforms took him from his house. The armed men first claimed they were taking him to the police station due to a criminal complaint against him. "But I was certain they were going to kidnap me," he said to Ayin.
As soon as they exited the town, the gunmen placed a hood over his face and, after traveling for over two hours, demanded he pay a certain amount of money if he wished to return home. "I told them I didn't have any money," he said. "They instructed me to open the 'Bankak' banking app, but it had no funds." They ordered him to contact his family to transfer six million Sudanese pounds (approximately US$1765) or else they would kill him. However, the war had left Hassan and his family in poverty. Six million Sudanese pounds was way beyond their financial capacity, no matter how much they feared for their son. "I stayed with them for two days without food, and after difficult negotiations, my relatives managed to transfer 2 million pounds," he said. "After that, they left me on the outskirts of the city, and after a few tough days, I returned to my family."
Frequently, armed groups believed to be connected to the RSF detain shopkeepers and individuals working in the weekly markets within the Kordofan region. In October, armed individuals abducted five young men from a village near Abu Zabad after they returned from a market carrying goods and food supplies. After six days, the young men were set free, as reported by their family members to Ayin. In the same region, a shop owner was taken by gunmen and released a week later following the payment of a substantial ransom surpassing 30 million pounds, as stated by a close associate.
Lucrative
The practice of abducting civilians and demanding ransom is not a recent occurrence," said military analyst Omar Arbab. "It was evident in all regions under the control of the Rapid Support Forces during the conflict, and it occurred alongside extensive looting activities. This conduct is unlikely to change soon, as the Rapid Support Forces have limited authority over their personnel and are unable to alter this method," he mentioned. Even if the RSF received payment, Arbab notes, the profits from ransom money are "far greater than any salary.
Although the RSF leadership is urging residents to go back to their homes, their own troops are keeping people away, due to concerns about their safety.
* Names have been altered to safeguard the identities of the sources
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Tagged: South Sudan, Human Rights, Arms and Military Affairs, Conflict, Peace and Security, East Africa
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