Photo Credit: UNCHR
The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) condemns the continued targeting of civilians by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Nyala, South Darfur. Despite multiple calls from both the national and international communities, the RSF has continued to violate civilians' rights since it seized Nyala following the outbreak of the conflict in April 2023. In this release, ACJPS documents an incident where four male IDPs were attacked by a group of RSF fighters while travelling from Nyala to Alsalam IDP camp.
On August 6, 2025, around 5:00 PM, three armed men with automatic weapons, called Kalashnikovs, dressed in Rapid Support Forces (RSF) uniforms, intercepted a motorcycle used to carry goods and passengers in rural areas. The motorcycle was carrying four young men from Alsalam Camp, located 10 kilometers southeast of Nyala in South Darfur State, as they returned from Nyala to the camp. The RSF armed men opened fire on the motorcycle without any clear reason. A trusted source informed ACJPS that the attackers were probably planning to loot the civilians. Unfortunately, the gunfire caused one of the four displaced persons to die and injured the other three. The attackers then fled toward the lake near the RSF military training base in Kashlungo, as the incident happened between Alsalam Camp and the RSF training base.
The victims are;
Kareem Mohamed Mahmoud, male, 23 years old (deceased)
The injured are;
Background
Since the conflict between the national army (SAF) and the RSF broke out in April 2023, Nyala and vast parts of the Darfur region have fallen under the control of the RSF. Gross human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, looting, extortion, and kidnappings for ransom, have greatly characterised the RSF reign in Nyala. Oftentimes, senior RSF officers have been accused of organizing and directing these criminal enterprises. In recent months, Nyala has witnessed an unprecedented security crisis as lawlessness has escalated following the arrival of RSF fighters retreating from military losses in Khartoum, Al Jazirah, White Nile, and Sennar states. This has turned the lives of civilians into a nightmare as certain groups like traders and merchants have been particularly targeted. ACJPS recently reported incidents where the RSF has targeted traders. The RSF, however, denies responsibility for the lawlessness and claims that the perpetrators are rogue elements exploiting the war.