The African Center for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) condemns the unlawful killing of civilians by the warring parties particularly Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its allied militia. We call upon the Sudanese authorities to publicly condemn the incidents and launch an independent and impartial investigation into the incidents. We further call upon the warring parties to respect the citizens' rights to life as guaranteed by the Sudanese constitution and international treaties to which Sudan is a party. In this release, ACJPS documents incidents where several civilians were gruesomely killed by RSF and allied militia in Ardamata, West Darfur.
In November 2023, ACJPS obtained a 45-second video linked to a blogger called Ali (not real name). The video was published in a WhatsApp group called “Fasal Alkhetab”, an Arabic term loosely translated as “Discourse Chapter” and in a Facebook group called Elgenina. The video shows five young male civilians standing in a line approximately four meters from three armed men dressed in a Rapid Support Force (RSF) uniform. The armed men then opened fire at the civilians instantly killing two, injuring two others and the other survived unharmed. Despite several challenges such as network shutdown in Darfur, ACJPS went ahead and launched an investigation the facts surrounding the incident.
The investigation was done with the help of researchers and monitors in three areas in West Darfur, South Darfur States, and Adrie town in Chad. One eyewitness who was hiding in Ansar Alsuna Mosque confirmed to ACJPS that the incident happened in the Alrasafa neighborhood in Ardamata.
The incident happened on 5 November 2023, at around 08:00 am in Ardamata town located a few kilometers from Elgenina, the Central Darfur capital following the seizure and control of the SAF headquarters (Division 15) by RSF on 4 November 2023 as announced by Major Gen. Abdul Rahim Dagalo, the RSF second in command. The group was accused of being members of SPLM/SA formerly led by the late Gen. Khamis Abkar who also doubled as the West Darfur governor who was killed on 14 June 2023, in Elgenina. RSF however denies participating in the gruesome incident.
Ms. Fatimah Yahya Azraq the mother to Mr. Amir Yagoup Burah (one of the victims who died on the spot) testified that “my son was brickmaker who wasn’t involved in politics. We moved here two years after being displaced from Monrney. Those responsible for displacing us have now killed my son. Our tribe has constantly been targeted but revenge is for Allah” she lamented.