Sudan’s army rounds up 4000 alleged RSF supporters
As Sudan’s military junta tightens control over the country’s heartlands, an enormous arrest has drawn concerns about racial and political motivations. Critics warn that the crackdown could deepen the ethnic fault lines of the conflict.
The Governor of Gezira State, Al-Tahir Ibrahim, announced on May 29 the arrest of 4000 citizens accused of collaborating with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), reported the Middle East Monitor. The crackdown drew sharp condemnation from activists who said it was rooted in racism.
Since war broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF in April 2023, reports of ethnic cleansing, particularly in Darfur and parts of Khartoum, have become a defining feature of the conflict.
In a press statement, the Governor said that some of those arrested gave official confessions confirming their involvement in acts of sabotage and providing direct logistical support to the RSF. He warned that his government would not tolerate any threats to the state’s security or stability.
But activists condemned the arrests as part of a broader campaign by the SAF junta in Port Sudan and Al-Jazeera to target people based on ethnic and regional affiliations. They accused the junta of using RSF collaboration charges to carry out arbitrary arrests since there are no credible courts for a fair trial.
They also said judges loyal to the former ruling National Congress Party (NCP) are prosecuting the accused on purely political grounds, without any legal or moral justification.
As the war drags on, both sides have sought to consolidate control over key regions. Once Sudan’s agricultural heartland, Gezira state remained relatively stable until it fell to fighting in December 2023. For the SAF, the arrests therefore signal efforts to tighten political and military grip on the important territory.
However, critics have raised concerns that the arrests risk inflaming ethnic tensions and deepening the country’s already catastrophic collapse.
Middle East Monitor/ Maghrebi
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