December 7, 2025 | Nyala; Zalingei
The Darfur region has witnessed a significant escalation in kidnappings and violations against civilians by elements affiliated with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have controlled the entire region since late October. This escalation is occurring amidst a complete absence of law enforcement and widespread chaos and violence.
On the evening of December 6, after evening prayers, approximately seven unidentified gunmen kidnapped Al-Hajj Ali from in front of the mosque in the western neighborhood of Zalingei, the capital of Central Darfur State. The operation was carried out using a GXR four-wheel drive vehicle supported by two motorcycles. According to local sources, the victim was taken to an unknown location. The following morning, December 7, reports circulated that the perpetrators demanded a ransom of fifty million Sudanese pounds (50 million) from the kidnapped man’s family for his release.
In a separate incident in South Darfur State, on December 7th, a group affiliated with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) abducted Bakheet Nour El-Din Adam Khamis from his shop in Nyala market and took him to an unknown location, amid growing fears that he may be subjected to ill-treatment or extortion.
Testimonies obtained by the Sudan Rights Watch Network from local residents and traders in the markets of Nyala and Zalingei indicate that the cities and all areas of the region controlled by the RSF have become extremely dangerous, with looting, robbery, murder, and kidnapping occurring almost daily, due to the collapse of the security apparatus and the absence of accountability mechanisms.
According to the Network’s monitoring, activists and traders warn of the continued targeting of market and shop workers, urging all those engaged in economic activity in these areas to exercise extreme caution and consider all available options to protect themselves and their property in light of the deteriorating security situation.
The network warns that these patterns of crime are not isolated incidents but rather represent a systematic trend indicative of a dangerous shift towards a violent economy based on ransom, extortion, and the looting of property. The network emphasizes that the continuation of this situation portends further grave violations against civilians, including enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings.
The network also notes that targeting merchants and business owners has become a recurring policy aimed at terrorizing civilians, paralyzing economic life, and forcing residents to flee or pay continuous and unfair protection money.
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