A document attributed to forces loyal to Major Gen. Abu Aqla Keikel has ignited controversy after ordering residents in areas under their control to pay fees for water and electricity. The circulating notice instructs each household to deposit 10,000 Sudanese pounds within 72 hours, warning of fines up to 50,000 pounds and possible disconnections for late or non-payment.
The move triggered fierce criticism from activists and locals, who called the fees coercive at a time when war-hit communities face severe shortages of food, medicine and basic services. Analysts say the directive underscores the expanding reach of Keikel’s militants into daily civilian life in territories they hold, deepening social strain as the wider conflict drags on and state institutions remain absent.
The Sudan Shield Forces, led by Abu Aqla Keikel, are a militia fighting alongside General al-Burhan’s army (SAF) after Keikel defected from the RSF in late 2024. Rights groups have tied the force to grave abuses: Human Rights Watch documented Sudan Shield fighters shooting residents, raiding homes, and burning property in Tayba, Gezira, on January 10, 2025.
The EU has since sanctioned Keikel for serious human-rights violations and command responsibility, including targeting the Kanabi community. The group’s denials of wrongdoing, coupled with repeated reports of coercive levies in areas they control, point to a predatory outfit that exploits civilians under the cover of war.
