The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate has expressed solidarity with the Darfur24 news network after several of its correspondents reportedly received death threats from armed groups operating in Sudan’s Darfur region.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the syndicate said the threats represented a direct attack on journalists’ safety and on press freedom amid Sudan’s continuing conflict.
Darfur24 said on Saturday that it was facing what it described as a coordinated intimidation campaign involving the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Mohamed Nur.
The network held both groups responsible for ensuring the safety of its journalists working in areas under their influence.
Darfur24 condemned the threats and incitement to violence, saying it would not change its editorial position or allow intimidation to silence its reporting.
The journalists’ syndicate described the threats as a serious crime, warning that the widespread availability of weapons, growing hate speech and the collapse of accountability mechanisms had sharply increased the risks facing media workers.
According to the syndicate, at least 34 journalists have been killed since Sudan’s war began in April 2023. Dozens of others have reportedly been detained, forcibly disappeared or subjected to threats and harassment.
The syndicate said the RSF and Abdel Wahid’s movement would be held responsible for the safety of Darfur24 employees working in territories affected by the conflict.
It called on all armed factions to comply with international conventions protecting journalists during wartime and to immediately halt threats, intimidation and incitement against media workers.
The syndicate said the targeting of Darfur24 appeared to be part of a broader campaign aimed at silencing independent voices.
It urged local and international human rights organisations to investigate the threats, closely monitor the safety of the network’s journalists and hold those responsible accountable.
