A disturbing video depicting General al-Burhan’s forces (SAF) soldiers alongside battalions linked to the Islamist Movement executing a civilian in Ombadda, a neighborhood in Omdurman, has ignited widespread condemnation. The victim was accused of being linked to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who have controlled the area since the onset of the conflict.
The 42-second video, which surfaced on social media Wednesday, shows a group of men, some in SAF uniforms and others in civilian clothing, confronting a man. They accuse him of having ties to the RSF, citing his daughter’s confession. One SAF soldier aggressively interrogates the man while others beat him. Eventually, one soldier drags the victim away as others shout “daʿami! daʿami!”—a term referring to RSF members. The SAF soldier then shoots the man, despite attempts by his colleagues to intervene, and another soldier fires more shots as the man lies motionless on the ground.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) condemned the killing, calling it a “heinous crime” and describing the act as part of a broader pattern of “selective ethnic cleansing” perpetrated by the SAF and their allied Islamist militants.
The RSF said the leaders of the Islamic Movement and the so-called “Port Sudan Gang” accountable for stoking violence and fueling division within Sudanese communities. These actions, they said, have intensified the ongoing crisis in the country.
The footage has also prompted a wave of outrage from political and civil groups, who have labeled the incident an extrajudicial execution and part of a broader pattern of violence against civilians throughout the ongoing conflict.
Activists drew parallels to previous incidents, including a video showing SAF soldiers with the severed heads of RSF fighters, for which the military had promised investigations that ultimately never took place.
In response to the backlash, the SAF issued a statement yesterday, describing the victim as a “rebel” who had been detained and killed by a soldier.
Radio Dabanga and The Sudan Times interpreted the SAF’s statement as an implicit acknowledgment of the video’s authenticity.
Pattern of Abuses
Lawyer Rehab El Mubarak condemned both the video and the broader pattern of abuses as evidence of the breakdown of state authority and military discipline. “These crimes are not isolated incidents,” El Mubarak told Radio Dabanga. “The soldiers involved were armed, trained, and acting under orders. This reflects systemic behavior, not isolated actions.”
El Mubarak rejected the SAF’s claim that the killing was an isolated event, emphasizing that the lack of military discipline has allowed such atrocities to persist. “The armed forces have become a lawless entity, where individuals act as judge, jury, and executioner,” she said.
El Mubarak stressed that responsibility for these crimes lies with the commanders of both factions. “The leaders who arm and direct these forces cannot absolve themselves of responsibility,” she stated, accusing SAF leadership of issuing statements designed only to deflect blame rather than addressing the root causes of the violations.
Despite the escalating violence, the RSF reiterated its commitment to maintaining restraint and vowed to continue its efforts to dismantle what it described as a “criminal gang” within the Sudanese government. The RSF has emphasized its goal of establishing a state rooted in the rule of law and justice, free from the influence of terrorism and exploitation.
Human rights groups have yet to respond publicly to the latest incident, but the RSF called for international condemnation and support in addressing the ongoing violations.
