Traders and residents from the West Kordofan city of Al-Nuhud have launched a legal campaign against Ali Rizqallah, widely known as “Al-Safana,” accusing him and allied fighters of orchestrating large-scale looting operations that allegedly caused more than $60 million in losses after clashes in the city in May 2025.
In a statement issued Friday, merchants and residents said they were preparing criminal complaints against Al-Safana and others over what they described as systematic looting of markets, warehouses and commercial infrastructure.
According to the statement, the looting targeted agricultural warehouses and Al-Nuhud’s commodities exchange, one of Sudan’s largest trading centers. Traders said dozens of trucks loaded with peanuts and gum arabic were seized, devastating the local economy and impoverishing large segments of the city’s merchant class.
The petition submitted by the traders and residents calls on prosecutors to:
- Open criminal proceedings against Ali Rizqallah and others.
- Issue arrest warrants and conduct investigations.
- Form a committee to assess economic losses and damages.
- Bring suspects before Sudanese courts.
- Allow affected residents and traders to seek civil compensation.
The complainants cited earlier statements by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in which he claimed the state would not shield individuals accused of crimes against civilians and said citizens had the right to pursue justice through legal channels.
However, many activists and observers say the merchants may face an uphill battle now that Al-Safana has openly aligned himself with the military camp in Port Sudan after defecting from the RSF. Critics accuse authorities loyal to Burhan of increasingly embracing defected commanders and militia figures accused of abuses, while offering little indication they intend to pursue accountability cases against them.
Al-Safana, a former Rapid Support Forces commander, recently broke with the RSF leadership and repositioned himself alongside authorities aligned with General al-Burhan’s SAF. His defection quickly turned him into a controversial figure across Sudanese political and military circles.
In leaked audio recordings circulated on Sudanese social media, Al-Safana accused the RSF leadership of turning the movement into “the cause of one person,” referring to RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. He also accused the group of betraying the goals of Sudan’s revolution and claimed RSF detention facilities were filled with grievances.
His remarks were rejected by figures linked to the Sudan Founding Alliance (TASIS), who dismissed his accusations against the alliance and insisted TASIS represented a broad coalition rather than a single-person project.
Meanwhile, commanders linked to Al-Safana’s former military unit reportedly appeared in videos distancing themselves from his defection and reaffirming their loyalty to the RSF, casting doubt on how much manpower or influence he actually carried with him into the military camp.
The statement from Al-Nuhud residents also appealed to lawyers across Sudan to support the case and urged tribal leaders, including Humr tribal chief Moneim Abdel Qader Mansour and the Humr Union, to back efforts aimed at securing accountability for the people of Al-Nuhud.
