SAR CONDEMNS REPORTED ABUSES AND RESTRICTIONS ON CIVILIAN LIFE IN WEST KORDOFAN.

The Sudanese Alliance for Rights (SAR) condemns reports of abuses against civilians in Foga and Wad Banda, West Kordofan State, allegedly committed by members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The reported acts include beatings and humiliating treatment of civilians, the looting of a market, the imposition of compulsory levies on mining mill operators, the confiscation of Starlink satellite internet equipment and the closure of Wad Banda market. These actions threaten the safety and dignity of civilians while further undermining their ability to earn a living and access essential goods and services amid an already devastating conflict.

According to a report published by Radio Tamazuj on 10 November 2026, the Dar Hamar Emergency Response Room accused RSF members of beating and subjecting civilians to humiliating treatment at the mining mills market in Foga, near En Nahud. The group's spokesperson, Azzam Hamid, reported that operators were being forced to surrender one barrel of diesel per mining mill and that the entire market had been looted. The Emergency Response Room also reported the confiscation of Starlink terminals and the closure of the market in Wad Banda. These allegations require independent investigation, and the RSF should publicly respond to the reported abuses.

These incidents come amid previous reports of restrictions on civilian and commercial activity in West Kordofan. In August 2026, the Dar Hamar Emergency Response Room reported that the RSF had ordered the closure of public markets and Starlink services in Al-Nuhud, disrupting trade, mobile banking, remittances and communication for residents and displaced families. More recently, on 8 November, the same emergency response network reportedly raised further allegations of abuses in Al-Nuhud, including the breaking into shops to accommodate military vehicles, the shutdown of Starlink services and the forcible removal of civilians at gunpoint. These successive reports point to a troubling pattern of restrictions and alleged abuses affecting communities across the area.

The confiscation of Starlink equipment is particularly alarming because communication services are a lifeline for civilians living in areas affected by active hostilities. Residents depend on available communication channels to contact relatives, obtain information, report security incidents and seek assistance. Removing these means of communication risks further isolating communities and making it harder for civilians to report abuses or access help. The closure of Wad Banda market and reported looting in Foga also threaten the livelihoods of traders, workers and families who depend on local markets for food, essential goods and income. At a time when conflict has already disrupted supply routes and economic activity, such restrictions deepen the hardship faced by people with few alternatives.

The reported beatings and humiliating treatment of civilians are not merely acts of intimidation; they raise serious concerns about violations of international humanitarian law. Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions prohibits violence to life and person, including cruel treatment and torture, as well as outrages upon personal dignity, particularly humiliating and degrading treatment. Article 4 of Additional Protocol II further requires humane treatment of all persons not directly participating in hostilities and expressly prohibits cruel treatment, humiliating and degrading treatment, and pillage. These protections apply regardless of a person's occupation, perceived affiliation or place of residence.

The reported looting of the market and appropriation of property also raise concerns under the prohibition of pillage, expressly set out in Article 4(2)(g) of Additional Protocol II. The reported compulsory extraction of diesel from mining mill operators and confiscation of equipment must be investigated to establish the circumstances and purpose of these actions. Armed actors must not exploit their presence or control over civilian areas to appropriate property, impose unlawful demands or extract resources from communities for their own benefit. Where established, such conduct may constitute violations of international humanitarian law and, depending on the circumstances, may amount to war crimes.

SAR is particularly concerned that markets, businesses and communication networks are increasingly being subjected to restrictions in areas under RSF control. Civilian markets are essential to the survival of communities, while access to communication enables people to remain connected, obtain information and seek assistance. Civilians must not be subjected to intimidation, degrading treatment or arbitrary restrictions on their daily activities under the pretext of military or security operations. The presence of armed groups in civilian areas must not become an additional source of fear, exploitation and deprivation for the communities living there.

SAR calls on the RSF leadership to immediately investigate the reported abuses in Foga and Wad Banda, ensure that civilians are not subjected to beatings, intimidation or degrading treatment, and hold those responsible accountable. The RSF must end the imposition of unlawful levies on mining operators, stop the looting and unlawful confiscation of civilian property, and ensure that property taken without lawful justification is returned to its rightful owners.

SAR further calls on the RSF to lift the closure of Wad Banda market and allow traders, workers and residents to resume their activities safely. Starlink equipment confiscated without lawful justification must be returned, and civilians must be allowed to access communication services without arbitrary interference. The RSF must also ensure that its forces do not occupy or use commercial premises in ways that expose civilians and their property to further harm.

The people of West Kordofan should not have to endure beatings, humiliation, forced payments, looting and the closure of the places on which their livelihoods depend simply because they live in an area affected by the conflict. Markets must remain places where people can earn a living and obtain essential goods, while communication services must remain accessible to civilians seeking information and assistance. The reported incidents demand credible investigations and concrete action to protect residents from further abuse and exploitation.

Sudanese Alliance for Rights (SAR), 

11 November 2026