RSF forces raid Al-Jazhira’s town, looting market and government facilities
December 14, 2023 (WAD MADANI) – A Rapid Support Forces (RSF) unit on Thursday raided the town of Abu Quta, northwest of Al-Jazira State, adjacent to Khartoum State, and plundered the main market and government buildings.
According to a resident of Abu Quta, the RSF arrived from the Jabal Aulia area, situated about 40 kilometres south of Khartoum. He revealed that the RSF’s primary objective was to obtain food supplies and fuel.
“The RSF members looted stores to acquire sugar, flour, tea, meat, and vegetables, taking advantage of the town’s weekly market day,” he told Sudan Tribune.
The resident also reported that the police station was vandalized, the Agricultural Bank branch was looted, and several civilian vehicles were stolen by the RSF before fleeing the area when military aircraft flew overhead, refraining from attacking any military targets.
As the RSF entered Abu Quta in the morning, firing heavy bullets, panic ensued, though fortunately, there were no civilian casualties.
Al-Jazira Governor Al-Tahir Ibrahim Al-Khair strongly condemned the assault on Abu Quta, describing it as a blatant attempt by the RSF to plunder and terrorize civilians.
In statements to the official Sudan News Agency, the governor affirmed that his state government has taken decisive measures to prevent the recurrence of RSF attacks on areas bordering Khartoum state.
Previously, al-Tahir told reporters that the Al-Jazira government, following a security committee meeting, decided to deploy substantial military reinforcements to Abu Quta in reaction to the assault by the Rapid Support Forces.
The RSF forces in Jabel Aulia are grappling with challenges such as a shortage of food supplies and fuel due to the siege imposed on them by the army in the northern states of Al-Jazira and the White Nile.
Consequently, the paramilitary forces can no longer receive supplies from western Sudan. Sources indicate that the RSF are preparing to dispatch troops to Omdurman to seize some army-controlled bridges to ensure the supply of their forces in Khartoum and Khartoum Bahri towns.
The Emergency Lawyers, an advocacy group, issued a statement condemning the RSF’s “full-scale invasion” of Abu Quta with 20 military vehicles.
The lawyers strongly denounced the RSF’s expansion of military operations to include safe areas where thousands of civilians had sought refuge. They further condemned the RSF’s looting, attacks on, and vandalism of civilian facilities.
In November, Abu Quta, located about 40 kilometres from Khartoum, hosted many residents from the Jabal al-Aulia area after the RSF took control of the Sudanese army’s military base there.
(ST)