Darfur Victims Support Organization
Report on Human Rights Violations in Mellit Locality, North Darfur State, by the Rapid Support Forces
September 8, 2024
Introduction:
This report, issued by the Darfur Victims Support Organization, provides an overview of the human rights violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Mellit Locality, North Darfur State, between May and July 2024. The report focuses on two incidents involving unlawful detention, murder, and the direct targeting of civilians.
Incident 1: The Arrest of Tribal Leader Mohiuddin Adam Hussein
On May 25, 2024, at approximately 3:00 PM, a group of RSF forces in a Land Cruiser attacked the home of Mohiuddin Adam Hussein, a 55-year-old tribal leader of the Tawater tribe and the former head of the Emergency Committee of Mellit Locality. The Darfur Victims Support Organization interviewed the relatives of Mohiuddin, who stated that he was not at home at the time of the attack, as he had gone to attend a meeting with the tribal administration of the Berti tribe in Kitab Shukra neighborhood.
The RSF forces then proceeded to the meeting location and requested that Mohiuddin, the former head of the Emergency Committee, which consists of 22 tribal components, accompany them. When he refused, they fired shots into the air before arresting him. They demanded that he hand over his mobile phone, to which he responded that the phone was at his home. The forces returned to his home in the Kitab Shukra neighborhood, broke into his room, and seized two mobile phones (a Galaxy and a Thuraya), his passport, and documents related to the tribal administration.
According to his relatives, the leader of the RSF forces, known as Majdi, informed them that the arrest order for Mohiuddin had been issued by Brigadier General Jedo Hamdan Abu Shouk, the commander of the RSF in North Darfur. The reason cited was that Mohiuddin posed a threat to them due to his influence among the city’s populace. His relatives further alleged that a civilian support group affiliated with the RSF, led by Ibrahim Mahmoud Salem (nicknamed “Kabs”), Abdulbasit Musa, and Mohamed Suleiman Rabah (appointed as Commissioner of Mellit Locality), were behind the arrest. Mohiuddin was taken to a detention facility at the General Intelligence Service (GIS) headquarters in Al-Malik neighborhood, east of Mellit Rural Hospital, supervised by Major Ahmed Abu Wafi.
Mohiuddin suffers from hypertension and diabetes, which require regular medical check-ups and special care. Despite this, he spent three months in detention without any formal trial.
Incident 2: The Arrest and Killing of Kamal and Tajeldin Abdelrahman
On July 11, 2024, the Darfur Victims Support Organization conducted interviews with the relatives of two victims who were also targeted by the RSF. At approximately 4:50 PM, RSF forces, using three armed military vehicles, attacked a house in Al-Abbasi neighborhood in Mellit Locality and arrested Kamal Abdelrahman Yousif, a 24-year-old student at Sudan University of Science and Technology, studying automotive engineering in his third year. His older brother, Tajeldin Abdelrahman Yousif, a 26-year-old trader, objected to the arrest, prompting the RSF to arrest him as well.
A relative of the victims attempted to visit them at the RSF headquarters, but he was denied access. On July 12, 2024, the family learned that both Kamal and Tajeldin had been killed and buried in Mellit Cemetery. The civilian support group affiliated with the RSF, led by Mohamed Suleiman Rabah, the self-appointed Commissioner of Mellit, and Mahmoud Salem (nicknamed “Kabs”), were implicated in the arrests.
Following the murders, a legal advisor from the RSF visited Mellit Locality, where the victims’ family filed an official complaint. The advisor ordered the arrest and interrogation of the suspects, identified as Mishaal and Al-Samani, who confessed to committing the crime. The family demanded the exhumation of the graves to confirm the deaths in the presence of the legal advisor and insisted on justice being served through legal retribution.
Recommendations:
1. Achieving Justice: The perpetrators of these crimes must be held accountable through fair trials to ensure justice for the victims.
2. Ensuring Security: Steps must be taken to enhance the protection of civilians in Mellit Locality and prevent the recurrence of such violations.
3. Ending the War: Immediate cessation of armed conflict in the region is necessary to prevent further human rights violations.
4. Prohibiting the Use of Civilians as Human Shields: All parties must adhere to international humanitarian law, which prohibits the use of civilians in military operations.
Conclusion:
This report emphasizes the urgent need for immediate action to protect civilian rights in Mellit Locality and other conflict-affected areas in Darfur. The international community, along with local stakeholders, must exert pressure to ensure justice is achieved and prevent the recurrence of such crimes.
