Arrest of 'Abu Lulu' Fails to Shield RSF from Responsibility for el‑Fasher Massacre

Arrest of 'Abu Lulu' Fails to Shield RSF from Responsibility for el‑Fasher Massacre

The face that has circulated across Sudan — medium-length hair framing a beard, often smiling even as violence unfolds — is widely known as Abu Lulu. Last Thursday the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) released a photograph of him in handcuffs, announcing his arrest after RSF fighters seized the Darfur city of el‑Fasher on 26 October 2025.

Massacre and Allegations

The Sudan Doctors Network reports that at least 1,500 civilians were killed in el‑Fasher after the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) withdrew and RSF‑linked fighters swept through the town. Video footage that circulated on 27 October 2025 appeared to show dozens of civilians being killed in the town, sparking international outrage.

Abu Lulu, identified in some reports as Brigadier General al‑Fateh Abdullah Idris, has been linked to multiple filmed killings across Sudan since the war between the RSF and SAF began in April 2023. Witnesses and open‑source footage suggest many of these acts were staged to intimidate, inflame ethnic tensions and project a brutal spectacle of power.

Documented Incidents

Reported incidents include:

• Video from al‑Jaili, north of Khartoum, showing him killing two prisoners of war;
• Allegations of involvement in the killing of 31 civilians in Omdurman’s Al‑Salha neighbourhood;
• Witness reports that he executed more than 16 captured soldiers in West Kordofan’s Al‑Khuwair locality, with racial animus alleged in some cases;
• Footage from el‑Fasher showing him confronting an unarmed restaurant owner, asking the man’s tribe and then shooting him after the man said he was from the non‑Arab Berti community.

Psychological Profile and Public Persona

Dr David Holmes, a criminal psychologist who reviewed recordings for Al Jazeera, described Abu Lulu as "a narcissistic psychopath" and said he is "proactive in killing unarmed victims." Holmes noted the fighter often uses repeated, indiscriminate firing rather than a single fatal shot and appears to relish attention on camera.

Abu Lulu has repeatedly broadcast violent acts. In a live TikTok session he boasted of killing "2,000 people" and said he had "lost count," drawing both praise from some RSF‑affiliated supporters and alarm from others.

RSF Response and Wider Context

Following the backlash, several RSF sources insisted Abu Lulu is not formally part of their command but leads a separate "coalition force" allied to them. RSF spokesperson al‑Fateh al‑Qurashi and commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (known as Hemedti) echoed that line, and the RSF announced an investigative committee promising accountability.

Human rights organisations and analysts remain sceptical. They point to a recurring RSF tactic of publicly distancing itself from field commanders accused of atrocities while maintaining operational ties with local militias — a pattern that critics say preserves the RSF’s image without severing practical alliances.

Roots of the RSF and the Conflict

The RSF traces its origins to the Janjaweed, government‑backed Arab tribal militias active during the Darfur war of the early 2000s, which were accused of massacres, rape and ethnic cleansing. In 2013 then‑President Omar al‑Bashir reorganised that force under the RSF banner and made Hemedti its commander. Over time the RSF amassed significant economic power, including in gold mining, and contracted mercenaries abroad.

The RSF’s refusal to integrate into the SAF on the timeline demanded by the army helped precipitate the current civil war. The conflict has seen tactics long used in Darfur — attacking civilians on the basis of ethnicity or perceived loyalties — reappear across Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan, leaving thousands dead and millions displaced.

Calls for Accountability

As graphic footage from el‑Fasher spread internationally, calls intensified for investigations by the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC). Human rights lawyers assert the documented killings provide prima facie evidence of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.

For survivors and victims’ families, accountability feels distant. "He murdered people in front of cameras," said Khalid, an el‑Fasher survivor who declined to give his full name. "He wanted fame."

Symbol of a Broader Crisis

Whether acting independently or with RSF support, Abu Lulu has become a potent symbol of Sudan’s brutal unraveling. His grinning image, rifle in hand and filmed for public consumption, stands as a stark reminder of the scale of the country’s crisis and the urgency of credible, independent investigations.