Events and Analysis |
Nyala: Militia Uprising Against Itself and the Exposure of Rule Through Chaos
Nyala, the capital of South Darfur State, which has been under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since late October 2023, has witnessed a severe security breakdown and widespread chaos, reflecting a deep crisis within the very structure of the militia-led government. What has occurred is not merely a passing protest or a typical security lapse, but rather a stark manifestation of a crisis of legitimacy, authority, and governance. The paramilitary groups (the RSF) have transformed from instruments of repression into a primary source of chaos, embodying a complete collapse of the social and security contract.
Sources from the Sudan Rights Watch Networkin the state reported that the events erupted following demonstrations by soldiers within the RSF ranks themselves on December 10th. These soldiers were protesting the non-payment of their financial entitlements, despite the fact that the relevant committee had previously disbursed funds to a limited number of injured personnel. Informed sources indicate that tens of thousands of soldiers in the armed forces have not received their salaries, including those disabled and wounded in military operations. This internal rebellion reveals a structural flaw in the system of loyalty based on favoritism and funding. Disrupting this system leads to weapons, traditionally directed outwards or against civilians, becoming an internal threat against the militia’s own structure.
These disturbances have resulted in a complete breakdown of security, which residents describe as having transformed the city into a lawless jungle where the strong impose their authority and violate basic citizens’ rights. The city center and the main market witnessed organized looting of mobile phone shops, physical assaults on passersby, smashing of car and vehicle windows, and robbery of individuals in the streets. These violations reveal a complete absence of the rule of law, as the streets have become arenas of unchecked violence.
Despite its direct intervention, the military police affiliated with the armed forces failed to restore order. Its abject failure to contain the situation demonstrated its inability to distinguish between “perpetrators” and “inciters” who were deployed in uniform in all directions, confirming the impossibility of imposing discipline within an armed entity where the lines between regular combatants and ordinary criminals blur. It also reflects a structural failure in the organization of these irregular forces, which constantly exposes civilians to perpetual danger.
This incident is not an isolated event, but rather a stark expression of the nature of the militia’s authority in Nyala. It is an authority built on unchecked weapons, elements lacking effective leadership, and a security apparatus governed solely by chaos. This dynamic violates fundamental human rights principles, such as the right to personal safety and private property, and breaches international obligations to maintain public order.
These events also reveal the fragility of military control in conflict zones. Instead of providing security, the militias have become a source of internal violence, exacerbating the suffering of the civilian population. Therefore, the international community and human rights organizations must intervene to establish accountability mechanisms and support the restoration of genuine rule of law. Meanwhile, activists, local stakeholders, and human rights networks gave the event a deeper political dimension, describing it not as a random incident but as part of a systematic plan devised by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intelligence. According to their analysis, these operations target traders, who often belong to specific ethnic communities in the region, in a deliberate attempt to impoverish these communities and force them to flee, as part of a long-term plan for demographic change in the region. This statement places the events within the context of broader violations that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity within the context of the war that has been raging for nearly three years.
The scale of the disaster can only be understood in light of the region’s bloody history. Nyala and its surrounding areas, which were one of the largest refuges for displaced people during previous wars, have remained a central battleground since the outbreak of war in mid-April 2023. After months of siege and unrest, the RSF took full control of the city in October 2023, subsequently transforming it into their main administrative and military center. During the battles to seize control of the city, widespread looting of private and public property, including international organizations operating in the country and hospitals, as well as killings, displacement, and mass rape, ensued. Thus, the current chaos is merely the latest chapter in a long history of suffering, where civilians are perpetually held hostage in the conflict between armed forces.
The incident in Nyala is not simply a passing security failure; it is a stark illustration of the nature of the power wielded by the Rapid Support Forces: the chaos of weapons. The rebellion of armed men against their leaders over unpaid dues, followed by their looting of the very civilians they are supposed to be subjugating, exposes the falsity of any claim to governance or administration. This model inevitably leads to a virtual state, built on a parasitic economy dependent on plunder and theft, and a power based on indiscriminate terror. Under this logic, civilians are the perpetual fuel of this machine, whether as direct victims of repression or as collateral victims of defections by their tormentors.
The chaos of the Nyala incident, which is not merely a temporary disturbance, is irrefutable proof of the failure of the model of governance by unregulated armed force. This model threatens stability and undermines peacebuilding efforts, necessitating fundamental reform to ensure the protection of human rights and the rights of civilians in a safe environment.
December 12, 2025
Sudan Rights Watch Network