Sudan Conflict Enters ‘Beheading’ Stage

Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan amidst his forces in the eastern part of the country (Archive - SUNA)
Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan amidst his forces in the eastern part of the country (Archive - SUNA)
TT

Sudan Conflict Enters ‘Beheading’ Stage

Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan amidst his forces in the eastern part of the country (Archive - SUNA)
Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan amidst his forces in the eastern part of the country (Archive - SUNA)

Sudanese soldiers have shared a disturbing video showing severed heads, claiming they belong to militants from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Some parties in Sudan accused the “Muslim Brotherhood militia,” fighting alongside the army, and extremist groups like “Al-Qaeda” and “ISIS” of being responsible.

The video, widely circulated on social media Thursday night, features soldiers wielding knives, admitting to the beheadings, and threatening similar treatment for the RSF.

The shocking scenes bring to mind the modus operandi of ISIS, documenting the beheading of dozens of hostages, victims, and slaughtered soldiers in Syria.

This has raised concerns locally, regionally, and internationally about potential chaos and security issues in Sudan, possibly leading to the relocation of extremist and terrorist groups.

On its part, the Sudanese army said it is investigating the video and vowed to punish any soldiers involved.

"We follow the rules of war and won't tolerate misconduct like that of the RSF,” army spokesperson Nabil Abdullah said on Friday.

Meanwhile, the RSF condemned the beheading of three people as extremist criminal acts based on ethnicity and politics, calling on the international community to condemn the violence.

RSF spokesperson Fatih Qarshi cautioned that while the paramilitary group holds thousands of army fighters as prisoners, they refuse to resort to the same level of inhumanity displayed towards their own members.

Sudanese political groups openly accuse Islamist militias, known as “Brotherhood militias,” fighting alongside the army against the RSF, of involvement in the clashes.

Since the war erupted between the army and RSF last April, these Islamist groups have mobilized their followers to join the fight alongside the army.

Sudan’s main civilian coalition, the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), acknowledged seeing a video showing the severed heads of two victims.

They condemned the act as shocking and terroristic, akin to the practices of the ousted regime led by Omar al-Bashir and his Islamist party, known for their history of crimes and terrorism, along with their extremist allies.

In a statement, the FFC called for the trial of all involved as war criminals, emphasizing that turning a blind eye to such crimes implicates leaders and officials.



Syria’s Al-Sharaa Says No to Arms Outside State Control

Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeing with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeing with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
TT

Syria’s Al-Sharaa Says No to Arms Outside State Control

Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeing with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeing with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (Photo by AFP)

Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa said his administration would announce the new structure of the defense ministry and military within days.

In a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Sunday, al-Sharaa said that his administration would not allow for arms outside the control of the state.

An official source told Reuters on Saturday that Murhaf Abu Qasra, a leading figure in the insurgency that toppled Bashar al-Assad two weeks ago, had been named as defense minister in the interim government.
Sharaa did not mention the appointment of a new defense minister on Sunday.
Sharaa discussed the form military institutions would take during a meeting with armed factions on Saturday, state news agency SANA said.
Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir said last week that the defense ministry would be restructured using former opposition factions and officers who defected from Assad's army.

Earlier Sunday, Lebanon’s Druze leader Walid Jumblatt held talks with al-Sharaa in Damascus.

Jumblatt expressed hope that Lebanese-Syrian relations “will return to normal.”

“Syria was a source of concern and disturbance, and its interference in Lebanese affairs was negative,” al-Sharaa said, referring to the Assad government. “Syria will no longer be a case of negative interference in Lebanon," he added.