Highlights: Khamis Abdallah Abaker was arrested by armed men in El-Geneina shortly after giving an interview. He described as "genocide" the violence taking place in his province by General Hemedti's forces and "Arab militias" The Sudanese army immediately condemned his assassination "in the strongest terms," directly accusing their enemies in the Rapid Support Forces of having "kidnapped and murdered" him. "This monstrous behavior," says the army, "adds a new chapter to the barbaric crimes they have committed against the Sudanese people"

As fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces intensifies in Khartoum as in Sudan's provinces, an assassination perpetrated Wednesday in West Darfur provokes...

Sudan: West Darfur governor kidnapped and murdered, paramilitaries accused

As fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces intensifies in Khartoum as in Sudan's provinces, an assassination in West Darfur on Wednesday provoked particular outrage: that of the state's governor, Khamis Abdallah Abaker. He was arrested by armed men in El-Geneina shortly after giving an interview to a television channel in which he described as "genocide" the violence taking place in his province by General Hemedti's forces and "Arab militias".

The governor of West Darfur state Khamis Abdallah Abaker, pictured here by the official Sudanese News Agency (SUNA) on June 15, 2023, was abducted and then murdered by armed men. © HO/ Suna / via AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

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Shortly after his interview on al-Hadath TV on Wednesday, the governor of West Darfur was filmed in the hands of men in uniform. These included the local Rapid Support Forces Commander. A few hours later, another video began to circulate: this time, depicting his mutilated corpse.

The Sudanese army immediately condemned his assassination "in the strongest terms," said a statement, directly accusing their enemies in the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of having "kidnapped and murdered" him: "This monstrous behavior," says the army, "adds a new chapter to the barbaric crimes they have committed against the Sudanese people."

The Rapid Support Forces, for their part, deny any involvement. They recount, in a statement published Thursday morning, that Khamis Abdallah Abaker was executed by "outlaws" belonging to "tribal militias", after being "brought to safety" by their forces in their headquarters, which was then stormed by the assassins.

For its part, the UN mission in Sudan "strongly condemned this heinous act". "Convincing testimonies attribute this act to Arab militias and the Rapid Support Forces," said the United Nations Integrated Mission for Transition Assistance in Sudan (UNAMITS), chaired by Volker Perthes. This despite the FSR's denial.

UNITAMS strongly condemns the killing of Governor (Wali) of West Darfur in El Geneina, Mr. Khamis Abdullah Abbaker and calls for the perpetrators to be swiftly brought to justice.

-More in this statement👇https://t.co/YYaTlZsFz1

— UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission Sudan (@UNITAMS) June 15, 2023

>> READ ALSO: Sudan: the UN is "concerned" about possible "crimes against humanity" in Darfur

Sudan: West Darfur governor kidnapped and murdered, paramilitaries accused

Sudan: West Darfur governor kidnapped and murdered, paramilitaries accused

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