Sharp disagreements plague militia ranks in West Kordofan

West Kordofan State is witnessing significant tension after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia carried out arrests targeting a number of its own military personnel, political activists, and civilians in Al-Mairam locality who opposed the appointment of a leader.

Those arrested include Mohamed Jubara Nourien, a member of the civilian administration; Hamdan Al-Siddiq, a political activist affiliated with the so-called “Foundation” group; Beriqa Abdullah, a member of the militia; and Sharif Hamed Sharif, an RSF officer.

Meanwhile, several residents of Al-Mairam affiliated with the RSF released videos warning against harming the detainees and demanding their immediate release. They threatened to use force if the detainees were not released.

The dispute in the region began when the Rapid Support Forces militia leadership appointed Ahmed Al-Naqi as commander of the Al-Mairam region, a move rejected by the region’s youth, who considered Al-Naqi to be one of the symbols of the Al-Bashir regime in West Kordofan and that he was at that time the commander of the so-called Al-Khidir Battalion.