Sudan's RSF: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing?

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan have recently made headlines, but not for the right reasons. They claimed to have arrested some of their fighters after a brutal attack in El Fasher. But many people are not convinced. Critics say this is just a PR trick to make the RSF look good. One man, Abu Lulu, was shown in custody. He was seen in videos executing civilians. But instead of seeing this as justice, many Sudanese people are angry. They started a hashtag: "You are all Abu Lulu. " This means they think all RSF members are like him. Activists are furious. They say the RSF is trying to avoid responsibility. Hala al-Karib, a well-known activist, called the arrest a "painful joke. " She said the RSF has been violent for years. She also pointed out that the RSF used to be called the Janjaweed. They were known for massacres in Darfur. The RSF and the Sudanese army have been fighting since April 2023. This fight started after a power struggle. The RSF has been accused of many atrocities. But they say they will investigate themselves. Activists say this is not enough. Shayna Lewis, a Sudan expert, said the RSF is just trying to distract people. She said the violence is not just a few bad apples. It's a systematic problem. The UN also reported that hundreds of civilians were killed or raped. Many people are still missing. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is worried about the people who fled El Fasher. They said only a few thousand arrived at a nearby camp. But they think there were 250, 000 people in El Fasher last month. Where are they now? MSF also found that all children under five are malnourished. They have seen cases of torture and gunshot wounds. A paediatrician said the children are very sick. They had to eat animal feed, which made them very ill. An activist who fled to the camp said many men were killed. Women were tortured. Everyone is sick or injured. This is a very bad situation.