Port Sudan, October 13 (Darfur24)
The Terrorism and Crimes Against the State Court has scheduled Sunday, October 23, for the submission of final arguments in the case of the murder of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abdullah Abkar.
Abdullah, who was also commander of the Sudanese Coalition Forces, was killed on June 14, 2023, after being arrested by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El Geneina, West Darfur.
The court has opened trial proceedings in absentia against RSF Commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemedti” and several other RSF leaders in connection with the killing.
During a new session held in Port Sudan and presided over by Judge Mamoun Al-Khawad, the court heard testimony from Saad Abdel Rahman, Sultan of Dar Masalit.
In his testimony, the Sultan said the Masalit community had been subjected to widespread targeting and attacks by the RSF. He stated that the assaults aimed to displace residents from El Geneina and empty the area of its indigenous population, adding that hospitals, water sources, markets, and displacement camps were all targeted.
“Women and children suffered greatly as they fled from El Geneina to Adré due to the fighting and dire humanitarian conditions,” he testified.
The court set October 23 for both the public prosecution and the private counsel representing the victim’s family to present their closing arguments.
Fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF in El Geneina escalated into a brutal civil conflict, killing hundreds of civilians from the Masalit and Arab communities