Nyala, May 02 (Darfur24)
A sharp rise in violent crime has unsettled Nyala over the past week, with killings, armed robberies, fires and reports of disappearances marking a breakdown in security after a period of relative calm.
Residents told Darfur24 that armed groups have spread across neighborhoods like Al-Salam, Al-Nahda and Al-Darwa, north of the city, carrying out robberies in markets and along public roads, often in broad daylight.
Eyewitnesses reported that at least three people were killed in separate robbery-related incidents on Monday and Tuesday, including a young man in his twenties identified as Hammad. Traders have also been targeted while returning home from the main market.
Jibril Haroun, a trader, said organized gangs are increasingly looting shops in the fuel market, noting that break-ins occur almost daily despite the presence of guards.
In a separate development, fires that broke out on Tuesday and Thursday destroyed eight homes, causing significant material losses and injuring several residents, including two children.
Concerns have also grown over missing persons, with families taking to social media to report relatives who disappeared after leaving their homes. Among them are Professor Issa Al-Doum Ishaq, who went to the market from the Al-Wadi neighborhood and did not return, and Saber Ibrahim Kowa, whose whereabouts remain unknown.
The surge in crime comes as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a security campaign targeting criminal groups, deploying patrols and setting up checkpoints across key areas of the city.
Despite these measures, residents say fear and uncertainty continue to spread as lawlessness deepens.