Sudanese Civilians Forced Into Battle in Kordofan's Bara Amid Escalating RSF Attacks

Civilians in Kordofan's Bara and surrounding areas have been increasingly forced to take up arms to defend themselves against brutal attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), operating either independently or through the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF)-backed Popular Resistance. While some residents and fighters view the militia groups as essential for self-defense against atrocities, foreign mercenaries, and UAE-backed forces, pro-democracy revolutionaries express deep concern that the Popular Resistance is being co-opted by religious conservatives and figures from the former regime of Omar al-Bashir to return to power. Meanwhile, medical groups and emergency rooms report ongoing killings and mass displacement of civilians in villages west of Bara by RSF fighters.

// Background

Since the outbreak of the Sudanese war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), civilians across various regions like Darfur, al-Jazira, and Kordofan have repeatedly been forced to organize or take up arms for survival. In June 2023, army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan established the Popular Resistance to arm civilians. Kordofan has recently become a primary frontline, with Bara and surrounding areas witnessing intense combat, shifting control, and severe humanitarian crises marked by civilian massacres and displacement.

// Key Developments

• Civilians in Bara and North Kordofan have been forced into armed self-defense following brutal raids, killings, and house ransackings by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
• The Popular Resistance, established by army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, supplies civilians with weapons and training, but faces criticism from political blocs like Sumood and anonymous revolutionaries who fear it serves as a vehicle for the return of Bashir-era figures.
• Fighters and activists report that RSF ranks include foreign mercenaries from Colombia, South Sudan, and other nations, alongside supplies allegedly backed by the UAE.
• Recent RSF attacks on villages west of Bara, such as Al-Qaa and Al-Kawakiti, have resulted in the deaths of multiple civilians and the displacement of thousands, according to the Sudanese Doctors Network and the Dar Hamar Emergency Room.