The massacre of more than 31 civilians by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Salha neighborhood of Omdurman stands as a brutal example of how Sudan’s civil war has spiraled into lawlessness. Survivors describe scenes of horror at RSF checkpoints, where drug-fueled fighters killed men, terrorized families, and looted at will, exposing the deepening breakdown of discipline within RSF ranks as the conflict grinds on.

RSF Brutality Turns on Civilians

On April 27, 2025, hundreds of civilians from Salha, near Khartoum, gathered in a convoy of trucks in a desperate bid to escape the tightening siege on their neighborhood. Survivors told The Washington Post how their convoy, laden with families and children, was intercepted by RSF fighters barely 500 yards from their starting point. The paramilitaries shot out the tires and forced the men off the vehicles.

Men were ordered to strip to their waists, then beaten savagely. Women and children were herded into separate buildings where RSF fighters searched them for money and bank accounts. Survivors recounted how fighters combed through mobile phones for digital banking apps, forcibly charging devices to drain accounts of fleeing civilians.

“They told us if we hid money, we would be killed,” one survivor said. Witnesses said RSF fighters taunted and terrorized the men before dragging many away to their deaths.

Killings Mark New Low in Sudan’s War

Eyewitnesses described how RSF fighters, many appearing intoxicated and high on drugs like Captagon, executed men at gunpoint. Video evidence geolocated to the checkpoint shows terrified men surrounded by RSF fighters chanting, “Kill, kill!” Survivors identified some of the victims in footage showing bodies dumped by the roadside.

The massacre, in which victims included shopkeepers, mechanics, and children, reveals how the RSF—originally a state-sanctioned paramilitary—has devolved into criminal gangs operating outside any command structure. Survivors said even RSF military police were powerless to stop the killings. One officer pleaded with colleagues not to burn the trucks with women and children inside, but his appeals were ignored.

“The men were high, shooting for no reason, behaving like there were no consequences,” said Amal Ismail, whose brothers were among those killed.

The use of drugs by RSF fighters is a growing concern in Sudan’s conflict. Journalists visiting recently recaptured areas found makeshift Captagon factories abandoned by RSF units. Captagon, an amphetamine-based stimulant, has been tied to erratic, violent behavior among fighters. Witnesses in Salha described how RSF recruits openly sold and abused drugs in markets and streets, with children as young as 13 involved.

“The new fighters were not like the ones who had been here before,” said Juma Ismail, a Salha resident. “These ones were high, violent, and didn’t care about anything.”

Systematic Extortion and Torture

Alongside the killings, survivors described systematic extortion and humiliation. Women were stripped of their savings, beaten, and left without means to escape. Men were forced into makeshift RSF prisons, where more killings occurred.

One survivor, Siraj Ali, recounted how RSF troops accused the convoy of smuggling weapons—a claim widely dismissed by survivors and corroborated by documents showing the families had paid RSF commanders for safe passage. Despite this, men were executed or disappeared. Ali himself was only released after his brother paid a ransom.

“The guards told us, ‘We just killed your people.’ There was no shame, no fear,” Ali said.

Leadership Breakdown and Propaganda

As footage of the massacre emerged online, the RSF scrambled to deny responsibility. However, one RSF commander posted a video openly admitting to ordering the killings, providing his badge number, and boasting, “Anyone who has a problem, let him come to me.” This brazen admission highlights how RSF leadership has lost control over its fighters and cannot hide atrocities behind denials.

The massacre reflects a wider pattern across Sudan where civilians increasingly fall victim to undisciplined fighters in a lawless war. Military advances into Khartoum and Omdurman have left RSF units cornered and resorting to looting, violence, and extortion to sustain themselves.