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The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called for the immediate release of journalists abducted in the city of el-Fasher in western Sudan, stating that 11 journalists went missing after Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took control of the city several days ago.
The organization expressed deep concern for their safety amid escalating violence and widespread abuses.
The committee said that journalists in el-Fasher “are facing an unprecedented campaign of violence and impunity.”
It noted that it has verified the whereabouts of three who managed to flee the city, while the rest remain cut off from the outside world.
The Sudanese government has accused the RSF of committing widespread atrocities against civilians during their takeover of el-Fasher.
Officials cited the killing of over 2,000 people, the execution of wounded individuals, and the killing of aid workers, as well as incidents of abduction and torture.
The international committee has previously documented large-scale attacks by the RSF in el-Fasher and across Sudan, including killings, arrests, and sexual violence.
The committee urged the international community to impose sanctions and hold those responsible for attacks on journalists accountable, as well as to restore communications networks and facilitate humanitarian access.
It stressed that the RSF has killed at least 14 journalists since the war began on April 15, 2023.
In the same context, Reporters Without Borders, the international nongovernmental organization, urged the RSF to release independent Sudanese journalist Muammar Ibrahim immediately.
Ibrahim was detained on Oct. 26 while leaving el-Fasher after over 500 days under siege.
The organization said that Ibrahim, who has been documenting events in el-Fasher for two years and works as a contributor for Al Jazeera Mubasher, faces charges of “inciting sedition” and “spreading false information.”
He is being held in an undisclosed location without contact with his family or lawyer.
It stressed that secret detention is “a serious violation of international law,” holding the RSF fully responsible for his safety and noting that “four other journalists remain in custody.”
The organization added that “serious human rights violations and attacks on journalists must stop,” emphasizing that the right to access information “has become more urgent than ever” in a country torn apart by war.
Since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023, journalists and media workers have faced grave risks and harsh conditions, particularly in the city of el-Fasher in North Darfur—considered one of the most dangerous areas in the country for journalists.
This has led to a widespread media blackout, compounded by repeated disruptions to telecommunications, electricity, and internet services.
Sudan ranks 156th out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index issued by Reporters Without Borders.
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