How an RSF commander’s defection led to a massacre in Sudan

In one of the videos, a fighter displays his wristwatch to the camera, showing the date as 25 October – and repeating it out loud – the date of the massacre in al-Seriha.

Mr Ismail also told the BBC that when they came to the town, he recognised some of the fighters involved in the attack as former residents who had signed up to fight with the RSF.

He also said he saw two commanders known to be senior RSF leaders in the area. BBC Verify put images of some RSF fighters through facial recognition software in an attempt to identify the individuals, but these searches returned no matches.

The troops left locals in no doubt that the massacre had been carried out in response to Keikal’s defection.

In one video a guard says in Arabic: “Keikal … look these are your people.”

We were able to match landmarks in this video such as trees and the shape of nearby buildings seen in the videos to satellite images of al-Seriha.

In a further video – which couldn’t be geolocated but first appeared online on 26 October – men wearing military fatigues with RSF insignia talk about Keikal’s defection and refer to “traitors” in Gezira state. They specifically mentioned al- Seriha, adding that the town would get what it deserved.

At several points in the video, they refer to themselves using the Arabic word “ashawis” meaning the “brave ones”, a term used by RSF fighters to identify themselves.

When BBC Verify approached the RSF for comment, they denied those seen in the clips were their troops. “You can easily obtain a Rapid Support Forces uniform and wear it… then commit crimes against civilians, to criminalise the Rapid Support Forces,” a spokesperson for the group said.

While it’s not possible to rule this out, the BBC has seen three separate videos filmed by the fighters themselves, in which RSF insignia can be seen on the uniforms of those involved.

A report by Human Rights Watch, external into the attacks on al-Sehira and other towns in Gezira state since Keikal’s defection on 20 October, identified the RSF as the perpetrators.

On 29 October, the UN issued a statement , external condemning the killings in al-Seriha and other towns in Gezira state and identifying the RSF as being responsible for these attacks.