Sudan RSF Commander Accused of Executions Reportedly Returns to Battlefield After Release

Multiple sources told Reuters that RSF commander Abu Lulu, who was detained after videos allegedly showed him executing unarmed civilians during the capture of Al Fasher, has been released and returned to battlefield operations. The RSF denied the claims, insisting he remains in detention awaiting trial. Abu Lulu was sanctioned by the UN over alleged human rights abuses, while investigations into mass killings in Al Fasher continue amid Sudan’s ongoing civil war.

A commander of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who was detained after international outrage over videos allegedly showing him executing unarmed civilians in Al Fasher, has reportedly been released from prison and returned to active combat operations, according to multiple sources who spoke to Reuters.
The commander, RSF Brigadier General al-Fateh Abdullah Idris, widely known as Abu Lulu, was arrested by the RSF in late October 2025 following the circulation of graphic footage that appeared to show him carrying out executions during the group’s offensive in Al Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.
Nine sources told Reuters that Abu Lulu has since regained his freedom and resumed military activities. Among them were a Sudanese intelligence official and an RSF commander who said they personally saw him on the battlefield in the Kordofan region in March.
According to a Chadian military officer familiar with RSF operations, senior commanders within the paramilitary group had lobbied for Abu Lulu’s return to active duty, arguing that his presence would boost the morale of fighters engaged in intense battles in Kordofan.
In total, Reuters interviewed 13 individuals who said they had knowledge of Abu Lulu’s release. These included three RSF commanders, an RSF officer, a relative of the commander, a Chadian military officer with close ties to RSF leadership, and seven additional sources with access to intelligence or internal information about RSF field operations.
The RSF, however, has strongly denied the claims. Responding to Reuters inquiries, RSF spokesman Ahmed Tugud Lisan issued a statement insisting that Abu Lulu remains in detention and will face trial before a special court alongside others accused of abuses committed during the Al Fasher offensive.
“The talk about Abu Lulu being released is untrue, malicious, and completely false,” the statement said. “Abu Lulu and the others accused of violations during the liberation of Al Fasher have been in detention since their arrest and have never left prison.”
Reuters reported that it was unable to contact Abu Lulu directly for comment.
Abu Lulu’s arrest came days after the RSF captured Al Fasher in October 2025. The takeover was marked by widespread violence, and several videos circulated online allegedly showing the commander executing unarmed individuals during the operation.
His actions earned him the nickname “the butcher of Al Fasher,” a label later referenced by the United Nations Security Council when it imposed sanctions on him on February 24 over alleged human rights violations.
The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which has been raging for three years, has plunged the country into what humanitarian organizations describe as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Millions of people have been displaced, while severe shortages of food, medicine and essential services continue to affect large parts of the country.
Earlier this year, an independent United Nations investigation concluded that the mass killings in Al Fasher displayed characteristics consistent with genocide. Another UN inquiry found that more than 6,000 people were killed by RSF fighters between October 25 and October 27 during the assault on the city.
Reuters previously verified four videos that allegedly show Abu Lulu shooting at least 15 unarmed captives in Al Fasher on October 27 after the city fell under RSF control. The individuals shown in the footage were dressed in civilian clothing. Under international humanitarian law, the killing of unarmed detainees or civilians who pose no threat constitutes a war crime.
Four sources told Reuters that Abu Lulu was released from detention in December, although the news agency said it was unable to independently verify the exact date or circumstances of his release.
The conflicting accounts regarding his status have raised fresh concerns about accountability for alleged atrocities committed during the conflict, as international observers continue to monitor developments in Sudan’s ongoing civil war.