Abyei – The joint community committee representing the Misseriya and Dinka Ngok tribes has announced its rejection of the military presence of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Al-Ni’am market area, located on the border between Sudan and South Sudan. The committee stressed that this move poses a direct threat to community stability in a region known for its extreme political and security sensitivity.
Al-Ni’am market, situated 15 kilometers north of Abyei and south of the town of Al-Dair, is under joint supervisory administration by local community components, alongside the presence of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). This arrangement is part of security measures designed to keep the area demilitarized until the dispute between Khartoum and Juba over Abyei’s status is resolved.
According to local sources cited by Darfur24 news website, ten RSF vehicles entered the market and carried out mass arrests, sparking a wave of tension among residents. Hamid Ahmed Suleiman, a local trader, confirmed that the UN security force and the community committee demanded the immediate withdrawal of the RSF, considering their presence unwelcome and a violation of existing understandings.
Martha Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations for Africa, stated in a briefing to the Security Council on June 27 that the growing RSF presence in Abyei is further complicating an already fragile security situation.
In the same context, local sources revealed that the RSF has repeatedly tried to assert control over this vital market, especially following the visit of the head of the civil administration of West Kordofan State to the area last May. The community committee described this as an attempt to destabilize the local balance of market management.
Information indicates that Al-Ni’am market plays a strategic role in securing food and fuel supplies for Sudan’s western states and has also become a humanitarian corridor for displaced people fleeing conflict zones towards South Sudan, making it a critical point from both humanitarian and commercial perspectives.
Meanwhile, UN reports—including a statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres on May 13—have noted that the increased presence of South Sudanese security forces and RSF elements in Abyei constitutes a clear violation of the 2011 Administrative Arrangements Agreement between Khartoum and Juba. This calls for an urgent review of military deployments in an area that is supposed to remain demilitarized.
Observers warn that Abyei, once a model of community coexistence, could turn into a new flashpoint unless military movements are regulated in accordance with international agreements, ensuring the continued mission of UNISFA to protect civilians and prevent possible escalation in one of the most disputed areas between Sudan and South Sudan.
Source: Darfur24
