• Source:JND
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A deeply unsettling video circulating across social media platforms has sparked concern in India after showing a group of armed Rapid Support Forces (RSF) rebels interrogating an Indian national in Sudan. The captive has been identified as 36-year-old Adarsh Behera, a resident of Jagatsinghpur district in Odisha, who has reportedly been working in Sudan since 2022.

In the footage, Behera sits nervously between armed RSF soldiers as one of them unexpectedly asks, “Do you know Shah Rukh Khan?”, a bizarre question referencing the Bollywood superstar. Moments later, another rebel orders the frightened captive to say “Dagalo good” while recording the video. The phrase praises the RSF commander, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, who continues to lead rebel advances in the ongoing civil war.

Family Appeals For Help

Behera’s family, speaking to NDTV, confirmed his employment at the Sukarati Plastic Factory inSudan. They shared videos he managed to record prior to his capture, pleading for immediate intervention. In one such clip, Behera says:

“I am here in Al Fashir where the situation is very bad… My family and children are very worried. I request the state government to help me.”

According to official reports, Behera was abducted from El-Fasher, capital of North Darfur, and possibly transported to Nyala, the RSF’s stronghold in South Darfur, located roughly 1,000 kilometres from Khartoum.

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Escalating Conflict And War Crime Warnings

The RSF recently overran the last government stronghold of Al Fashir after an 18-month siege, deploying militia, some on camelback and Toyota pickup trucks, while reports of mass killings and sexual violence emerge from the region. The International Criminal Court has warned that RSF actions may amount to war crimes.

Communication in Al Fashir has dropped into a total blackout, frustrating rescue attempts and raising fears about hostages’ safety. 

Sudan’s Ambassador to India, Dr. Mohammed Abdalla Ali Eltom, expressed deep concern, stating, “We hope he will not be harmed. We know what they are capable of doing… We hope to see him return safely.”

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He confirmed ongoing coordination with India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Sudanese authorities to secure Behera’s release. 

On March 22, Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) recaptured the presidential palace in Khartoum. However, an RSF drone strike shortly after killed a military spokesperson and three Sudan TV crew members reporting on the ground offensive.

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