New York, April 14, 2025—Sudanese journalist Ahmed Mohamed Saleh Sayyidna was killed on Monday, April 14, in a shelling attack on El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, amid fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to a statement by the trade union Sudanese Journalists Syndicate and a journalist familiar with the case, who spoke with CPJ on the condition of anonymity, citing fear of reprisal.
CPJ is still investigating whether Sayyidna was reporting and other circumstances around his death.
“We are deeply saddened by the killing of journalist Ahmed Mohamed Saleh Sayyidna, a respected media figure who served his community for decades,” said Sara Qudah, CPJ’s regional director. “Authorities and all parties to the conflict must immediately launch an investigation into the circumstances of Sayyidna’s death and take concrete steps to ensure the protection of journalists, especially those reporting from the frontlines of this war.”
Sayyidna, director of the radio sector at the North Darfur State Radio and Television Corporation, previously worked at the state radio station in El Fasher as a producer, director, and administrator, and founded the popular drama series “Rakoubat Abba Saleh,” which aired on United Nations-funded UNAMID Radio, the anonymous journalist told CPJ. Sayyidna was also known for his decades-long contribution to cultural and theater life in El Fasher since the 1990s.
Since the war between the SAF and RSF began in April 2023, CPJ has documented the killings of at least eight other journalists in Sudan. Six were confirmed to have been targeted in connection with their work; CPJ is still investigating the motive behind the other two killings.
CPJ’s email to the RSF requesting comment on Sayyidna’s death did not receive a response.
Editor’s note: This text was updated to correct Sara Qudah’s title in the third paragraph.