A man known as "the butcher of El-Fasher" was captured on video in October 2025 during the violent takeover of El-Fasher, the capital of Darfur in Sudan. The man, Abu Lulu, whose real name is Al-Fatih Abdallah Idris, is a general in the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group involved in the ongoing conflict in Sudan. He is accused of war crimes during the siege and capture of El-Fasher, a period during which the United Nations reported "distinct signs of a genocide." The video, recorded on a mobile phone, shows him interacting with people on the ground before opening fire at point-blank range. This footage was later shared on social media, becoming part of the digital warfare that has intensified alongside the physical conflict in Sudan, which has been ongoing since April 2023. Abu Lulu is originally from Darfur and is fighting against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). A report by the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung in August 2025 highlighted the "psychological war" taking place in Sudan, where violent content on social media has increased to instill fear among civilians. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), out of Sudan's population of 51 million, 9 million people have been displaced within the country, and 19.5 million are facing acute food insecurity. During the siege of El-Obeid, the graphic nature of the content involving Abu Lulu prompted the RSF to publicly distance themselves from him. Several members told Al-Jazeera that he was not an official member of the paramilitary group but was instead leading a "coalition force" allied to it. In November 2025, the RSF released a staged video showing his imprisonment, but he was reportedly released soon after and has been fighting in the Kordofan region since March 2025, participating in the siege of El-Obeid with the RSF. The Süddeutsche Zeitung noted that as the war continues, it becomes increasingly difficult for civilians to remain neutral and survive. Abu Lulu is also using his videos to attract new recruits, especially after experiencing setbacks against the Sudanese army. The media has described this strategy as a way to project a powerful image to "frighten" and "undermine the morale" of opponents. In a statement from May 2025, the human rights organization Amnesty International called for Abu Lulu to be removed immediately from the battlefield. In Sudan, the presumed support of the United Arab Emirates for the RSF is believed to be channeled through Libya under the leadership of General Khalifa Haftar. Journalist Mosaab Baba remarked that "Western media do not cover the war enough." A German writer's book, Sudan: Portrait of a country at war, offers further insight into the conflict. It has also been noted that the United Kingdom has largely ignored the RSF's atrocities to maintain good relations with the Emirates.