Central Reserve Forces

For internal security and combat force in India, see Central Reserve Police Force.

The Central Reserve Forces (CRP) (Arabic: قوات الاحتياطي المركزي), also known as Abu Tira (Arabic: أبو طيرة) due to the eagle on its logo,^[2] is a militarised police unit in Sudan known for committing atrocities during the War in Darfur^[3] and the Sudanese revolution.^[4] The CRP is sanctioned by the US for "serious human rights abuses".^[5]

Central Reserve Forces قوات الاحتياطي المركزي
Common name	Abu Tira
Abbreviation	CRP
Agency overview
Formed	1974; 50 years ago (1974)
Employees	+8,000
Jurisdictional structure
National agency	SD
Federal agency	SD
Operations jurisdiction	SD
Governing body	Ministry of Interior (Sudan)
General nature	Federal law enforcement Military police Civilian police
Operational structure
Headquarters	Kalakla, Khartoum
Agency executive	Lieutenant General Al-Siddiq Al-Ubaid Abdullah^[1], Commander

History

The idea of having a central reserve forces came in 1970 when the Khartoum Directorate established a civil defence force consisting of one faction, trained in the Federal Republic of Germany, to be reserve forces for the police forces in Khartoum State and other states, especially in riots and demonstrations, in order for the regular police to devote themselves to performing their role in preventing or detecting crimes. Then the Sudanese Central Reserve Forces were established in 1974^[6] pursuant to Republican Decree No. 475 issued by the President Gaafar Nimeiry.^[7] They are police forces within 6 basic units of the Sudanese Police, whose command is directly under the Ministry of Interior.^[7] The CRP was then led Colonel Ismat Manni.^[8]

Since 1992,^[9] the CRF officially falls under the Ministry of Interior and operates under the mandate of the 1992 Police Force Law. However, in practice, the CRP has operated as an auxiliary force to the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) under former president Omar al-Bashir, and this arrangement survived NISS's transition to the General Intelligence Service (GIS) in 2019, following al-Bashir's ouster from office.^[5] The CRP is the largest police department^[10] and has it headquarters is in Kalakla, Khartoum.^[7][11]

The CRP has been involved the War in Darfur,^[12][13][14] and has responded to peaceful protests with rape, killing and torture.^[15] For instance, on 17 January 2022, the CRP and the anti-riot police were deployed to suppress demonstrations across Khartoum, where it used live ammunition.^[5][16] On 21 March 2022, the CRP was sanctioned by the US.^[15][17]

During the war in Sudan that started on 15 April 2023 between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), the CRP announced it would be deploying officers to the streets of Khartoum to "secure public and private property",^[18] as one of several paramilitary groups intervening on the side of the SAF.^[19][20] On 25 June, the RSF seized the headquarters of the CRF in Khartoum.^[21][22][23] During the Battle of Wad Madani, the RSF seized the CRP camp near Hantoub bridge.^[24][25] On 31 October, troops of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) attacked the CRP camp in Mershing, South Darfur, killing three and injuring four in the attack.^[26]

References

1. "قائد قوات الاحتياطى المركزي يؤكّد جاهزية قواته في جميع القطاعات". suna-news.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-03-10.
2. مسكين, خواجة. "Central Reserve Police fight off attack on their headquarters". sudanwarmonitor.com. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
3. "'Abu Tira' ravage part of Zamzam camp in North Darfur - Sudan | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2014-10-22. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
4. "In Close Proximity: Alleged Abduction, Detention and Extra-Judicial Killings by Abu Tira". hhi.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
5. "Treasury Sanctions Sudanese Central Reserve Police for Serious Human Rights Abuse". U.S. Department of the Treasury. 2024-03-05. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
6. عثمان, مزدلفة. "الاحتياطي المركزي في الميدان.. لماذا انتشرت قواته جنوب الخرطوم؟". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-03-09.
7. "أنشئت لحفظ الأمن ومساعدة الجيش في مواجهة الاضطرابات.. قوات الاحتياطي المركزي السودانية". www.aljazeera.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2023-10-12.
8. Admin 1 (2023-05-03). "ماهية قوات الاحتياطي المركزي التي دخلت المعركة السودانية". بوابة الجمهورية الثانية (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-03-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
9. Vezzadini, Elena; Seri-Hersch, Iris; Revilla, Lucie; Jalil, Mahassin Abdul; Poussier, Anael (2023). "Chapter 9: Police Models in Sudan: General Features and Historical Development" (PDF). Ordinary Sudan, 1504-2019: From Social History to Politics from Below. De Gruyter Oldenbourg. p. 265. ISBN 978-3-11-071950-5.
10. Ibrahim, Ammar (2020-12-01). "Police professional doctrine in Sudan: Establishment and development". International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice. 63: 100414. doi:10.1016/j.ijlcj.2020.100414. ISSN 1756-0616. S2CID 225402624.
11. "إنتهاكات الحرب في السودان .. الدعم السريع يداهم منازل المواطنين بالكلاكلة". صحيفة التغيير السودانية , اخبار السودان (in Arabic). 2023-07-27. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
12. Dabanga (2013-04-15). "ICC's Kushayb backed by military intelligence in South Darfur –source". Dabanga Radio TV Online. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
13. Dabanga (2011-08-09). "Central reserve forces abuse power in Saraf Omra". Dabanga Radio TV Online. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
14. Dabanga (2011-11-06). "Abu Tira accused of forcing labour". Dabanga Radio TV Online. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
15. "The United States Sanctions Security Forces in Sudan for Serious Human Rights Abuses". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
16. Dabanga (2021-07-08). "Armed forces shoot civilians in Port Sudan and Omdurman". Dabanga Radio TV Online. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
17. Adil, Mersiha Gadzo,Hafsa. "Sudan conflict updates: Battles continuing despite ceasefire". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-03-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
18. SudanTribune (2023-04-30). "Sudanese police deploy Central Reserve unites in Khartoum". Sudan Tribune. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
19. Willis, Justin (2023-05-03). "Sudan's entire history has been dominated by soldiers and the violence and corruption they bring". The Conversation. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
20. Hatuqa, Arwa Ibrahim,Dalia. "Army and RSF agree to extend ceasefire again for 72 hours". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-03-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
21. "Battle For Key Police Base Kills At Least 14 Sudan Civilians". Barron's. 26 June 2023. from the original on 27 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
22. Camille (2023-06-27). "RSF take control of Central Reserve Police HQ in Khartoum, 'hundreds of soldiers killed'". Dabanga Radio TV Online. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
23. SudanTribune (2023-06-26). "RSF seize police headquarters after two-day clashes". Sudan Tribune. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
24. "Hundreds of thousands flee Sudan safe-haven - UN". BBC News. 2023-12-19. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
25. SudanTribune (2023-12-16). "Intense fighting rages outside Wad Madani, causing mass displacement". Sudan Tribune. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
26. "Rebels claim attack on 'Abu Tira' HQ in South Darfur | Radio Dabanga". Dabangasudan.org. 2013-10-28. from the original on 2017-10-12. Retrieved 2017-07-21.