A British citizen based in Sheffield has had his major social media accounts removed after an investigation revealed his role as a prominent online propagandist for Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group accused of genocide.
Platforms Take Action Against Hateful Content
Last week, both TikTok and YouTube confirmed they had taken down the accounts of Abdalmonim Alrabea, 44. TikTok stated the removal was for violating policies on violent and criminal behaviour, while YouTube cited its policy against violent extremist or criminal organisations. The action came after the platforms were alerted to the content.
Alrabea had built a significant online presence, amassing hundreds of thousands of followers across platforms including TikTok, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter). He used these channels to post almost daily monologues expressing support for the RSF.
Laughter in the Face of Atrocity
One particularly disturbing example of his content was a TikTok Live broadcast on 27 October. In it, Alrabea appeared alongside an active RSF fighter, Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris, who goes by the name Abu Lulu. Abu Lulu, who has featured in videos showing the killing of unarmed people, boasted: "Today I killed 2,000 people and then I lost count. I want to start again from zero."
In response to this gruesome admission, Alrabea was heard laughing. He also used a racial slur against indigenous ethnic groups in Darfur, telling the fighter to "fuck these falangayat up and down."
More Than Just an Online Cheerleader
Analysts and human rights experts believe Alrabea's role extends beyond that of a mere online supporter. Mohaned Elnour, a Sudanese human rights lawyer, pointed to Alrabea's ability to travel to the war-torn Darfur region at least twice since the conflict began as evidence of his deeper ties.
During a visit in June, Alrabea posted videos from inside El Fasher while it was under RSF control. "His role is to recruit, to encourage," said Elnour. "There are so many people spreading hate speech... but none of them were on the ground, meeting RSF officials, standing on top of tanks."
Mohamed Suliman, a Sudanese researcher based in Boston, described Alrabea as a "dedicated RSF supporter" who might be the group's most influential social media activist.
The RSF's capture of El Fasher late last month was followed by evidence of ethnically targeted mass killings, sexual violence, and abductions. In January, the United States formally declared that the RSF had committed genocide during the war.
Members of the Sudanese diaspora in the UK have called for authorities to take action against Alrabea. Abdallah Abu Garda, chair of the UK-based Darfur Diaspora Association, stated: "Freedom of speech should never serve as a shield for hate speech or incitement to violence."
While some of Alrabea's videos have been deleted, many have been archived. His presence on social media platforms has been persistent, with X having removed his accounts in the past, only for him to open new ones that quickly gained followers.
