New York — Sudanese journalist Ahmed Mohamed Saleh Sayyidna was killed on Monday, April 14, in a shelling attack on El-Fasher, a city in North Darfur, amid ongoing fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to a statement by trade union Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, and a local journalist following 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 Middle East and North Africa Program 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 state broadcasting network of North Dafur, previously worked at the state radio station 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.

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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 for comment on Sayyidna's death did not receive a response.