SAF and RSF Recruit, Arm and Glorify 'Lion Cubs' Child Soldiers on TikTok

Open-source investigations show both the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have used highly visible child 'lion cub' figures on social media to recruit, arm and glorify minors.

“Amsterdam / Babanusa —Report by Sebastian Vandermeersch andAmgad Abdelgadir A joint investigation by Radio Dabanga and Bellingcat* has found that young boys, widely referred to as "lion cubs," have become celebrated figures within the rival groups fighting for control of the country since 2023”

allAfrica

Bellingcat and Radio Dabanga documented dozens of TikToks — some AI-generated or staged — featuring children in military-style settings.

allAfrica

Clips place children alongside senior figures and show them reciting pro-war poetry or brandishing weapons.

The reporting points to a pattern of staged publicity that blurs the line between voluntary appearance and recruitment, raising concerns about exploitation and possible violations of international law.

The RSF-linked footage, as described in the sources, features a child nicknamed the RSF 'lion cub' shown with senior RSF figures and celebrated by fighters.

Dabanga reports footage of the child sitting on the shoulder of RSF commander Salih Al-Foti.

Dabanga Radio TV Online

In the same report, Al-Foti praises the 'lion cub' while denying organized recruitment and saying minors sometimes appear voluntarily.

The article also notes that Abu Lulu was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury on Feb. 19 and that Al-Foti was previously named in a 2023 UN human-rights report.

RSF materials and spokesman statements denying child recruitment are reported alongside Bellingcat’s technical analysis of staged or manipulated clips.

Bellingcat identified a viral account depicting a younger "Shibli" in SAF uniform with an account bio that presents itself as official and more than 700,000 TikTok followers.

“Amsterdam / Babanusa —Report by Sebastian Vandermeersch andAmgad Abdelgadir A joint investigation by Radio Dabanga and Bellingcat* has found that young boys, widely referred to as "lion cubs," have become celebrated figures within the rival groups fighting for control of the country since 2023”

allAfrica

Dabanga described SAF-linked clips as staged, non-frontline videos in which the child recites poems that mock RSF leader Hemedti.

Some of those clips urge violence with lines such as "kill every traitor and coward" and deliver speeches affirming national unity.

allAfrica's reporting complements this by noting Facebook pages and smaller accounts that show children holding assault rifles and standing with destroyed equipment.

Official responses and reported context differ across the pieces.

Dabanga records RSF denials and the RSF spokesman's claim that a human-rights unit called the allegations politically motivated.

Dabanga Radio TV Online

AllAfrica reports that the SAF did not respond and quotes a retired SAF brigadier who stresses official enlistment starts at 18 and describes child recruitment as unlawful "recruitment through deception."

Both sources cite experts warning that public praise of armed children encourages more recruitment and deepens psychological harm to other youngsters.

Taken together, the available reporting shows a contested, multimedia recruitment and propaganda environment in which both sides use children on TikTok and other platforms.

“Amsterdam / Babanusa —Report by Sebastian Vandermeersch andAmgad Abdelgadir A joint investigation by Radio Dabanga and Bellingcat* has found that young boys, widely referred to as "lion cubs," have become celebrated figures within the rival groups fighting for control of the country since 2023”

allAfrica

These uses are often staged or AI-manipulated, raising serious legal and child-protection implications.

allAfrica

The coverage is limited to open-source documentation and statements cited in the articles, and there is variation in emphasis between naming specific commanders and sanctions versus social-media reach and on-platform contest dynamics.

Gaps remain, including a lack of direct responses from SAF in these snippets and limited on-the-ground verification in the extracts provided.