Sudan’s Health Ministry condemns RSF ‘massacres’ against civilians in El-Fasher

By Adel Abdelrheem and Betul Yilmaz

KHARTOUM / ISTANBUL (AA) – The Sudanese Health Ministry denounced Tuesday “massacres” carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against civilians and healthcare workers in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.

“We condemn in the strongest terms the heinous massacres and grave violations committed by the rebel RSF militia in El-Fasher, which claimed the lives of a large number of innocent civilians, including children, women, and the elderly, as well as the direct targeting of medical personnel and health facilities,” the ministry said in a statement.

El-Fasher, a key city serving as a humanitarian hub for five Darfur states, has been witnessing fierce clashes between the Sudanese army and the RSF following an offensive launched by the rebel group on the besieged city, which it claimed control over on Sunday.

The ministry stressed that the reported atrocities constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and a crime against humanity, especially “the targeting of healthcare workers who are performing their humanitarian duties under extremely dangerous conditions.”

“These systematic acts aim to destroy the necessities of life and disrupt the healthcare system in North Darfur state, depriving citizens of their right to treatment and healthcare, which cannot be tolerated or ignored,” it added.

There was no immediate comment from the RSF on the statement.

Meanwhile, Sudanese army spokesman Asim Awad called on media outlets and human rights organizations to document “crimes” committed by the RSF in El-Fasher “to reflect the voices of the victims and to refuse silence in the face of the atrocities being committed against innocent civilians.”

He reaffirmed the army’s commitment to defend the sovereignty and unity of Sudan and protect its people.

Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan confirmed Monday that army forces had withdrawn from the city to prevent further “systematic destruction and killing” of civilians by the RSF.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 26,000 people fled El-Fasher within 48 hours due to the ongoing clashes.

Several local groups reported ethnically motivated killings in the city, which has been under the RSF siege since May 2024.

Since April 15, 2023, the army and the RSF have been locked in a war that numerous regional and international mediations have failed to end. The conflict has killed about 20,000 people and displaced over 15 million as refugees and internally displaced persons, according to UN and local reports.