Thousands of civilians held in dire conditions in Sudan’s El-Fasher: Medics

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) – Thousands of Sudanese civilians are being held in “dire conditions” by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El-Fasher, the capital city of North Darfur, a local medical group said.

In a statement, Dr. Roaa Al-Amin, a spokeswoman for the Sudan Doctors Network, said thousands of civilians are held captive in dire conditions, “facing extreme hardship and a total lack of basic necessities.”

“A number of women and girls have been subjected to grave violations, including rape and physical assaults committed by RSF elements throughout the city, amid a complete absence of legal protection or humanitarian oversight,” she said.

The group described the situation as “a full-fledged humanitarian crime,” holding the international community and the UN responsible for failing to intervene to protect civilians, stop the violations, and open safe corridors for the evacuation of women and children, as well as for providing immediate humanitarian aid to the besieged population.

The North Darfur Emergency Coordination Council, a relief committee, also said that the Kassab Camp in North Darfur had received a new group of displaced people arriving from El-Fasher.

In a statement, the council said that 193 families — totaling 772 individuals — had arrived at the camp in extremely dire humanitarian conditions, after walking long distances without sufficient food or medical care.

“What is happening in North Darfur is an open call to the world’s conscience,” the statement said.

“The lives and dignity of civilians are a shared humanitarian responsibility that cannot be postponed or ignored.”

On Sunday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that nearly 89,000 people have been displaced from El-Fasher and its surroundings in North Darfur last month.

On Oct. 26, the RSF seized control of El-Fasher and committed ethnic-based massacres, according to local and international organizations, amid warnings that the assault could entrench the country’s geographical partition.

Since April 15, 2023, the Sudanese army and the RSF have been locked in a war that regional and international mediations have failed to end. The conflict has killed thousands of people and displaced millions of others.