The forced withdrawal of the SAF from El-Fasher – North Darfur’s capital – took place after a 18-month siege of the city, triggering further systematic violence among a civil population already severely affected by acute famine, illnesses and displacement. From late October 26, the paramilitary RSF has allegedly conducted summary executions – as reported by the UN Human Rights Office–, rapes and ethnic detentions, leading to 2,000 civilian deaths recorded so far. The attacks have also targeted the Saudi Maternity Hospital in the city, resulting in the killing of 460 people among patients and companions.
The capture of El Fasher comes after two years of civil war marked by mass displacements and the killing of 40,000 people in total, giving origin to what has been defined by IOM, UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP as the worst humanitarian crisis ever. Ultimately, the UN reported of arround 26,000 people fleeing el-Fasher in the last days, heading towards Tawila and nearby rural areas, while– according to the IOM – some 177,000 civilians remain trapped in the city, thus highly exposed to threats such as killing, arbitrary arrests – the Darfur Network for Human Rights said the RSF detained more than 1,000 civilians, – and attacks against hospitals.
The commission of gross atrocities from the parties in conflict had already prompted the International Criminal Court to open an investigation on alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. In parallel, the UN Secretary General – António Guterres – described as “unbearable” the level of suffering being experienced in Sudan by the civilian population. Similarly, the UN Human Rights Office has condemned the ethnic motivation behind summary executions and rapes.
