Sudan condemns RSF 'war crimes' in el-Fasher as survivors describe killings - As-salamu alaykum
As-salamu alaykum. A senior Sudanese diplomat has accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing war crimes in North Darfur, while people who escaped el-Fasher describe mass killings and sexual assaults by the paramilitary fighters.
Sudan’s ambassador to Egypt, Imadeldin Mustafa Adawi, made the claims and also accused the United Arab Emirates of supporting the RSF in the conflict; the UAE denies this. Prime Minister Kamil Idris has said the RSF should face international justice, but rejected the idea of foreign troops being sent to Sudan.
The RSF recently took control of el-Fasher after an 18-month siege that left the city starving and reportedly killed thousands. Survivors fleeing the city say they witnessed mass executions, looting, rape and other atrocities, prompting international alarm. The Sudanese government has reported at least 2,000 deaths, while witnesses believe the toll could be much higher. Tens of thousands of civilians may still be trapped.
Adawi urged the international community to act beyond words, asked that the RSF be labeled a terrorist group, and called for condemnation of those he accused of supporting them. He said Sudan will not join peace talks if the UAE remains part of the mediation, saying the country is not a trustworthy mediator in this matter. The UAE denies arming the RSF and says it seeks to help end the war.
Aid agencies and regional mediators have condemned the killings and pushed for more humanitarian assistance. Meanwhile, survivors who reached safety describe harrowing scenes.
One man, Adam Yahya, who fled with four children, told how his wife was killed by an RSF drone strike just before the city fell. He said streets were full of bodies and that fighters were shooting at men, women and children; he described hiding, slipping past a sand barrier at night with his children and being taken to a camp by villagers.
A 45-year-old woman in a displacement camp said RSF fighters sexually assaulted her when she went looking for her sons during the attack. She managed to escape with her daughters but does not know the whereabouts of her sons.
Aid workers warn thousands are still unaccounted for after fleeing el-Fasher. Caroline Bouvard, Sudan country director for Solidarites International, said only a few hundred more people have reached the nearest town, Tawila, and that many remain stuck on roads or in villages that are inaccessible for security reasons. She described a near-complete information blackout from el-Fasher and called for advocacy to allow humanitarian convoys to reach those trapped or to evacuate people to safety.
Please keep the victims and displaced families in your duas.
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