Few Displaced Reach Safety After RSF Seizes El-Fasher in Sudan

Only a small fraction of those displaced by the recent seizure of El-Fasher, Sudan, by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have reached the nearest displacement camp, raising concerns about the fate of tens of thousands still potentially trapped in the city.

The RSF took control of El-Fasher, in the western Darfur region, last week after an 18-month siege by the Sudanese army. Since then, reports have emerged detailing atrocities committed by the RSF, including killings, beatings, and sexual assaults, according to testimonies from civilians and aid workers. The World Health Organization reports at least 460 people were killed within the city’s hospital. The U.N. migration agency estimates over 8,000 people were displaced from El-Fasher on Saturday and Sunday alone, bringing the total to 70,894 since the RSF takeover. However, Shashwat Saraf, Sudan director for the Norwegian Refugee Council, stated that fewer than 6,000 have reached the Tawila camp, located 65 kilometers (40 miles) away.

Survivors describe harrowing escapes, dodging gunfire as they fled the city. “People arriving in the camp are mostly disoriented and dehydrated with bruises all over. Sometimes they do not even remember their names,” Saraf said. He added that approximately 170 unaccompanied children, some as young as three years old, have arrived at the camp without their families. This conflict is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where over 14 million people have been displaced and outbreaks of disease are rampant.

Sudan’s ambassador to Cairo, Imadeldin Mustafa Adawi, accused the RSF of war crimes and called for the international community to designate the group as a terrorist organization. He also renewed accusations that the United Arab Emirates is providing support to the RSF, a claim the UAE denies. UAE diplomat Anwar Gargash acknowledged a “critical mistake” in supporting both sides of the conflict following the 2021 coup, suggesting a need for a three-month ceasefire and a civilian transitional government within nine months, as detailed by Reuters. The escalating violence raises fears the RSF may expand its campaign toward Sudan’s center.

Officials say the government will not negotiate with the RSF and are urging immediate international action.