Sudan: Genocide in El Fasher Spurs Global Outrage
The civil war in Sudan has escalated dramatically, with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) accused of executing mass atrocities against civilians in the city of El Fasher in the western Darfur region. Satellite images and reports from the Sudan Doctors Network suggest that the local population may be dead, kidnapped, or hiding. The international community has condemned these actions, with foreign ministers from Germany, Britain, Jordan, and Iran expressing deep concern over the escalating violence.
Escalating Violence
El Fasher, besieged for 18 months by the RSF, fell to the paramilitary group after intense fighting. The RSF now controls all major urban centres in Darfur, raising fears of a possible partition of the country. The RSF is accused of systematic mass killings, with reports suggesting they may have killed over 2,000 civilians in the city in recent days. The Sudan Doctors Network described the situation as a true genocide
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The RSF also reportedly massacred patients in the city's Saudi Hospital, as well as civilians at the university and the Interior Ministry. Activists fear that activists and civil society figures are being hunted down. The fate of Mohamed Khamis Douda, an activist who had been sharing accounts of life under siege, has been confirmed - he was killed when RSF fighters overran the city.
International Reactions
The escalating violence has attracted international attention. The foreign ministers of Germany, Britain, and Jordan have lamented the lack of global attention towards the Sudanese civil war. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the Iranian Parliament speaker strongly condemned the attacks, calling for peace and security in Sudan.
The UN's top humanitarian official has also called for an immediate ceasefire in El Fasher, citing reports of significant civilian deaths and attacks on hospitals. The Committee to Protect Journalists has called for the protection of journalists in El Fasher and the immediate release of those abducted.
Current Situation
The situation remains dire, with survivors reporting that the RSF is detaining hundreds, and satellite images suggesting that the majority of El Fasher's 260,000 civilians may still be trapped in the captured city. The Sudanese embassy in Baku held a press conference to brief the media about the ongoing situation in the country. The international community continues to closely monitor developments, hoping for an immediate end to the violence and a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Despite the global outcry, there is yet to be a significant international intervention to halt the atrocities. The plight of the Sudanese people remains a pressing humanitarian concern, with the situation in El Fasher symbolising the broader crisis in Sudan's ongoing civil war.