The Sudanese region of West Darfur is experiencing a devastating crisis, with thousands of people forced to flee from the area due to fears of ethnic cleansing. Witnesses have accused the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of targeting and killing non-Arabs, leading to a mass exodus from the region. This crisis escalated after the RSF captured the Sudanese army headquarters in West Darfur’s capital, El Geneina.
The RSF, however, denies involvement in what it terms a “tribal conflict.” While the group has been battling the army for control of the country since April, it has been consistently accused of perpetrating atrocities against non-Arabic groups in the region.
According to Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), the majority of the 7,000 people who have crossed into Chad in the past three days are women and children who have fled with nothing. Reports from Reuters news agency indicate that since the capture of El Geneina, the RSF and allied Arab militias have been murdering thousands of ethnic Masalit individuals, looting homes, and committing acts of sexual violence against women.
The RSF, originally from Darfur, has been actively gaining more territory in the region, successfully taking control of four out of the five states in Darfur. The situation has escalated to the point where peace talks in Saudi Arabia have failed, with efforts to secure a ceasefire yielding no results.
The United Nations refugee agency has labeled the unfolding crisis in Sudan as “unimaginable,” highlighting the severity of the situation. The war in Sudan has already displaced nearly six million people from their homes, and this recent surge in violence will only exacerbate the humanitarian crisis. Immediate attention and intervention are urgently needed to protect the lives and rights of the affected individuals and to prevent further escalation of the conflict.
Ethnic Killings in Darfur Cause Thousands to Flee
