Sudan Conflict: Campaign of Destruction Underway
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Sudan’s El-Fasher Under Siege: fears of Mass Atrocities Rise
The capture of El-Fasher by the Rapid support Forces (RSF) on June 16, 2024, has triggered a mass exodus of civilians and renewed fears of ethnic cleansing in the Darfur region, mirroring the violence of two decades ago. Humanitarian organizations warn of a catastrophic situation as access to aid remains blocked.
The Fall of El-Fasher and the Humanitarian crisis
The Rapid Support forces (RSF) captured El-Fasher, the last major army stronghold in Darfur, on Sunday, June 16, 2024, effectively ending the Sudanese Armed Forces’ (SAF) control of the city as reported by RTÉ. This victory marks a notable turning point in the ongoing Sudanese civil war, which erupted on April 15, 2023, between the SAF and the RSF according to Al Jazeera. More than 36,000 civilians have fled El-Fasher since the capture, seeking refuge in already overcrowded areas like Tawila, located approximately 70km to the west, which currently shelters around 650,000 displaced people.
The situation in El-Fasher has been dire for over 18 months, with a brutal siege cutting off essential supplies. Mathilde Vu,Sudan Advocacy Manager with the Norwegian Refugee Council,described the suffering as indescribable,stating that “People have been starved,people have been bombed on a weekly basis” in an interview with RTÉ’s Morning Ireland on June 18, 2024. Residents were reportedly forced to consume animal feed and drink rainwater to survive due to the complete blockade of humanitarian assistance and trade.
Echoes of Past Atrocities and Fears of Ethnic Cleansing
The capture of El-Fasher has sparked fears of a resurgence of the ethnically targeted violence that ravaged Darfur in the early 2000s. During that conflict, an estimated 300,000 people were killed and over 2.5 million displaced