EL-FASHER, Sudan — More than 150 Sudanese women were subjected to rape and sexual harassment while fleeing the city of El-Fasher in North Darfur, a local civil group said Friday, as violence and displacement intensify in the war-torn region.
Adam Regal, spokesman for the General Coordination for Displaced Persons and Refugees in Darfur, told the Sudan Tribune that fighters from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) pursued fleeing civilians along escape routes, detaining some in the Qarni area, where thousands remain trapped, including children separated from their families.
Regal said more than 1,300 people have been injured by gunfire, while 1,210 children are suffering from malnutrition and 700 elderly individuals are in critical condition.
He added that over 15,000 survivors have reached Tawila, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) west of El-Fasher, many in poor health after enduring violence and injuries during their escape.
Regal called on international and humanitarian organizations to urgently provide medical supplies, food, clean water, shelter, and psychological support, particularly for children traumatized by the violence.
Tawila, which has already received thousands of displaced civilians in recent months, is now hosting more than one million internally displaced persons, he said, warning that the humanitarian situation is deteriorating rapidly.
The RSF seized control of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, on Oct. 26, reportedly committing massacres against civilians, according to local and international organizations.
The assault has raised fears that the conflict could deepen Sudan’s geographical and ethnic divisions.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that more than 81,000 people have been displaced from El-Fasher and surrounding areas since the RSF takeover.
Since April 15, 2023, the Sudanese army and the RSF have been locked in a brutal power struggle that has killed thousands and displaced millions, with international mediation efforts failing to end the conflict. — Agencies
