Darfur: More than 150 Women Victims of Rape and Harassment During Displacement from Al-Fasher

The Refugee Coordination in Sudan confirmed that more than 150 women were subjected to rape and sexual harassment during their escape from the city of Al-Fasher to the Tola area, located 60 kilometers west of the city.

Adam Rajal, the official spokesperson for the General Coordination of Displaced and Refugee Camps in Darfur, stated that violence has also affected the displaced in general, with more than 1,300 people injured by gunfire as Rapid Support Forces pursued the fleeing individuals, while over 1,210 children suffer from malnutrition, and 700 elderly individuals are in critical health conditions.

Rajal pointed out that the number of survivors who reached the Tola area has exceeded 15,000 people, including those suffering from serious injuries due to the violence they faced during their escape.

He added that the area that has hosted the displaced over the past months currently accommodates more than one million displaced individuals, necessitating urgent support to meet their basic needs for food, water, medicine, and shelter materials.

The coordination called on humanitarian and international organizations to provide life-saving medicines, safe water sources, sanitation facilities, psychological support, and safe spaces for children who have experienced significant psychological trauma during the escape.

The coordination also mentioned that the Rapid Support Forces are still pursuing the fleeing individuals, as several of them have been gathered in the Karni area, and thousands of displaced individuals, including children separated from their families, remain trapped there.

It is worth noting that the General Coordination of Displaced and Refugee Camps is a civil entity focused on monitoring violations against displaced individuals and refugees.

In the same context, the Rapid Support Forces announced their acceptance of a humanitarian ceasefire proposal put forward by the international quartet that includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the United States, but a Sudanese military official confirmed that the army would not agree to any ceasefire if it does not include withdrawal from civilian areas and the relinquishment of weapons.

Since the outbreak of war in Sudan in mid-April 2023, tens of thousands of people have been killed, and about 12 million people have been displaced, leading to one of the largest displacement and hunger crises in the world, according to the United Nations.