Darfur activists: ‘300 wounded die in Shala Prison amid neglect’

The Popular Resistance in North Darfur has accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of grave abuses inside Shala Prison, southwest of El Fasher, the state capital, saying at least 300 wounded detainees have died over the past two months from untreated injuries, gangrene, and maggot infestations.

In a statement made by the resistance group today, they said most of those held are civilians injured by indiscriminate shelling of El Fasher, suffering from fractures and severe wounds without access to medical care. They reported daily deaths in the prison because of acute shortages of food and health services and accused the RSF of detaining more than 9,000 civilians at the facility.

The statement further alleged that RSF forces leave the bodies of deceased prisoners inside the prison for prolonged periods, in what it described as a flagrant violation of human dignity, before forcing detainees to bury them in the prison’s western yard, around 400 metres from the perimeter.

The Popular Resistance also warned of a cholera outbreak inside Shala Prison, saying between five and ten detainees die each week due to the spread of the disease and the absence of prevention and treatment. 

In a related accusation, it said RSF fighters carried out “direct liquidation” of civilians last week, killing 15 wounded people inside El Rashid dormitory at the University of El Fasher, after falsely accusing them of links to the Joint Force.

Describing the humanitarian situation in El Fasher as “catastrophic”, the statement said dozens of civilians are dying every week from killings, medical neglect, hunger, and epidemics.

It urged the government to swiftly regain control of North Darfur and called on international and humanitarian organisations to intervene immediately to save civilians and prisoners from what it called “ongoing hellish violations”.

Radio Dabanga was unable to independently verify the claims or obtain an immediate response from the Rapid Support Forces.

The RSF seized control of El Fasher at the end of October 2025, following a siege lasting more than a year and a half that displaced over 127,000 people. 

RSF forces has since published videos showing a return of commercial activity in local markets, with field commanders claiming they are ready to protect civilians and describing the city as safe. However, after a visit by its team, Médecins Sans Frontières described El Fasher as a “ghost city”, citing the very small number of residents remaining.