Sudan Media Forum condemns RSF atrocities in North Darfur’s El Fasher – demands immediate humanitarian access
A mother sits with the body of her ten-year-old daughter, Hajar Ishaq, who died of hunger and thirst as they emerged from El Fasher in search of a way out of their lives on the way to a Tawila area in North Darfur (Photo: RD Correspondent)
The Sudan Media Forum (SMF) coalition of independent media outlets and organisations strongly condemns the escalating and brutal violence committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against civilians across Sudan, particularly in the besieged city of El Fasher. For over 18 months, hundreds of thousands of civilians in the city and its surroundings have been trapped under a tightening RSF siege, where malnutrition, disease, and daily violence claim innocent lives.
The SMF is alarmed by credible and persistent reports detailing war crimes and grave human rights violations. According to the United Nations, at least 1,350 civilians have been killed in El Fasher, a figure the UN believes is a significant “under-representation of the real number” due to communication blackouts and access challenges. These alleged acts—including summary executions, ethnically motivated killings, widespread sexual violence, and the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure—demonstrate a complete disregard for international law and human dignity. The systematic nature of these atrocities demands an urgent and robust international response, including a thorough, independent investigation to ensure accountability for all perpetrators.
Urgent call for unhindered humanitarian access
The SMF stresses that the deliberate obstruction of aid is a cruel weapon of war, compounding the suffering of millions. With the United Nations confirming that access to El Fasher remains blocked and humanitarian capacity is shrinking as needs soar, we demand the immediate and unconditional opening of safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all towns and areas affected by the conflict.
The civilian population, especially those trapped under siege, faces catastrophic levels of hunger, disease, and displacement. The RSF must:
• Cease all attacks on civilians, medical facilities, and humanitarian workers.
• Guarantee safe passage for aid convoys and humanitarian personnel into and throughout all areas under their control.
• Remove all bureaucratic and physical barriers that impede the delivery of life-saving food, medicine, and shelter.
The international community must exert maximum pressure to ensure these demands are met. The lives of millions of Sudanese civilians depend on it.
This statement is published via the platforms of the Sudan Media Forum and its member institutions to shed light on the ongoing atrocities and humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Darfur.
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