The United Nations and rights groups are calling for an end to Sudan’s violence as the second anniversary of the Civil War, and Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has intensified attacks in Darfur, killing dozens of people recently.
With the meeting in London on Tuesday to try and resolve the Sudan crisis, Human Rights Watch has urged the international community to “work urgently to protect civilians and ensure the provision of unsafe aid.”
“For the past two years, Sudan’s fighting parties have exposed its population to terrible abuse and suffering, thwarting aid, and plunging the country into the world’s worst humanitarian disaster,” Mohamed Osman, a Sudan researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement Monday.
“International leaders need to ensure that discussions to improve the humanitarian situation work together with the highest level of commitment to protecting civilians.”
This week marks two years since the outbreak of war between the RSF and the Sudanese army on April 15, 2023. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), it killed thousands, kicked out nearly 13 million people, and caused a hunger crisis in parts of the country.
In recent weeks, the Army has been able to drive RSF fighters out of the capital Khartoum, but paramilitary groups have argued for progress in the western region of Darfur, where the already dire humanitarian crisis is exacerbated.
On Sunday, the RSF said it controlled Zamzam camp for displaced people near El Fasher, the capital of the North Darfur province.
According to the United Nations, the assault killed dozens of people, including 23 children and nine aid workers.
“Thousands of displaced people have been trapped and separated from aid.”
The United Nations Office for Humanitarian Cooperation (OCHA) warned on Monday that the fight near Elle Fascher under the RSF lockdown is blocking access to humanitarian assistance.
“Thousands of displaced people are trapped and separated from aid,” Ocha Sudan said in a social media post.
“Hospitality must be stopped now. All people engaged in conflict must ensure safe passage for civilians and humanitarian access.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned attacks on El Fascher and his surrounding civilians, urging the battle to be concluded.
“The Secretary-General emphasizes that attacks on civilians and indiscriminate attacks are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law,” Guterres said in a statement issued Sunday via his spokesman.
“Humanitarian relief personnel and healthcare workers must be respected and protected. The perpetrators of these attacks must be brought to trial. There is an urgent need for safe, impeded and sustained access to the area, including the Samzam camp.
In a joint statement on Monday, Egypt and Qatar “expressed serious concern over the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan and highlighted the importance of an immediate halt of military operations.”
Fighting rival generals
However, the violence continued on Monday. Al Jazeera Arabic cited local sources when reporting that RSF fighters were bombarding Abu Shuk’s camps for displaced people outside Elfasher.
Sudan has seen an increasing instability since longtime President Omar al-Bashir was removed from power in 2019 after months of anti-government protests.
In October 2021, the Sudanese army conducted a coup against Prime Minister Abdallah Hamduk’s civilian government, which led to his resignation in early 2022.
Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fatta al-Burhan and his rival General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who lead the RSF, shared power after the coup, but began fighting in April 2023 for control of the state and its resources.
Humanitarian policy and advocacy expert Davis Makoli highlighted the impact of war on children, including psychological trauma, gender-based violence, and inability to attend school.
“Sudan has state pockets that are not actually active conflict zones, but this humanitarian crisis extends to almost every aspect of life,” Makoli told Al Jazeera.
