DARFUR REGION HAUNTED BY BULLETS

DARFUR REGION HAUNTED BY BULLETS

DARFUR REGION

INTRODUCTION The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) currently controls four out of five Darfur states. There have been reports of increased human rights violations in areas controlled by the RSF, and ACJPS expresses deep concern for the civilians in these states. In this report, ACJPS documents the violations committed against the civilians in the Darfur region between July and September 2024.
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
In West Darfur, the RSF has appointed two “judges” to head the “field Court” established by RSF at the Joint Sudanese Chadian headquarters in West Darfur. The said judges were formerly working as advocates before joining the RSF legal team following the eruption of armed conflict. When the RSF captured and took control of West Darfur, the two advocates relocated there and were shortly appointed as Judges of the field court. One of the advocates is affiliated with an armed Arab group, and in 2021 he was seen with the same group in front of the building in West Darfur where he addressed a crowd shortly before the group attacked Krinding Camp. The other advocate previously worked as a human rights advocate, investigating and advocating aginst violations committed against the refugees in the Krinding camp. This field court is supported by police officers who joined RSF and the majority of penalties passed by the Court are fines.
DETAILS OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS;
Incidents of Arbitrary Arrests The Rapid Support Forces, the army, and the joint forces have all been identified as perpetrators of hideous violations against civilians such as; arbitrary arrests and incommunicado detention. ACJPS has previously documented facilities that are used as detention centers across the country. Civilians are arrested from their homes, at checkpoints, on the streets while returning to their homes, etc. On 23 July 2024, at around 02:00 pm, a group of RSF fighters deployed at a checkpoint in Zalingei located North East of Alhasahisa IDP camp in Central Darfur State, arrested Mr. Badur Eldien Ahmed, a 32-year-old IDP and resident of Alhasahisa camp. Mr. Ahmed has been very vocal about the senseless war and often advocated against it. He also expressed his dissatisfaction with the actions of the RSF fighters particularly in Central Darfur State.
Mr. Ahmed was taken to premises next to Dinaar School where he was detained for three days. The RSF fighters who arrested him demanded his family for 80,000 Sudanese Pounds for his release and threatened to transfer Mr. Ahmed to the detention center in Alfong and increase the ransom to 300,000 Sundanese Pounds if they failed to comply. The IDPs at the camp mobilized themselves, collected the money and paid the ransom. Mr. Ahmed was consequently released on 26 July 2024. He shared that while in detention he was physically abused and his hair shaved.
On 20 August 2024, around 11:00 A.m., a group of approximately 15 RSF fighters traveling in two RSF military vehicles arrested Mr. Ismail Yagoup Amir, a 53-year-old member of the Zaghawa tribe. Mr. Yagoup was arrested from his shop in Elgenina bus
Station within Nyala city in South Darfur State. The reasons for his arrest are unknown, and his location still remains a mystery to his family and friends.
On 17 July 2024, a group of RSF intelligence officers from the RSF headquarters in Forbranga Town in West Darfur arrested Mr. Mohamed Ali Almahadi, a medical physician who runs a private clinic in Forbranga. A reliable source informed ACJPS that Mr. Mohamed was arrested for offering free medical services to the population and thus wanted to frustrate his work.
On 16 July 2024, seven merchants/businessmen were arrested by RSF in Forbranga and taken to Elgenina in West Darfur where they were detained. Reasons for their arrests were not given and to date, their families are not aware of their whereabouts. Elgenina has been under the control of RSF since 04 November 2023 when the RSF troops took over SAF headquarters in Ardamata locality in Elgenina. Those arrested are;
1. Nooh Ibrahim (m)
2. Jar Elnabi Ismail(m)
3. Taha Hamad (m)
4. Abu Bakar Ishaq (m)
5. Hassan Zakaria (m)
6. Khalid Abbas (m)
7. Yassin Abdul A zeem (m)
In July 2024, four elderly men were arrested by the RSF and detained for two weeks in the
Al-Salam South neighborhood. The men had gone to check on their homes and other property that they had left behind after fleeing the neighborhood but were arrested by Captain Abbas Kater. The men disclosed that they were subjected to both physical and psychological torture while in detention.
An assault incident
On 6 August 2024, three armed men (one dressed in RSF uniform) attacked Mr. Abdul Malik Abdallah a 45-year-old IDP from Khamsa Dagig camp in Zalingei, Central Darfur State. He was attacked near Alhasahisa camp while on his way to the Khamsa Dagig camp and beaten up with a stick severely injuring him. Mr. Abdallah was rescued by residents of Alhasahisa camp but he is yet to recover.
Incidents of Sexual Violence
ACJPS has reported at least four cases of sexual violence in Elfashir during the 10 August
incidents. All the cases were reported in the southern neighborhoods of Elfashir i.e. in Umm Shajira and El Hijra neighborhoods. Unfortunately, the victims did not receive any medical care or psychological support. All the victims have since fled Elfashir and they sustained injuries during the assault.
Ms. Muna (pseudo name) aged 32, from the Umm Shajira neighborhood in Elfashir, North Darfur testified that “… On 10 August 2024, at 7:00 am while I was still sleeping at home, I heard gunshots, and shortly after, I heard a knock on my door and immediately thought it was one of the militiamen. I opened the door and I was surprised to see three gunmen wearing Rapid Support Forces uniforms with long hair and they were all wearing soksok (a type of jewelry). They said they were looking for mobilizers, soldiers, or any armed men and immediately started searching the house but did not find anyone or any weapon. When
they did not find anything in the house, one of them pointed a gun (Kalashnikov) at my head and the other hit me with a gun butt throwing me to the floor. One of the attackers took off my pants and when I resisted, he hit me in the face and said to me, “You are cooperating and collaborating with the army”. Another grabbed my hands, and whenever I screamed, they hit me. The third held his gun and threatened to kill me. The three men
took turns raping me, several times. I lost consciousness and when I regained my senses, I
was alone I felt a sharp pain in my private part and also had severe headache. I remained lying on the ground in pain until I gathered some strength to leave the house. Unfortunately, I could not get far and because I was fairly new in the neighborhood (we had recently moved here from the Al-Wifaq neighborhood near Elfashir power station after
the recent events on 10th May) I had no one to run to. A few minutes later, while I was lying under a tree near my house, 5 armed young men came by and asked me if I had seen any RSF fighters. I was very terrified that these men were also going to rape me. But they reassured me that they were youth from the neighborhood…,” There has been an increase in sexual violence cases targeting female children and women aged between 10 and 23 years from the Utash camp in South Darfur due to the lack of security for IDPs. During the period January to September 2024, at least 14 rape cases were reported in Utash camp, 11 of which happened within the camp and three happened outside the camp while the victims were on the way to/from their farms. Because of the legal void
created by the armed conflict, the leaders in the Utash IDP camp in Nyala came up with a local justice system. The justice system is based mainly on customary law mainly focused on cases of sexual violence intending to curb the crime. The system was officially established on 25 July 2024, and it is headed by Mr. Hussein Ishaq Jalies. The system is run by a committee comprised of 25 members, 15 of who hold leadership positions in the camp and residents. The committee mainly uses fines and compensation as a reparation tool for the victims of sexual violence. The system depends on the religious methods of adducing evidence i.e. the suspects are asked to swear by the holy Quran before presenting their defense.
Since July 2024, the committee has presided over two cases of rape. The cases were reported to the committee, suspects were identified and arrested. The cases were adjudicated and one of the perpetrators was ordered to pay a fine of 3,000,000 Sudanese pounds (amounting to approximately 1100 USD) and the other was fined 20,00,0000 Sudanese pounds. The victims were nine- and fourteen-year-old children from the camp. Shelling incidents Artillery shelling by the Rapid Support Forces takes place almost daily in residential neighborhoods, service facilities, and markets mainly targeting civilians. Approximately 775 civilians were wounded and more than 185 were killed during the shelling events in Elfashir in July and August. Most of the deaths and injuries were the result of artillery and rocket launches shelling while a small number succumbed to stray
bullets. Since 10 May 2024 to date, the number of people killed in Elfashir has exceeded 300 while
the number of wounded is estimated at 2,170. However, it is difficult to ascertain accurate
statistics as many victims do not seek medical attention.
On 31 August 2024, at around 10:00 pm, the Sudanese Armed Forces air bombarded Khamsa Dagig IDP camp in Zalingei, Central Darfur. The incident resulted in the killing and injuring of eight IDPs, among them were four people from the same family namely;
1. 2. 3. 4. Noor Eldien Idris (m) aged 22
Noor Alsham Hameed Ahmed Khamis (f) aged 20
Nadia Hameed Ahmed Khamis (f) aged 18
Mohamed Hameed Ahmed Khamis (m) aged 17
Names of those who were wounded
1. 2. 3. Alhadi Elsheikh (m) aged 33
Mohamed Hassan (m) aged 17
Maryam Hameed Ahmed Khamis (f)
Shelling incident in Melit,
Names of people killed during shelling by SAF in Melit, North Darfur
1. Adam Ibrahim Arabi (m) from Alemtidad Neighborhood
2. Nadir Nasur Eldien (m) from Alemtidad Neighborhood
3. Namah Adomah Ahmed (f) from Kidano village
4. Zahara Fadul Mohamed Abakar (f) from Alemtidad Neighborhood
5. Nasur Eldien Mohamed Mossad (m)
6. Ahmed (m)
7. Sabah Toga
8. Amnah Mohamdeen Ahmed (f) from Dar Elnaeem
9. Mohamed Yagoup(m) from Banamah village
Those who sustained injuries
1. Fatimah Yahya Mahmoud (f) East from Alabsi Neighborhood.
2. Fatimah Yahya Ahmed Yagoup (f) from Alsafa Neighborhood.
3. Um Kalthoum Mohamdeen (f) from Morie Neighborhood.
4. Mohamed Ahmed Ali Ibrahim (m) from Market Neighborhood
5. Mohamed Yahya Abda Adam (m) from Ketab Shkara Neighborhood
6. Hawa Mohamed Abdallah (f) from Alemtidad Neighborhood
7. Esra Mohamed Ibrahim (f) from East North Neighborhood
8. Nadal Ahmed Daw Albite (f) from Algubah Neighborhood
9. Munirah Younis Ali (f) from Algubah Neighborhood
10. Daif Alalh Hussien Alsadiq (m) from Alabasi camp
11. Fatimah Suliman Khatir (f) from Alnasr Neighborhood
12. Salmah Adam Abdallah (f) from Alabasi West Neighborhood
13. Durian Hafiz Hassab Allah (f) from Alwhdah Neighborhood
14. Hawa Abdallah Bosh (f) from Alemtidad Neighborhood
15. Osman Ahmed Sabeel (m) from Aldeam Neighborhood
16. Mohamed Adam Hameed (m)
17. Amna Hameed Ibrahim (f)
18. Salim Bakhit Adam (m) East North Neighborhood
19. Abakar Mohamed Ali (m)
20. Khatra Isa Ahmed (f)
21. Salma Abakar Salih (f)
Attack on Abu Shook IDP camp on 27 August 2024 by RSF
Names of those who were killed;
1. Mohamed Abdul Mula Suliman (m)
2. Algali Ismail (m)
3. Fatima Ahmed Alamin (f)
4. Aamir Adam Tahir
5. Afrah Alhaj Abdallah (f)
6. Safa Abdallah Jebreel (f)
7. Eqbal Adam Tahir (f)
8. Adam Idris (m)
9. Abdallah Isa (m)
10. Drip Ahmed (m)
11. Abdul Raheem Yahya Isa (m)
12. Khadija Isa Abdallah (f)
13. Mahmoud Adam Eltahir (m)
List of those who sustained injuries
1. Abdul Razig Mohamed Ibrahim (m)
2. Hub Eldien Bakhit Mohamed Adam (m)
3. Drip Yahya Abakar (m)
4. Abdallah Mohamed Omer (m)
5. Yousef Hameed Idris (m)
6. Noor Eldien Mohamed Suliman (m)
7. Abdallah Mohamed Omer (m)
8. Noor Eldien Mohamed Suliman (m)
9. Yousef Hameed Idris (m)
10. Adam Salih Musa (m)
11. Shaikh Eldien Ismail Abdallah (m)
12. Abdul Mula Ibrahim Babkir (m)
13. Najm Eldien Shogar Mohamed (m)
14. Ahmed Mohamed Yagoup (m)
15. Eltyeb Mohamed Yahya (m)
16. Amani Isa Bakhit (f)
17. Faisal Adam (m)
On 4 September 2024, the SAF Airforce Unit aerial bombed the Kafout village located 42
kilometers west of Elfashir in North Darfur State. Although there were no causalities
reported, many properties were destroyed.
On 6 September 2024, SAF Airforce bombarded Eldien Hospital in East Darfur State
consequently killing Mr. Sabeel Ibrahim Adam a volunteer at the hospital, and injuries
several others.
On 9 September 2024, at around 09:00 AM, the SAF Airforce launched an attack targeting
Alguba and Almatar neighborhoods in Eldien, East Darfur State killing at least five
civilians while five others were wounded.
Those who were killed are;
1. Radwan Abdul Majeed (m)
2. Suliman Aldai (m)
3. Alzina Haroun (f)
4. Khalifa Hameed (m)
Those who sustained injuries;
1. Kaltouma Ishaq Hilal (f)
2. Mutaz Aljameel (m)
3. Abdul Basit Daoud (m)
4. Alnoor Hamdan (m)
5. Alaa Eldien Albashir (m)
Theft and Looting incidents
On 12 August 2024, a group of approximately 14 Armed Arab men dressed in plain/casual
clothes driving two land cruiser vehicles and one pickup raided a house belonging to one
Mr. Yagoup Khamis. Mr. Khamis is the chairperson of the National Umma Party in Central
Darfur. The raiders stole Mr. Khamis’ Toyota Hilux pickup truck model 2018 that was
parked at his home. They spent more than three hours fixing the car tyres before driving it
away.
In another separate incident, on 20 August 2024, Mr. Abdul Salam Ahmed a 40-year-old
businessman was attacked from his home in the North Elslam neighborhood. Mr. Abdul
owns a produce shop at Elgenina bus Station in Nyala. On that fateful day, his house was
raided by four armed masked men who put Mr. Abdul at gunpoint and stole 3,000,000
Sudanese Pounds (amounting to approximately 13,500 USD).
Extrajudicial Killings
A mass grave containing 17 bodies was discovered in Mellit, an area controlled by the
Rapid Support Forces. It is alleged that an RSF lieutenant called Mishaal (from the Al-
Zayadiya tribe) is responsible for killing 17 young men. Lieutenant Mishaal has been
accused of committing several violations in Mellit for example, he was responsible for
arresting a young man called Abdulrahman for having video evidence of him killing Mr.
Ali Yaqoub in Elfashir. When Mr. Abdulrahman’s brother started searching for him, he
too was arrested. The two brothers have since disappeared without a trace. Some members
of the community then filed a missing person’s report with the Rapid Support Forces and
disclosed that the last time the two brothers were seen, was during their arrests by
Lieutenant Mishaal. RSF conducted an investigation and arrested Lt. Mishaal. Following
his arrest, he confessed to killing the two brothers and burying them. Another investigation
was conducted into the murder case and it was discovered that the two brothers had been
murdered and buried in a mass grave. Lieutenant Mishaal later confessed to killing and
burying them all, along with his assistants. This discovery has since raised tension in Mellit
and may result in inter-tribal conflict within the RSF and the community.
ACJPS has noticed the systematic attacks of civilians belonging to tribes that are accused
of being loyal to the national army (SAF) in Nyala by RSF.
On 24 August 2024, at around 02:00 pm, 37-year-old Babkir Abakar Logman was shot
while he was riding a Tuk-Tuk with his two brothers in the Dankog area. The three men
were headed to Koja market within the Abata administration in Central Darfur State when
they were shot at by two armed Arab men riding on a motorcycle. The assailants also
robbed the brothers of their money before fleeing. Mr. Babkir succumbed to the gunshot
wounds and was later buried in Dankog.
On June 12, 2024, three businessmen from the Fur tribe in Nyala town, South Darfur were
killed at their home in the West Elsalam neighborhood by three unidentified armed men
wearing RSF uniforms.
The deceased are;
1. Abakar Ibrahim (m)
2. Jamal Ibrahim (m)
3. Aldoma Eltahir (m)
Kidnap and Abductions
On 16 August 2024, an armed group dressed in RSF uniform and some in plain clothes,
driving seven land cruiser military vehicles and Toyota pickups without number plates
abducted 13 farmers from the Abu Delig area at gunpoint. The victims were kidnapped
from different villages in Mukjar and Khazan Jaded areas in North Darfur. The abductees
were taken to Nyala in South Darfur and Eldien in East Darfur. The reasons/motive for the
abduction is yet to be known as the kidnappers have not demanded ransom.
ACJPS talked to one Ahmed (not real name) a brother to one of the victims and he had this
to say “… the victims were abducted from different farms within the area by a group of
armed Arabs dressed in RSF uniform and others in casual clothes. The kidnappers were
driving Toyota pickup and land cruiser vehicles. During the kidnap, several other farmers
were beaten and severely injured. The majority of the people in this area had earlier fled
to Zaman Camp in Elfashir but had recently returned to the farm during the rainy session.
Some relatives of the abductees say that the RSF accused some members of the Zaghawa
tribe of stealing their camels thus abducting the victims…,”
Efforts made by the community to have their abductees released have proved futile. Many
continue living in fear and anguish.
The abductees are;
1. Jad Allah Hameed Fadul (m) 56 years old. A Community leader in Moro village
2. Abdul Aziz Kharir Kharif (m)aged from Eid Bidah
3. Jedi Moro Bakur aged 40 from Moro village
4. Mohamed Logam Madibo (m) 45 years old from Moro village
5. Hamid Ahmed Jazeem (m) aged 50 from Eid Bidah
6. Simon Abakar Jazem (m) aged 57 from Eid Bidah village
7. Ali Jalabh Bako (m) aged 60 from Eis Bidah
8. Mohamed Bakhit Arbab (m) aged 59 from Elfashir
9. Mohamed Abdul Kareem Juma (m) from Moro village
10. Ali Jalabah (m) aged 34 from Um hajalid Village
11. Idris Ali Khatir (m) aged 31 from Elfashir
12. Sadam Adam Haroun (m) aged 22 of old from Abu Delig
13. Abdallah Yagoup Adam (m) aged 36 from Moro village
Targeting of hospitals and health facilities
80% of hospitals and health facilities in Darfur are non-functional due to the shelling by
the Rapid Support Forces. With a shortage of medicines, medical equipment, and medical
personnel, the population has been left for dead. Preventable diseases such as malaria,
cholera, and typhoid are on the rise. With the deteriorating humanitarian situation and the
collapsed health system, it is difficult to control epidemics if they occur. These health facilities were directly hit by artillery, which led to the destruction of buildings and damaged equipment and stored medicines. These attacks also resulted in the death of medical staff, patients, and caretakers inside these facilities. They include;
1. Elfashir South Emergency Hospital
2. Abdul Salam Diabetes Center
3. 4. Haj Awad Allah Health Center
Al-Salam Center (run by Sudo)
5. Kidney Dialysis Center
6. Immunization Center
7. School of Medicine Hospital,
8. Sultan Health Center
9. Al-Zahraa Center
10. Children’s Hospital
11. Babiker Nahar Hospital.
Hospitals and health facilities that were partially destroyed include:
1. Al-Saudi Hospital,
2. Tambasi Health Center, Sayed
3. Al-Shuhada Health Center.
Private hospitals and medical centers were not spared either. Those that were destroyed
are;
1. Nabd Al Hayat Hospital,
2. Iqra Hospital and
3. Jebel Marra Medical Complex.
Targeting of markets
Al Salam Market was closed following a shelling attack by the Rapid Support Forces. The
incident resulted in four deaths and seven others sustained injuries. The Rapid Support
Forces then proceeded to shell the AL souq Alkaber Market striking it with drones
consequently destroying shops, restaurants, and vehicles within the market and the main
streets. The incident also led to nine deaths while 30 civilians were wounded.
The mawashi Market was shelled twice in August 2024 leading to the death of
approximately 18 civilians and wounding 67 others. The shelling targeted vegetable shops
and crowded places such as shops and cafes. The Mawashi Market is the only functional
market from which the residents of Elfashir City buy their necessities.
Umm Dafso Market was severally attacked leading to its closure. During these attacks, 14
people lost their lives while 23 others were severely injured.
Targeting of Places of worship
Mosques have been targeted as they host a large number of civilians. Several mosques have
either been partially or destroyed by shelling attacks. Some of these include;
– Al-Nour Salafi Mosque (Abdullah Yaqoub),
– Al-Fasher Alkaber Mosque
Food crisis and famine
In Elfashir, the food shortages and the scarcity of some food items in the market have been
largely attributed to the siege. The RSF has barred all commercial vehicles from accessing
the city. This has caused the traders in the city to increase prices of commodities to the
disadvantage of the residents. The food crisis has led to malnutrition in children and the
elderly. There is a need for urgent intervention to save civilians from famine due to the
siege.
Statistics Internally displaced persons in North Darfur (after 15th April 2023)
Locality
Total No. of House
Holds Total No. of Individuals
El Fasher 70929 354,648
Al Koma 2062 10,310
Al lait 1797 8,985
Al Malha 1266 6,330
A Series 2660 13,300
At Tawisha 189 1,945
At Tina 157 785
Dar As-Salam 15811 79,056
Kabkabia 3711 18,555
Kelemando 2452 12,264
Kernoi 546 2,730
Kutum 24223 121,118
Melit 6455 32,275
Saraf Omra 12932 64,660
Tawila 39073 195,367
Um Baru 908 4,540
Um Kadadah 7745 38,725
Grand Total 192,916 965,593
IDPs in Zamzam camp
Old IDPs New IDPs