2024-03-30 18:29:23
Sudan: Condemnations of Rapid Support violations on the island
Civil and political forces in Sudan denounced what they described as horrific violations by the Rapid Support Forces once morest the residents of the towns and villages of Al-Jazira State (central Sudan), which resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries, and also forced tens of thousands of citizens to be forcibly displaced from their areas.
The “Al Jazeera Call” initiative said that the “Rapid Support” forces attacked the town of Abu Amna on Friday, killing 11 people and wounding 16 others in varying conditions, according to preliminary statistics it obtained.
According to “Nidaa Al Jazeera,” villages and towns are still facing threats of storming by “Rapid Support,” which indicates that the coming days will witness casualties among civilians.
The humanitarian conditions in Al-Jazira State have reached a bad stage, due to the shortage of food and water as a result of the interruption of electricity, communications and internet services for more than two months.
Local sources told Asharq Al-Awsat: “There are no safe areas inside the island where he can take refuge,” and despite this, hundreds of families are fleeing their homes.
Residents of the island’s villages said: “The rural population and the vast majority of farmers and shepherds are subjected to plundering and theft of their property, including money and cars. Currently, agricultural crops (corn and wheat) are stolen basic food, and soon they will lose flour and water.”
Sudanese fleeing the fighting areas break their fast in a camp for the displaced (Archive – AFP)
Rapid Support expanded its ground attacks on villages and towns, which led to the displacement of thousands from their areas, and they are now congregating in the open.
Last week, the “Rapid Support” announced the formation of a civil administration in the state of Al-Jazira, which it has controlled since last December.
Resistance committees and local groups report that Rapid Support violations affected more than 170 large and small towns located within the borders of Al-Jazira State, during which killings and injuries occurred among unarmed civilians.
The suffering of the residents of the central state is not limited to atrocities, violations, and food shortages, but they also face a severe crisis in the shortage of drinking water due to the failure of pumping stations due to the interruption of the electrical supply.
The interruption of telephone communications and the Internet, which lasted for nearly two months, doubles the suffering of citizens in communicating with the surrounding areas to obtain food and water.
The Sudanese Congress Party said, on Saturday, in a statement: “Unarmed civilians, male and female, in Al-Jazira region are exposed to various types of crimes once morest humanity and systematic violations,” since the Rapid Support Forces took control of the state, with its capital, Wad Madani.
A Sudanese woman in a camp for displaced people fleeing areas of fighting (Archive – AFP)
The Conference added that the reliable and disturbing reports and testimonies indicate the complete invasion of villages, the displacement of their residents, the loss of the lives of a number of innocent people, and forced disappearance.
The Sudanese Conference condemned what it called the crimes of the Rapid Support Forces on the island and on the outskirts of Sennar State, and said: “We hold them fully responsible for them, and we demand that they immediately stop committing further crimes once morest defenseless civilians.”
“Emergency Lawyers” (a legal body) said that groups affiliated with the “Rapid Support Forces” had, during the past days, assassinated dozens of unarmed civilians in attacks on the villages of the island.
They added: “Hundreds of civilians fled from the villages of Al-Hasahisa and South Al-Jazira localities as a result of the escalation of Rapid Support violations, especially those related to sexual violence and illegal detention.”
They continued in a statement: “We would like to draw the world’s attention to the extent of the tragedy and catastrophe to which the island’s residents are subjected to the assault, killing, and forced displacement of civilians,” noting that international law explicitly prohibits acts of looting and robbery targeting civilians and their property in situations of armed conflict.
In turn, the resistance committees in “Madani and Al-Hasahisa” said that a fierce and systematic campaign launched by the “Rapid Support Militia” carried out killing and looting for weeks, resulting in dozens of deaths and large numbers of injuries.
The committees reported that these crimes occurred in full view of the Sudanese army forces and officers, who had not done anything to defend the island and its people since the army withdrew from it 3 months ago.
The leader of the “Coordination of Civilian Democratic Forces” (Taqaddum), Khaled Omar Youssef, announced the horrific increase in the horrific violations once morest unarmed civilians on the island at the hands of the “Rapid Support Forces,” adding that all forms of abuse, including killing, robbery, and plundering, are crimes that are strongly condemned, and must be To stop immediately, and not to go unaccounted or punished.
In a post on his account on the “X” platform, he called for the war to stop without delay, and for all combat forces to leave civilian areas, in light of the presence of real, binding oversight mechanisms.
Community gatherings on the island documented the killing of more than 100 people in “Rapid Support” attacks in the towns of the state.
“Rapid Support” took control of the city of Wad Madani, the capital of Gezira State, on December 19 last year, which was considered the main center for humanitarian operations of United Nations agencies.
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