Following the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) taking control of el-Fasher city in Darfur, Sudan, thousands of residents have fled to nearby towns such as Tawila. Survivors describe experiences of violence, beatings, and killings during their escape, with some reporting theft and lack of food. Medical charities are providing assistance to those arriving, while aid agencies express concern about the relatively low number of arrivals compared to the estimated population in el-Fasher and the conditions of those still potentially stranded.
Accounts of Escape and Violence
Ezzeldin Hassan Musa, one of several thousand individuals who have reached Tawila, reported being beaten with sticks by RSF fighters while attempting to flee el-Fasher. He stated that fighters "tortured and murdered men trying to flee," and he witnessed people being beaten and murdered. Ezzeldin reported being hit on the head, back, and legs before managing to escape. He and other escapees traveled for three days, moving at night, and lost all their belongings, including shoes and phones. They also went without food for three days during their journey. Men traveling from el-Fasher were reportedly subjected to scrutiny by RSF fighters, who targeted individuals suspected of being soldiers.
The United Nations has described the violence in el-Fasher as "horrific." On Wednesday, RSF leader Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo acknowledged "violations" in el-Fasher and stated they would be investigated. A UN official reported a day later that the RSF had notified them of some arrests of suspects.
Survivor Testimonies
Ahmed Ismail Ibrahim, another survivor in Tawila, recounted leaving el-Fasher on Sunday after sustaining an eye injury in an artillery strike. He reported that he and six other men were stopped by RSF fighters, who then killed four of the men by beating and shooting them. Ahmed stated he was shot three times. The fighters reportedly checked the phones of the three remaining survivors before allowing them to leave. He and his companions then walked for an unspecified period to reach Tawila.
Yusra Ibrahim Mohamed described fleeing el-Fasher after her husband, a soldier with the Sudanese army artillery, was killed during attacks. She stated they escaped three days prior, navigating away from artillery areas. Yusra reported seeing dead bodies in the streets and witnessed people being beaten or robbed if they resisted.
Medical Aid and Displaced Populations
Tawila, approximately 80km (50 miles) from el-Fasher, has received around 5,000 people since the city's fall on Sunday. Many completed the journey on foot over three or four days. The majority of new arrivals are women and children, although some men have also arrived.
Alfadil Dukhan, who works at a clinic run by the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Tawila, stated that emergency care is being provided. He reported that 500 of the new arrivals required urgent medical treatment. Dukhan mentioned that wounded individuals, some with amputations, are receiving support and medical care. These new arrivals join hundreds of thousands of people already in Tawila who had previously fled violence in el-Fasher. Prior to its seizure by the RSF on Sunday, el-Fasher had been under siege for 18 months, experiencing artillery and air strikes, and a hunger crisis due to an RSF blockade. In April, hundreds of thousands were displaced when the RSF took control of the Zamzam camp, a major site for displaced persons near the city.
Concerns for Those Remaining
Caroline Bouvoir, who works with refugees in Chad for the aid agency Solidarités International, expressed concern regarding the number of arrivals in Tawila. She noted that approximately 5,000 arrivals in recent days are low given an estimated quarter of a million people believed to be still in el-Fasher. Bouvoir described the arrivals as malnourished, dehydrated, sick, or injured, and traumatized by their experiences. She suggested that many individuals might be stranded between Tawila and el-Fasher due to their physical condition or insecurity on the roads, where militias are reportedly attacking people attempting to find safety.
Ezzeldin Hassan Musa requested that public roads be secured for citizens or humanitarian aid be sent to the streets, stating that people are in a critical state and unable to seek help. He emphasized the need for aid to reach them, citing missing individuals and suffering.