Death and Destruction Escalate in Darfur

The people of Darfur are facing an unprecedented death and destruction as the result of airstrike and confrontation between Sudanese Armed Forces(SAF) and Rapid Support Forces(RSF) in and around major cities in North Darfur. The most horrifying incident was reported to have been carried out last night in the city of Kabkabiya, North Darfur, a birth home of DWAG President .  

On Mar. 31st, at 2am,  civilians in Kabkabiya City reported that their sleep was cut short by the horrific sound of air bombardment that targeted the city-center,  destroyed several homes, and killed two people. A young mother and her infant were immediately pronounced dead and several members of their family were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Four others were reported seriously injured too. The attack completely destroyed one of the oldest schools in the city, several civilian homes and hit part of the only operating hospital in the city that serves over 300,000 across the entire province. Many in the diaspora had a long night, including DAWG president Ms. Ahmadi who failed to reach their families due to the blockade of internet and phone services. The attack in Kabkabiya was not an isolated incident but its part of the ongoing campaign of killing civilians form both warring parties which is happening in Darfur, Kordfofan and El Gezira state. 

Many attacks were carried out in the last two weeks, where the Sudanese Armed Forces(SAF) has launched  a new phase of air strikes against  paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces(RSF). However most of the strikes have targeted residential areas and innocent civilians, which have destroyed at least dozens of local houses and inflicted great casualties. 

On  Mar 10th, the beginning of the traditional Muslim holiday Ramadan, the paramilitary RSF launched attacks on 28 villages in El Gezira state during the first five days of the holy month, resulting in the deaths of at least 43 people and forcing numerous families to flee their homes.

On Mar, 22, in West Kordofan and El Gezira states, at least a dozen civilians have been reported killed and many more wounded, in ongoing airstrikes and ground battles between SAF and RSF. According to local sources, the victims were mostly women and children. While some of the deaths were caused by airstrikes from the government, others were due to RSF pillage. The soldiers would come to the villages, shoot whoever resisted, looted people’s houses, cars, and money. 

On Sunday, March 24, 2024, SAF airstrike in Darfur, mainly targeted civilians inhabitant areas in El Fasher, the capital city of the Darfur region. Meanwhile, on Saturday, Mar 23, two women were killed, and others were injured in the city’s El Gubba neighborhood as a result of an exchange of artillery shelling between the SAF and the RSF. In addition, on Mar, 25, nine more civilians were killed, and 14 others were injured, most of whom were children, in an air raid on El Fasher early in the morning, the second attack by the Sudanese Air Force on the city within 24 hours.

Most of the casualties went unreported due to lack of access to communication services and many more people died due to lack of access to emergency assistance. They were forced to die in silence while the world was watching.

The killing of civilians in Darfur has been allowed to go on for far too long and it is utterly unacceptable. While RSF has been actively committing genocide against indigenous African, SAF has actively perpetrated war crimes and crimes against humanity both punishable under international laws. They further restrict access to humanitarian aid, block access to communication and use starvations as a tool of killing and torture. The international community must hold the RSF and SAF accountable for the horrors and crimes inflicted on helpless civilians in Sudan. DWAG stands in solidarity with the families of those who are impacted and strongly condemn SAF and RSF for their blatant attacks against civilians and violation of all international human rights and humanitarian laws. 

These attacks don’t only take lives of innocent civilians, but further constrain the delivery of humanitarian and emergency assistance to those in desperate need.  It’s quite disturbing that these attacks have been going on for a year now and there is no sign of change. These attacks have forced all humanitarian aid out, isolated the people of Sudan and had gravely endangered their lives every day. There must be actions that put an end to these man made suffering inflicted against the innocent civilians in Sudan and hold the SAF and RSF accountable for their crimes. 

For over a year the Sudanese people were left alone to fend for themselves and once again, they have shown the world their great resilience and bravery during the time of the worst crisis in the world today. However, now their resilience and their ability to persevere without protection and humanitarian aid will not hold any longer.

While the situation in Sudan remained the most dangerous and tragic in its scale and magnitude, powerful world leaders such as president Bieden chose to remain silent, which has sent a wrong signal to the perpetrators that they can continue their campaign of destruction without any consequences, we must speak up and change this. 

Now it is the time for the world to take serious and effective measures to respond and support the brave people of Sudan. DWAG calls on  the international community, particularly the United  States as the leading government in the world  and  the United Nation Security Council, to take collective actions to address the crisis without delay. The Sudanese people cannot wait any longer. Every second, every minute, and every hour, there are men, women and children dying.  Men are killed from airstrikes, women horrified by sexual violence, and children dying from extreme hunger and malnutrition. The people need urgent protection and  humanitarian aid to survive and we need pressure on the warring parties to stop their targeting against civilians.  

Therefore, DWAG call on the US, the other UNSC members, and the international community to take the following steps to end the war in Sudan and save lives:

• Urgent intervention for civilian protection to stop the war.
• Establish unhindered channel for the humanitarian aid to reach those in urgent need with or without the permission of the warring parties, including air drop and cross border assistance 
• Pursue accountability of those who were responsible for the mass atrocities and war crimes.
• Take an effective atrocities prevention approach to the crisis in Sudan

DWAG calls on the US government, UNSC and stakeholder working on Sudan to take this four- step atrocity prevention approach which centers on civilian protection, unhindered humanitarian aid , and accountability for these heinous crimes. We equally call on our supporters to join our voices to speak up for and stand with the people of Sudan. They do not deserve to die in silence and we must not let the world look the other way. 

With our collective effort we can make a difference 

Thank you for your continued support.

Niemat Ahmadi, Founder and President of DWAG

And the DWAG Team.