Darfur follow up: Al-Jazirah
The Resistance Committees in Wad Madani and Al-Hasahissa have accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of looting and stealing civilian money and property in the two cities of Al-Jazirah State.
These accusations come in the wake of the RSF’s takeover of Wad Madani on December 18 and Al-Hasahissa on December 20.
According to the Resistance Committees, the RSF stormed homes and shops in Wad Madani, ransacking them and making off with gold, cash, and vehicles. The RSF, also, reportedly threatened to sexually assault civilians who refused to cooperate with them.
Furthermore, the neighbourhood committees said that the RSF have deployed heavily in the streets of Wad Madani and Al-Hasahissa, setting up checkpoints and preventing residents from freely moving about.
The Committees have categorized these actions as” blatant human rights violations” and have called upon the international community to intervene and put an end to them.
The RSF has vehemently denied these accusations, insisting that they are solely focused on protecting civilians.
Lt Col Al-Fatih Qurashi, a spokesperson for the RSF, stated that the force has deployed to Wad Madani and Al-Hasahissa for the express purpose of safeguarding civilians and maintaining peace and order.
Qurashi further claimed that the RSF has committed no acts of looting or theft and is actively engaged in providing essential services to the populace.
However, despite these denials, civilians have posted videos on social media documenting RSF members storming unoccupied homes and ransacking their contents. Additionally, the SIHA regional director Hala Al-Kabrib released a post on X corroborating the reports of looting in Wad Madani, citing accounts from her relatives in the city.
Amnesty International asserted that for eight excruciating months, Sudanese citizens have been subjected to an unimaginably harrowing ordeal, marked by mass civilian casualties inflicted by warring factions, rampant sexual violence, targeted assaults on civilian institutions like hospitals and churches, and widespread looting.
“We call for respect of international humanitarian law, including an end to all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure,” said Amnesty Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah.
The escalating tensions in Wad Madani and Al-Hasahissa have prompted thousands of civilians to flee their homes fearing for their safety.
The United Nations has announced that the displacement crisis in Sudan has reached unprecedented levels, with the number of internally displaced persons exceeding 7 million.
The UN has appealed to the international community to provide more humanitarian assistance to the displaced Sudanese population.
