UN: RSF Attacks on Civilians in Al-Gezira Villages a Repeat of Darfur Crimes

Port Sudan – Sudanhorizon
The United Nations has compared the retaliatory attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on villages in East Al-Gezira State to the crimes committed by the same group in Darfur last year and has called for an immediate halt to these acts.
A statement from UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, expressed her “deep concern” over reports of escalating armed violence in Al-Jazira State, which has resulted in dozens of civilian deaths.
The UN official stated, “I am shocked and horrified by the repetition of human rights violations of the kind witnessed in Darfur last year—such as rape, targeted attacks, sexual violence, and mass killings—in Al-Gezira. These are heinous crimes.”
The statement noted that preliminary reports received by the UN indicate that between October 20 and 25, the RSF launched a “major attack” in East Al-Gezira.
According to the reports, RSF fighters fired indiscriminately at civilians, committed acts of sexual violence against women and girls, looted markets and homes on a large scale, and burned farmland.
Residents of several villages, including Safita, Gannoubab, Al-Hilaliya, and Al-Aziba, reportedly faced physical assault, humiliation, and threats, forcing dozens of civilians to flee their homes in search of safety—those who remained face ongoing violent threats.
Salami added, “Women, children, and the most vulnerable bear the brunt of a conflict that has already claimed many lives.”
The UN indicated that the exact number of civilian casualties remains undetermined but noted that thousands of families have fled their homes, with some displaced within Al-Jazira State, while others sought refuge in Gedaref and Kassala States.
The UN official stressed that attacks on civilians, civilian targets, and public infrastructure are prohibited under international humanitarian law, describing the situation as “unacceptable and in urgent need of cessation.” She reiterated that civilians must be protected wherever they are.

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