Over 150 women raped, harassed while fleeing El-Fasher, Sudan

The Sudanese Refugee Coordination announced on Saturday that over 150 women were raped or sexually harassed as they fled from El-Fasher to the town of Tawila, located about 60 kilometers to the west, following the escalation of violence in the Darfur region.

Adam Regal, spokesperson for the General Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugee Camps, stated that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) pursued the fleeing civilians, resulting in more than 1,300 people being injured by gunfire. He added that about 1,210 children are suffering from malnutrition, while 700 elderly people are facing critical health conditions.

Regal noted that the number of survivors who reached Tawila has exceeded 15,000, some of whom are in deteriorating physical and psychological condition. He called on humanitarian organizations to provide food, medicine, drinking water, and shelter, in addition to psychological support for children and women who experienced severe trauma during displacement.

He explained that Tawila is currently hosting more than one million displaced people, underscoring the urgent need to scale up humanitarian assistance to meet basic needs.

This escalation comes amid ongoing RSF pursuit of those fleeing El-Fasher. Meanwhile, the RSF announced its initial approval of a humanitarian truce proposed by the “International Quartet,” which includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.

In contrast, the United Nations has warned of signs of “intensifying hostilities” in Sudan, affirming that the humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating despite repeated international calls for a ceasefire.

A-H 

ANHA