Dead Bodies in the Streets of El-Fasher: Sudanese Refugees Describe Brutal Atrocities
In the war-torn city of el-Fasher, capital of North Darfur state in Sudan, scenes of unimaginable horror are unfolding. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has been accused of committing atrocities against civilians, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake.
The scale of the violence is staggering. According to aid workers, at least 1,500 people have been killed by the RSF since it seized control of the city on Sunday. This number includes at least 460 victims who were brutally murdered at a hospital in what has been described as a "widespread massacre".
One mother, Hayat, who fled with her five children after the RSF ransacked their home and killed her 16-year-old son, describes the horrors she witnessed: "We saw many dead bodies lying on the ground and wounded people left behind in the open because their families couldn't carry them."
Others, such as Hussein, who was wounded by shelling but managed to escape with the help of a family carrying his mother on a donkey cart, recount tales of terror. "The situation in El-Fasher is so terrible – dead bodies in the streets, and no one to bury them," he says.
Aisha Ismael, another displaced person from el-Fasher, recalls being looted and left with nothing when she fled for her life: "Shelling and drones were happening all the time. They hit us with the back of the rifles day and night unless we hid in the houses... I came here barefoot, even my shoes were taken."
As thousands more continue to flee el-Fasher, aid workers are sounding the alarm over the dire humanitarian situation. The Sudan Doctors Network has reported that at least 15,000 people have arrived in Tawila, a town around 70 kilometers west of el-Fasher, in the past 48 hours alone.
However, many more are believed to be trapped inside, with aid workers warning that the number of people who made it to Tawila is "very small". The Norwegian Refugee Council's Mathilde Vu says: "Where are the others? That tells the horror of the journey."
The United Nations humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, has described the situation in el-Fasher as "catastrophic" and warned that the situation is deteriorating by the hour. He noted that attempts to bring in aid have been blocked by the RSF, leaving stranded civilians with no access to basic necessities.
In an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, Fletcher expressed alarm over reports of mass killings by the RSF, saying: "The horror is continuing... with utter impunity." The United Nations has approved a $20 million allocation to help scale up response efforts in Tawila and elsewhere in Darfur.
In the war-torn city of el-Fasher, capital of North Darfur state in Sudan, scenes of unimaginable horror are unfolding. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has been accused of committing atrocities against civilians, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake.
The scale of the violence is staggering. According to aid workers, at least 1,500 people have been killed by the RSF since it seized control of the city on Sunday. This number includes at least 460 victims who were brutally murdered at a hospital in what has been described as a "widespread massacre".
One mother, Hayat, who fled with her five children after the RSF ransacked their home and killed her 16-year-old son, describes the horrors she witnessed: "We saw many dead bodies lying on the ground and wounded people left behind in the open because their families couldn't carry them."
Others, such as Hussein, who was wounded by shelling but managed to escape with the help of a family carrying his mother on a donkey cart, recount tales of terror. "The situation in El-Fasher is so terrible – dead bodies in the streets, and no one to bury them," he says.
Aisha Ismael, another displaced person from el-Fasher, recalls being looted and left with nothing when she fled for her life: "Shelling and drones were happening all the time. They hit us with the back of the rifles day and night unless we hid in the houses... I came here barefoot, even my shoes were taken."
As thousands more continue to flee el-Fasher, aid workers are sounding the alarm over the dire humanitarian situation. The Sudan Doctors Network has reported that at least 15,000 people have arrived in Tawila, a town around 70 kilometers west of el-Fasher, in the past 48 hours alone.
However, many more are believed to be trapped inside, with aid workers warning that the number of people who made it to Tawila is "very small". The Norwegian Refugee Council's Mathilde Vu says: "Where are the others? That tells the horror of the journey."
The United Nations humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, has described the situation in el-Fasher as "catastrophic" and warned that the situation is deteriorating by the hour. He noted that attempts to bring in aid have been blocked by the RSF, leaving stranded civilians with no access to basic necessities.
In an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, Fletcher expressed alarm over reports of mass killings by the RSF, saying: "The horror is continuing... with utter impunity." The United Nations has approved a $20 million allocation to help scale up response efforts in Tawila and elsewhere in Darfur.
how can people be so cruel to others? i mean im watching this news on reddit after days of it being live and its still hard to believe what's happening 1500+ dead bodies in the streets its just too much 
and the fact that aid workers are saying theres many more trapped inside with no way to get help is just heartbreaking 
what are we even doing to stop this senseless violence?
the situation in el-Fasher sounds like something straight out of hell, i mean 1,500+ dead people? that's just staggering it's not just the number of deaths but also the fact that many are still trapped inside and can't get help. how can a group of people do this to others? 
15k ppl in one town alone and its still not enough, its like the world is turning a blind eye to whats happening over there.
this is so heartbreaking what's going on in el-fasher? 1500+ people killed and the RSF is just leaving bodies on the streets like that? 
how are these families supposed to recover from such trauma? they're already fleeing their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs... it's like they've been through hell and back. 
also, 15,000 people arriving in Tawila in 2 days is insane. how many more need help like this? we can't just sit around and watch this crisis escalate...
the numbers are crazy 1500+ dead bodies and nobody knows where they're supposed to go? its like a nightmare come true 
, 15,000+ new arrivals in Tawila in 48 hours 
, aid workers worried that many more are trapped inside 
... and this is just the beginning of a $20 million UN allocation 
, with reports of mass killings & no access to basic necessities 
. 
Chart: Sudan refugees fleeing el-Fasher by day:
i was watching this funny vid of a cat trying to "talk" to its owner and it was just hilarious! anyway back to sudan... it's just so sad when ppl have to leave their homes cuz of war. my fave charity is oxfam and they do such amazing work in places like darfur 
.
Who else is tired of all these atrocities? 
When will we see some justice for these innocent people?! 
i hope the UN can do more to help, but $20 million just doesn't seem like enough considering the scale of the disaster 
. The fact that aid workers are having trouble getting in there is just proof that they're not doing their jobs right. And those reports of mass killings? Just rumors spread by desperate civilians trying to get attention.
. Aid workers saying that 15k+ more are trapped inside, and UN is struggling to get in because of the RSF 