Khartoum: The Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) reported on Tuesday the tragic loss of five volunteers and the disappearance of three others in the central city of Bara, located in North Kordofan state. These events transpired amidst ongoing attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
According to Anadolu Agency, social media platforms have circulated distressing footage displaying the torture and beating of SRCS volunteers in Bara. The Sudanese Red Crescent Society described the scene as disgraceful to humanity in its official statement. While the organization highlighted these brutal acts, it stopped short of attributing blame to any particular group or entity.
Earlier the same day, activists disseminated videos on social media that depicted individuals assaulting civilians donned in Red Crescent uniforms. Local media have suggested that the RSF was behind these attacks, although the group has yet to issue a response. Additionally, the SRCS expressed grave concern over losing contact with its team in El-Fasher, a pivotal humanitarian hub in western Sudan’s Darfur region. El-Fasher has been embroiled in intense clashes between the Sudanese army and RSF, which launched an offensive on the city, claiming control as of Sunday.
Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council stated on Monday that army forces had retreated from El-Fasher to avert further ‘systematic destruction and killing’ of civilians by RSF forces.
In a related development, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced on Tuesday that approximately 1,850 Sudanese residents were forced to flee their homes in North Kordofan on Monday due to escalating insecurity. The UN agency detailed that about 1,000 individuals were displaced from Umm Dawm Haj Ahmad town on October 27, citing deteriorating security conditions, while an additional 285 residents fled from the city of Umm Rawaba for similar reasons. Local sources reported RSF fighters conducted assaults in Umm Dawm Haj Ahmad, committing civilian abuses, although the RSF has denied these allegations.
The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF has persisted since April 15, 2023, with various regional and international attempts at mediation failing to halt the violence. The ongoing war has resulted in approximately 20,000 deaths and displaced over 15 million people, both as refugees and internally displaced persons, as reported by United Nations and local sources.