Sudanese escaping violence in Darfur are urgently calling on the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to cease fighting and establish safe corridors for those trapped in conflict zones to seek refuge.
Refugees from El Fasher and El Geneina, currently in Raja town, South Sudan, spoke to Radio Tamazuj expressing concern for their relatives still under siege in the conflict zone.
Juma Mohammed Abdullah, head of the Darfur community in Raja, emphasized the dire conditions in Raja County, Western Bahr el Ghazal State, and the need for both parties to facilitate the safe evacuation of civilians.
“Our children are still there, and we fled here. We were tortured a lot on our way, and in the end, most of us were killed. We do not want war. We want all weapons to be silent, and we want to live in peace,” Abdullah pleaded.
Abdullah, head of the Darfur community in Raja, emphasized the challenges faced by Sudanese refugees, including famine and the inability to farm. Abdullah expressed gratitude to the citizens of South Sudan for their support, stating, “We are hungry, and we have no seeds to plant. But we express our gratitude to our relatives, the citizens of South Sudan. When we arrived here, they supported us.”
Adam Mohammed Hassan, another Sudanese refugee, called on the Rapid Support Forces to halt the fighting, expressing concern about the fate of his children left behind. He appealed, “All my children are there. I appeal to the Rapid Support Forces to stop the fighting so that our children can get out. We don’t have any more problems with them.”
The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has been ongoing since April, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee to neighbouring countries. Last week, the United Nations reported 300,000 people fleeing due to fighting in Wad Madani of El Gezira state.
The U.S. government, led by the Biden administration, accused both sides of committing atrocities in Darfur and other regions, holding the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly in Darfur, where the initial conflict has escalated into ethnic violence in recent weeks.
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