Sudan is currently in the grip of an alarming situation, marked by an incredible wave of violence. Since April 15, 2023, the Sudanese army and paramilitaries have been violently clashing, leaving civilians in a situation of unimaginable horror. Amnesty International has just published a detailed report entitled “Death has knocked on our door”, in which the organization denounces the generalization of war crimes against the civilian population.
In this report, Amnesty International highlights the deliberate massacres of civilians, as well as the sexual violence committed against women and girls, some as young as 12 years old. Looting and destruction of infrastructure also worsen the already precarious humanitarian situation. Basic commodities such as food and medicine have great difficulty reaching the areas affected by the fighting, thus depriving the civilian population of goods essential to its survival.
The consequences of this violence are dramatic, as millions of Sudanese have fled their homes to escape the clashes. Most have fled to other parts of the country, while hundreds of thousands have crossed borders to find refuge in neighboring countries, including Chad, where humanitarian conditions are dire.
It is important to highlight that while the majority of abuses documented in the report are attributed to the paramilitaries of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias, the Sudanese army is also implicated in various human rights violations.
The motives for these crimes are manifold. In the Darfur region, which is particularly affected by the clashes, ethnically motivated intercommunal violence exacerbates the situation. Moreover, the feeling of impunity enjoyed by combatants encourages the perpetration of new violence. Sexual assaults, which are particularly worrying, are frequent in all the areas affected by the conflict.
What is particularly alarming is that the belligerents do not seem at all concerned about the fate of civilians. On the contrary, they carry out their attacks irresponsibly, deliberately endangering the lives of non-combatants. Civilians have been killed and injured in their homes, as the fighting is taking place in the heart of residential areas. The fighters hide among the civilians, using the latter as human shields.
Faced with this tragic situation, it is essential that the international community do everything possible to put an end to the violence and protect civilians. Measures must be taken to guarantee the security of the affected populations and allow access to the humanitarian aid necessary for their survival..
It is time for Sudan to find peace and for those responsible for these crimes to be brought to justice to answer for their actions. The current situation can no longer continue and it is our duty to act to put an end to this horrifying tragedy that is unfolding before our eyes