Civilians are the first victims of the war in Sudan
Since the start of the conflict in Sudan in April 2023, civilians have been the first victims of this civil war. The abuses committed by the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia have plunged the country into horror. In our visual investigation, we collected the poignant testimonies of three Observers on the alarming situation currently affecting Sudan.
The videos attest to the atrocities perpetrated by the RSF: arbitrary arrests, torture, ethnic violence, expropriations. Civilians are systematically targeted, accused of collaborating with the army without proof. They are also victims of housing requisitions, where the FSR do not hesitate to loot the premises and evict the inhabitants. Faced with this terror, many Sudanese were forced to flee their homes.
Mohammad Gamal, one of our Observers, managed to escape his attackers after six long hours of beatings, accusations and humiliation. FSR militiamen entered his home, stole his valuable possessions and accused him in turn of belonging to the army, Islamists and intelligence. Despite the violence, Mohammad managed to keep his cool and survive.
The civil war has also spread to Darfur, a region bordering Chad that has already seen decades of ethnic violence. Clashes between African militias, composed mainly of men of the Massalit ethnic group, and the RSF have exacerbated tensions. The RSF, formerly known as the Janjaweed, have been accused of genocide in Darfur since 2003. Even today, their ethnically motivated murderous acts leave no doubt about their intentions.
The murder of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abdallah Abakar was a tragic event for the residents of El Geneina, the regional capital. This assassination marked the start of a horrific massacre perpetrated by Janjaweed militias, who invaded the city and killed civilians on the road. The displaced people who tried to flee to Chad were massacred en masse.
In addition to physical violence, the conflict is also marked by the massive use of rape as a weapon of war. Both regular army soldiers and FSR militiamen are accused of these barbaric acts. Videos of these sexual assaults are essential to provide proof of these crimes, as many women do not dare to testify or simply cannot do so due to the unstable situation in the country.
In Sudan, civilians are on the front line of this civil war and suffer abuses from the army and militias. This disastrous situation requires urgent intervention from the international community to put an end to this violence and protect vulnerable populations.. The truth must be revealed and action must be taken to bring those responsible for these heinous crimes to justice.