Sudan Doctors Network Details El-Fasher Detention Crisis, Cholera, and RSF Abuses

The conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023, continues to escalate between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This civil war has resulted in hundreds of thousands of fatalities and displaced millions, creating what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. El-Fasher, a strategic city in the western Darfur region, previously an SAF stronghold, fell to the RSF in October, intensifying regional instability.

The Sudan Doctors Network has identified at least 20 doctors, over 1,470 civilians, and 907 military personnel as detainees in El-Fasher. These thousands are held in dire conditions across various detention facilities, including Shalla Prison and makeshift sites. The network reports captives suffer from injuries without medical care and face grave abuses, including field executions.

A cholera outbreak has further compounded the crisis within these detention centers, affecting detainees since early February. Poor environmental conditions, a critical lack of clean water, and widespread malnutrition are factors contributing to the disease's rapid spread among the confined population. The capture of medical personnel also severely cripples the already struggling health sector.

The network states that the RSF is committing severe violations inside these detention facilities. These allegations specifically include killings during torture and interrogation, alongside ethnically motivated killings. UN-backed experts previously noted a coordinated campaign of destruction by the RSF against non-Arab communities in and around El-Fasher, with hallmarks pointing to genocide.

The allegations from the Sudan Doctors Network underscore the profound human rights and humanitarian challenges persisting across Sudan. Observers will closely monitor any international responses to these reports and the continued welfare of detainees in El-Fasher, as the conflict’s broader impact on civilian populations remains a critical concern.