In early October, Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces seized Al‑Faszir in Darfur, unleashing massacres, torture and forced marches that have pushed survivors into the overcrowded Tawili refugee camp.
RSF Seizes Al‑Faszir and Sees Massacre
During the two‑year Sudanese civil war, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) battled the government army. In October, the RSF took control of Al‑Faszir, a major city in Darfur, triggering widespread killings, lootings and civilian massacres.
Witnesses reported that after the city fell, the RSF carried out repeated shellings that killed many civilians, and the attack was described as intense and brutal by survivors.
Survivors’ Harrowing Journey to Tawili
One survivor, A.M., saw his wife and daughter die during a bombing raid on Al‑Faszir. After the RSF took the city, he led his family on a four‑day march to the refugee camp in Tawila.
Along the way they were beaten, robbed, and several family members died of exhaustion and hunger, including A.M.’s niece who had to be buried in the desert.
Medical Relief in Overcrowded Camp
Doctors Without Borders runs a field hospital about 60 km from Al‑Faszir, serving refugees who have arrived in Tawila. The camp houses more than 650,000 people who fled in the past two years, many arriving only recently.
Health workers report that the camp receives only one meal a day for the most needy and that about 1.5 litres of water per person are available, far below the 15‑litre humanitarian minimum.
Torture and Violence by Armed Groups
A survivor recalled being separated into men’s and women’s groups, beaten, and threatened with death by the RSF. Several men were held for up to ten days, tied with rope, and demanded ransom before being released on a smaller payment.
Another man reached the camp with a gunshot wound to the shin; his brother improvised a dressing, and a donkey‑towed stretcher carried him to medical care, where amputation was required.
Water and Basic Needs in Crisis
Residents of the overcrowded camp live in provisional tents made of planks and bedding, with food supplies limited to a single daily ration. Official reports indicate a severe shortage of water and other basic necessities.
Limited Refugee Influx Despite Massacre
Since the end of October, only around 10,000 refugees have reached Tawila, a small fraction of Al‑Faszir’s estimated 260,000 residents. Satellite imagery and eyewitness accounts suggest mass executions in the city, yet most inhabitants are unable to flee occupied territory.