African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies ACJPS | المركز الافريقي لدراسات العدالة و السلام
(23 April, 2023) African Center for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) reiterates its call to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to immediately end the violent armed conflict that has resulted to deaths, injuries and displacement. Both military factions must ensure that peace is restored in country immediately. We further call on Sudanese authorities to take all measures to protect the human rights of the Sudanese people and respect their demand for a civilian government. In this release, ACJPS documents new and old trends of human rights violations that have occurred since our last update.
Attacks on Diplomats and humanitarians
There is an increasing trend of RSF personnel taking control of and occupying private houses and buildings including several residences of United Nations Security Management Systems (UNSMS) and International Non-governmental Organisations (INGO) in Khartoum. These premises are then converted into their operational centers in the midst of on-going combat operations. This remains a concern and contributes to the escalation of risk levels of collateral impact on UN and INGO personnel. Several buildings and residences of UN personnel have already been impacted by projectiles and stray bullets in Khartoum.
Additionally, the trend of criminality targeting UN and humanitarian personnel has also emerged in Khartoum and other regions of the country particularly in Darfur. There are incidents of intrusion and looting of UN and INGO premises by uniformed armed personnel allegedly RSF, abduction of two male INGO experts who were later released and attempted sexual assault on a female INGO expert in Khartoum. All these incidents are indicative of the exponentially increasing risk against UNSMS and INGO personnel in the country.
The acting Sudanese Foreign affairs Ambassador, Mr. Ali Alsadiq issued a statement and stated that he will protect the Diplomatic missions in Sudan but the same is yet to be implemented.
Incidents in Khartoum
16th April, 2023
The European Union Ambassador in Khartoum was attacked at his residence in Khartoum. A video surfaced showing the security personnel of delegate the EU delegate in Khartoum being guarded by RSF soldiers while he issued a statement accusing SAF of being involved in the attack. The security personnel concluded the statement by thanking RSF.
An RPG hit the residence of a national staff working for Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) at Burri in Khartoum. As a result, the staff’s vehicle was damaged. However, the staff and his dependents remained unhurt.
A projectile exploded and caused sustainable damage to the residence of a UN international staff member, at Amarat area in Khartoum. Fortunately, the staff member was out of the country along with his family.
17th April, 2023
United States Embassy in Khartoum accused RSF of attacking their convoy and shooting one of their vehicles.
On 17 April 2023, in the morning hours, RSF personnel entered the house of an international staff member working for FAO near Ozone and robbed his bag containing laptop, cash and his passport. The staff member remained unhurt.
Near Ozone area in Khartoum, armed uniformed men reportedly from RSF entered the residences of expatriates and separated men and women and took them away. One rape incident involving a Japanese woman was reported.
In another separate incident, RSF personnel entered a building in Khartoum 2 where four INGO international staff members reside and abducted two Nigerian male staff and attempted to sexually assault one female.
Three armed men dressed in RSF uniforms fired gunshots and broke into the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) offices and attempted to steal a vehicle but failed to start the engine. Later that day, seven armed men in RSF uniforms broke into the OCHA compound-parking gate, fired gunshots at Alhadaf security guard and made several attempts to steal the vehicles but in vain.
At about 06:28am, the Petronas Building which hosts several INGO offices including UN HABITAT, UNAIDS, IFAD, UNODC, Global Fund, ILO, UNOPS and UNEP came under attack when some snipers, allegedly from SAF went on the rooftop of the building and fired gunshots resultantly damaging some properties.
19th April, 2023
RSF took over the house occupied by UN staff in Amarat 55th Street and are currently using it for their operations.
A building occupied by a female international staff was taken over by RSF.
Incidents in North Darfur
On 16 April 2023, at about 5:40pm, a UNHCR staff member reported that an UXO dropped in his room but it did not explode. The staff member was advised to vacate the premises.
On 17 April 2023, during the night, Save the Children offices in Elfashir was looted by an unknown armed group carjacking two vehicles with food staffs, medical supplies as well as IT equipment.
Violation of freedom of Expression
According to a report released by Sudanese Journalist Association in regards to freedom of expression since the outbreak of the armed clashes between SAF and RSF, several violations have been committed including the following.
- On 15 April 2023, Mr. Mohamed Osman, a BBC correspondent in Khartoum was beaten by a group of SAF officers deployed in Omdurman Bridge. He was also denied entry into Khartoum where his office is located.
- On 15 April 2023, SAF officers arrested a journalist and detained him for several hours in Marwai, Northern State and later released him. The journalist was covering a story of RSF troops in Marwai.
- As result of the armed conflict between SAF and RSF, several media houses have been bombed. In Khartoum specifically, some media houses have been targeted by unknown culprits. For example, Aljareeda newspaper house was targeted on two occasions on 16 and 17 April 2023 while Alsharq Television and Tana Media Agency were both bombed on 16 April 2023.
- Between 15 to 18 April 2023, several journalists and media staff were forced to remain at their places of work in Khartoum State due to restriction of movement as the armed conflict between SAF and RSF worsened.
Status of the conflict
Albeit the gunfight between SAF and RSF came to a stop in Alibod town in North Darfur, the situation was different in Elfashir with serious gunfire exchange in the Center of the town. The gunfight started from Elfashir mosque and advanced to the Eastern side in the neighborhoods of Aljwamah and Almasani.
In Zalingi town, Central Darfur the situation remained tense with deafening sound of gunshots and explosions. Civilians remain looked up in their homes in fear for their lives. Unfortunately, civilians who were injured during the crossfire were not rescued. ACJPS was reliably informed that RSF called for reinforcement of 100 soldiers who came in land cruiser vehicles through the South gate of Zalingi town and later other group of 150 men joined them to support RSF.
In Marwai, Northern Sudan, SAF took control of the airport for the second time with the support of two military aircrafts that were deployed from their base in Atbara, River Nile State and RSF resultantly lost control of the airport. RSF had called for reinforcements of soldiers in 350 land cruiser vehicles however, the troops were air bombed while on their way to Marwai.
In Khartoum, RSF issued a statement that SAF violated the cease fire deal and resumed attacks in Khartoum posing high risk to civilians. This prompted RSF to mobilize troops in 150 land cruiser vehicles. The troops entered Omdurman heading to Alobid in North Kordofan. The said troops are former rebels that joined RSF in 2014 and they had a base in North Darfur.
Currently, SAF is in control of Khartoum Bahari and the military bases in Omdurman and Karari. RSF on the other hand is in control of Central Khartoum, the surrounding areas in the South East near Aljareeda State and the areas of West Khartoum bordering with North Kordofan State. Kabkabiya town is under RSF control.
Other developments
According to the Sudanese Doctors Association, 16 hospitals in Khartoum have since been out of service completely while two others are partially open.
On 15 April 2023, a group of Egyptian officers were arrested by RSF soldiers at Marwai airport and were later transferred to Dongla Airport in Northern state. The RSF political Advisor, Mr. Youse Ibrahim Azaat stated that they were willing to hand over the officers and indeed on 19 April 2023, 27 officers arrived in Cairo by air at around 08:00pm.
Due to the armed conflict, at least four main markets were burnt down completely and others partially in Khartoum Bahari. In Elfashir, both the main and central vegetable markets were also burnt down. The situation is the same in Nyala where the food stocks were burnt. Additionally, in a number of neighborhoods in Central Khartoum and Buhari, armed groups took advantage of the situation and looted shops.
Both water and power supply in Khartoum and Darfur States are yet to be restored. The services were cut off due to damages caused by the bombing.
There’s also a shortage of fuel and thus many civilians are unable to access their work places.
As the situation worsens in Khartoum and Darfur, number of civilians have fled to Aljazeera and East Sudan States.
Additional names of people killed
Central Darfur State
- Bakhit Suliman Isa (m)
- Mohamed Tariq(m), aged 17
- Mohamed Yagoup Juma(m), an IDP
South Darfur State
- Manahil Abdul Rahman (f).
- Aldoum Salih Zariah(m)
- Mohamed Ibrahim Albushari (m)
- Kaltoum Omer Ibrahim (m)
North Darfur State
- Nadiah Mohamed Omer (f)
- Sumia Ismail Eltahir (f)
- Adam Doud Abdallah (m)
- Mehrab Ishaq (f)
- Abdallah Ismail Abdallah (m) aged 17
- Aljilani Abdul Gadir Saroor (m).
- Mohadeen Adam Eltijani Elteyeb (m).
- Yagoup Ismail Ali Adam (m)
- Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed (m)
- Mutaz Mustafa Mohamed Ali (m)
- Abdul Aziz Adam Tamem (m)
- Ryad Zaki Abakar khater (m)
- Mohamed Ahmed Abu Almomen(m)
- Mutaz Mustafa Mohamed Ali (m)
- Yagoup Ismail Ali Adam (m)
- Abdul Majid Mohamed Omer (m)
- Unidentified name (m) approx. 16 years
- Bakri Khalil Mohamed Saleh (m)
- Ali Seed Abdul Allah (m)
- Khalifa Adam Abdul Bagi (m)
- Sabri Abdallalh Adam (m).
- Najah Alsyed Abdul Bagi (f)
- Eiman Abdul Gadir Khalil (f).
- Adam Mohamed Adam (m).
- Yasir Mohamed Ahmed (m)
- Hamad Adam Mohamed (m)
Khartoum State
- Khalid Altagi (m)
- Nujageed Musa (m)
- 3 unidentified males
- Musab Shanan (m) & another family member
- Sara & 7 other family members
- Baha Eldien Musa (m)
Names of people missing from Khartoum State
- Abdul Salam Isa (m), aged 37. He left his residence in Alamarate Nighberhood in Khartoum at around 07:00 Pm on 17 April 2023 and has since gone missing.
- Khidir Abu Akar (m).
- Abdul Manan Fadul Abdul Manan (m). He left his family home in Alfetihab neighborhood of Omdurman in 16 April 2023.
Background.
The tension between SAF and the main paramilitary force, RSF has been brewing since the Al-Bashir regime as the former president deliberately built-up formidable security forces and set them against each other. The unresolved power struggle between the two parties was a ticking time bomb waiting to erupt. The attempt to incorporate RSF into the Sudanese army escalated the tensions as Gen. Mohammed Dagalo, the commander of RSF has no intension to relinquish power and operate under SAF. RSF then started deploying officers around the country without permission from SAF an act which sparked off violent conflict on 15 April 2023.
For more information contact Mossaad Mohamed Ali at mossaad.ali@acjps.org
