Allegations Against Rapid Support Forces for Detaining Thousands of Civilians and Military Personnel in Catastrophic Conditions in Darfur

Amid the escalating humanitarian disaster in Sudan, the "Sudan Doctors Network" has made serious allegations against the Rapid Support Forces regarding systematic violations in prisons in South Darfur State. According to a statement from the network, information received from inside the city of Nyala indicates that more than 19,000 people are detained in the Daqrees and Kober prisons and other locations, in conditions described as "inhumane".

The network revealed that there are detainees from various groups, including thousands of civilians from different professions, as well as politicians, journalists, and medical personnel. According to the exact wording of the statement, "most of them were arrested from Khartoum and Darfur, including 73 medical personnel." The lists of detainees also include a large number of former regular forces members.

The statement warned that the detention operations "lack humanitarian and legal conditions," amid the deprivation of detainees' basic rights. It confirmed that more than four deaths occur weekly due to health neglect, warning of the spread of diseases, especially cholera, which "takes the lives of detainees due to the absence of healthcare," according to the statement.

The network called on international organizations to pressure the leadership of the Rapid Support Forces to "release the detainees, provide them with healthcare, and stop arbitrary arrests."

This warning comes amid the ongoing bloody conflict since April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, which has led, according to the United Nations, to "the worst humanitarian crisis in the world," resulting in the displacement of about 12 million people. The "Quad" countries offered a truce plan before the clashes escalated again, complicating the already dire humanitarian situation.