Tens of thousands have been displaced in Sudan’s Al-Jazirah state as violence escalates between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Thirty-year-old Hadeel Abdelnasir, a mother of three, was forced to flee her home in eastern Al-Jazirah two weeks ago as violence ripped through her community. Now in Port Sudan, she shared her harrowing story: “The RSF are killing everyone—women, children, men, and the elderly. They invaded our peaceful villages for no reason. People are paying huge ransoms to escape,” she said.
This latest surge in violence follows the defection of an RSF commander to the Sudanese Army, sparking a wave of attacks that have left communities devastated. Over 500 villages have been evacuated, displacing tens of thousands, according to the Al-Jazirah Conference Group.
Rashida Yousif, another displaced mother, described the brutal ordeal faced by her group as they fled: “We are five families who escaped together. One family was tortured, and a woman was raped in front of her husband. Some of my relatives were poisoned. We’ve lost so many loved ones,” she recounted.
The violence shows no sign of abating. “The RSF has killed hundreds of people and besieged villages since the commander’s defection,” said independent analyst Abdulmoniem Abu-Idrees. “These crimes demand urgent intervention before they fuel further ethnic divisions.”
Despite calls for peace, efforts to mediate have failed, and a recent United Nations Security Council resolution to protect civilians was blocked by Russia, leaving the region without international intervention. The ongoing conflict continues to expose civilians to unimaginable horrors, including torture, sexual violence, and killings.
“The recent attacks in Al-Jazirah have forced tens of thousands to flee,” said journalist Naba Mohideen, reporting from Port Sudan. “Families are desperate, with no end to the violence in sight.”
BY: MOSES DESIRE KOUYO
