Ethnically orchestrated attacks meted out by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, RSF, and an associated militia have slain hundreds in the West Darfur region, according to reports by the United Nations human rights chief on Tuesday, September 12.
Massacre, violence and displacement have risen since the conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF sprang up in April, causing the country to now be on the brink of civil war.
Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, had disclosed this information to the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Turk had also said that the latest assault had taken place mostly in El Geneina, the capital city of West Darfur and in at least eight other locations.
The RSF controls all but two neighbourhoods in West Darfur.
The RSF has however, denied the allegations by conflict monitors, rights groups and witnesses claiming that they are behind the attack on civilians, while promising that any soldier found to be involved would be brought to book.
The alleged attacks against the non-Arab Masalit people, the biggest community in El Geneina, have led to tens of thousands of people seeking refuge in Chad.
Turk had mentioned that there were also alarming signs of the involvement of militia in the crises.
Recall that the U.N. refugee agency had last week, stated that it was expecting at least 1.8 million people from Sudan to flee to neighbouring countries by the end of 2023.
