According to a United Nations report disclosed on Friday, between 10,000 and 15,000 individuals lost their lives in ethnic violence perpetrated by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied Arab militia in the West Darfur region of Sudan last year. The report, submitted to the UN Security Council by independent UN sanctions monitors, utilized information from intelligence sources to determine the death toll in El Geneina. This figure was compared to the UN's broader estimate of approximately 12,000 casualties across Sudan since the eruption of conflict on April 15, 2023, involving the Sudanese army and RSF.
The report highlighted credible allegations suggesting that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had provided military support to the RSF on multiple occasions via Amdjarass in northern Chad. The monitors also mentioned a November accusation by a senior Sudanese general claiming UAE backing for the RSF war effort. In response, the UAE stated that it conducted 122 flights delivering humanitarian aid to Amdjarass to assist Sudanese individuals fleeing the conflict. The United Nations reports that around 500,000 people have fled Sudan into eastern Chad, several hundred kilometers south of Amdjarass.
The monitors detailed the period of intense violence in El Geneina between April and June, accusing the RSF and allies of targeting the ethnic African Masalit tribe. The attacks, according to the monitors, "may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity." The RSF has consistently denied such allegations. The report included accounts of civilians being subjected to violence, harassment, robbery, and sexual assault during their escape. The monitors emphasized the orchestrated nature of the attacks, attributing them to the RSF and allied Arab militias.
The RSF's takeover in Darfur was attributed to support from Arab allied communities, financial networks, and new military supply lines through Chad, Libya, and South Sudan. The monitors reported that RSF's complex financial networks, established before and during the war, enabled it to acquire weapons, fund media campaigns, and influence other political and armed groups. The report noted that the RSF used pre-war gold business proceeds to create a network of up to 50 companies across various industries. The acquisition of new firepower significantly impacted the balance of forces in Darfur and other regions of Sudan, leading to military gains by the RSF, including the control of Wad Madani, a major Sudanese city.
The UN report underscored the urgent need for effective peace efforts to halt the ongoing conflict, bring about a political settlement, and address the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. The war has resulted in widespread displacement, with nearly half of Sudan's population requiring aid, and over 7.5 million people forced from their homes, making it the largest displacement crisis globally.
