Ethnic Cleansing in West Darfur, Sudan

The international community is being urged to take immediate action to prevent further atrocities in the region of El Fasher, as Human Rights Watch has raised alarm over the large-scale atrocities committed in El Geneina. The targeting of the Massalit people and other non-Arab communities in West Darfur has been described as ethnic cleansing, with the possibility of genocide being committed.

According to Human Rights Watch, between June 2023 and April 2024, over 220 people were interviewed in various countries, and evidence such as photos, videos, and satellite imagery was analyzed to corroborate accounts of grave abuses. The violence in El Geneina escalated following clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), leading to widespread killings and a massacre on June 15.

Reports indicate that civilians, including women and children, were ruthlessly targeted by the RSF and allied militias, with many being shot and drowned as they tried to flee the violence. The attacks continued as tens of thousands of civilians sought refuge in Chad, leaving a trail of destruction and death in their wake.

Human Rights Watch also documented the killing of Arab residents and the looting of Arab neighborhoods by Massalit forces, as well as the Sudanese Armed Forces’ use of explosive weapons in populated areas. The organization has called for urgent action from governments and international institutions to protect civilians and investigate the possibility of genocide being committed in Darfur.

The United Nations and the African Union are being urged to deploy a new mission to protect civilians at risk in Sudan, while the Security Council is called upon to impose targeted sanctions on those responsible for the atrocities in West Darfur. Human Rights Watch emphasized the need for accountability and cooperation with the International Criminal Court to ensure justice for the victims of these heinous crimes.