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n a grave turn of events, Wad Madani, Sudan’s second-largest city and a previous haven for the displaced, has become the latest battleground in the ongoing conflict between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Reports from the AFP news agency have confirmed a mass exodus as the RSF established a base in the east of the city, prompting the flight of thousands who had sought refuge there.
The RSF’s aggressive maneuver has effectively initiated a new front in the eight-month-old war, destroying one of the few safe zones left in the nation, as observed by William Carter, the Sudan director for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).
Social media footage shows distressing scenes of residents, many of whom had previously fled violence in Khartoum, hastily evacuating their homes with their possessions. Amid the chaos, 45-year-old Ahmed Salih disclosed to Reuters his desperation to find transportation for his family to escape what he describes as “living in hell.”
The conflict, which has been simmering since the army, under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and RSF, led by General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, clashed over political transition issues, has led to airstrikes and artillery exchanges in the city. Witnesses have reported RSF reinforcements moving towards the conflict zones and RSF presence in surrounding villages, signaling a worrying escalation.
The United Nations has reported that the war, fueled by the fallout from the ousting of former ruler Omar al-Bashir, has already resulted in the displacement of nearly 6.8 million people and conservative death toll estimates stand at over 12,000.
The humanitarian crisis is deepening as 14,000 individuals have reportedly fled Wad Madani, with the United Nations having to suspend all humanitarian missions in al-Jazirah state due to the violence. The city, which shelters over 86,000 displaced people, has more than 270,000 residents reliant on humanitarian aid, now facing disruption.
United States Ambassador John Godfrey has called for a halt to the RSF’s advance, citing the potential for mass civilian casualties and further impediments to the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
The situation has reached a critical point with families, already traumatized by previous displacements, finding themselves in a relentless cycle of flight, with transportation costs soaring and few safe destinations left. The NRC has expressed grave concern for those in Wad Madani, particularly the vulnerable families with no means to escape the encroaching violence.
The Sudanese doctors’ union has labeled the situation as “catastrophic,” with essential services like pharmacies closing down. Meanwhile, skepticism clouds the prospects of an East African mediation initiative to resolve the conflict, which has been marked by reports of human rights abuses in areas already seized by the RSF.
As the international community calls for restraint and a peaceful resolution, the reality on the ground in Sudan remains dire, with the echoes of conflict leading to an uncertain future for millions.
Source: Aljazeera
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