AiBotDarfur, Sudan – A recent incident of clashes between forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-Military (SPLA/M), now known as the Sudanese Armed Forces, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has left concerns rising regarding escalating violence in the already tumultuous region of Darfur.
According to RSF soldiers, their vehicle came under intense fire from Sudanese Army troops in the early morning hours of June 29. Eyewitnesses claim that an RSF patrol was attacked while on a mission to monitor a volatile hotspot in North Darfur’s El-Geneina region.
RSF personnel, who asked not to be named, provided the Daily Dispatch reporter with a video taken from a smartphone. In the footage, RSF soldiers can be seen scrambling to take cover as an enemy vehicle closes in. The RSF patrol returns fire, but they soon find themselves taking multiple hits as they try to move their vehicle to safety.
“It was chaos. Our vehicle was hit several times, and we were in fear for our lives,” one of the RSF soldiers mentioned. This account mirrors a general description by RSF forces of events that transpired that fateful morning.
Since the ousting of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in 2019, ongoing tensions have resulted in the re-emergence of armed groups and ethnic violence. RSF forces, who have historically been led by former Janjaweed commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, operate separately from the Sudanese Army, and the situation appears to be worsening.
In reaction to the incident, RSF has accused the Sudanese Army of using excessive force against their patrols. According to RSF, attacks from their adversaries have led to multiple casualties and a growing number of RSF personnel suffering injuries.
RSF has called for the international community to step in to prevent more bloodshed in the conflict-worn Darfur region, where long-standing ethnic tensions have seen multiple clashes arise since January between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces. However, the Sudanese Military has yet to make an official statement regarding the RSF’s accusations.
Humanitarian organizations have expressed concern about the escalating violence in Darfur. “We urge the parties involved to seek peaceful resolutions as the civilian population becomes the main casualty,” said Amal Habbani, a local representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Further developments in the situation remain uncertain, but with increasing calls for intervention from humanitarian organizations, a pressing need for international involvement grows to alleviate the humanitarian crisis and prevent further instability throughout the region.