Ahmed A. Bagi (Ph.D., IIUM)

Since its mutiny against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on April 15, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is continuing its heinous crimes against civilian objects and property in an utter disregard of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) that prohibits acts of violence, attacks, and reprisals against civilian objects. The IHL is a major part of the four Geneva Conventions of 1949. Nearly every State in the world has agreed to be bound by them. These Conventions have been developed and supplemented by two further agreements: the Additional Protocols of 1977 for protecting armed conflict victims. Also, the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, plus its two protocols are applied too (q.v,

https://www.icrc.org/en/war-and-law%C2%A0).

The perpetuated crimes of the mutinous RSF against civilians include, among others: attacking, and occupying hospitals and schools, burning, and looting universities and research centers, robbing banks and medical and food warehouses, and forcing civilians to evacuate their houses under gunpoint to the level of killing those who resist. The RSF also steals civilians’ vehicles. In addition, some of RSF personnel raped women and under-aged girls. Generally, examples of such crimes, illustrated below, show only the tip of the iceberg:

: Testimonies of Inhumane Rape Cases

On 17 0f June 2023, CNN aired very detailed testimonies of RSF crimes against civilians where women were raped savagely and brutally. The testimonies of CNN can be found in a segment of a program entitled: “Kill, Terrorize, and Expel: Testimonies Detail Atrocities by Wagner-backed Militia in Sudan” where a verified video of rape in broad daylight was shown (q.v.,

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/16/africa/darfur-sudan-wagner-conflict-cmd-intl/index.html).

Testimonies of Attack against Medical Facilities

On June 30, 2023, the mutinous RSF assaulted Alshohda Hospital, the only hospital for most neighborhoods in the Bahri locality, and it is now out of service. A Federal Ministry of Health, Media and Public Relations Department issued a statement on July 1, 2023, stating that: The Rapid Support Forces militia has committed a grave violation by attacking and killing hospital medical personnel. The Alshohda Hospital in Al-Daroushab, which serves as the main healthcare facility for several neighborhoods in the Bahri locality, has been rendered non-functional due to a brutal assault. During the attack, the armed group terrorized staff and looted departments, tragically killing a medical staff member, Musab Abdullah Ibrahim, who was attending to patients. This incident has suspended medical services in the area, endangering the lives of citizens. The condemnation of these attacks on healthcare institutions and personnel is emphasized, depicting a commitment to their safety. Efforts will be made to restore medical services and ensure the security of hospitals. The loss of Dr. Musab is mourned, and condolences are extended to his family and the healthcare community.

Such crimes have worsened the humanitarian situation in Sudan, particularly the already ailing medical situation. A gloomy report about the dire humanitarian situation in Sudan can be found in UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA’s) “Sudan Humanitarian Situation Report (last updated: on 22 Jun 2023) together with the “Revised Humanitarian Response Plan” (q.v,

https://prod-reports-unocha-org.ahconu.org/en/country/sudan

The mutinies’ behaviors have shown no respect for civilian objects and property despite signing multiple truces between the SAR and RSF in Jeddah. The Truces started with the “Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan of 11 May 2023”, brokered by Saudi Arabia and the US. (q.v.,

https://www.state.gov/agreement-on-a-short-term-ceasefire-and-humanitarian-arrangements/

Yet, the mutinous SRF has never abided by the stipulations of evacuating the civilian objects and civilians properties as stipulated in the multiple truces, and, unfortunately, both Saudi Arabia and the US have fallen short of condemning the RSF’s failure to fulfil its commitment under the said truces.

Though the atrocity of the mutinous RSF is grossly violating international humanitarian, international laws, and human rights, the international community and regional groupings have not only kept silent on such crimes by the mutinous RSF but also have not pressured RSF to respect these laws. It is high time that the International community should shoulder its commitment to safeguarding international laws, Humanitarian laws, and human rights that RSF has violated. Hopefully, all peace-loving nations would stand by their moral principles and humanity to call upon the RSF to respect the sanctity of civilian objects and property per provided laws of the UN.

: Reference s

1. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. (2023, June 22). Sudan | Situation Reports.

https://prod-reports-unocha-org.ahconu.org/en/country/sudan/

2. CNN. (2023, June 16). Kill, terrorize, expel: Testimonies detail atrocities by Wagner-backed militia in Sudan.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/16/africa/darfur-sudan-wagner-conflict-cmd-intl/index.html

3. U.S. Department of State. (2023, June 17). Agreement on a short-term ceasefire and humanitarian arrangements.

https://www.state.gov/agreement-on-a-short-term-ceasefire-and-humanitarian-arrangements/