Since the conflict in Khartoum, which began on April 15, 2023, the city has experienced catastrophic impacts on civilians, including human rights violations, forced displacements, and infrastructure destruction. The RSF now dominates Khartoum State, repurposing civilian buildings for military use, while the SAF maintains control over strategic sections. This report examines detention practices of both factions, shedding light on the violations occurring within these facilities from April 2023 to June 2024.
Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, has become the focal point of conflict since April 15, 2023, amidst a battle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This escalation was driven by unresolved tensions regarding security sector reforms. The resulting hostilities have led to severe human rights abuses and humanitarian crises characterized by unlawful deaths, arbitrary detentions, and forced displacement, severely affecting the civilian population. Urban areas are now ravaged by indiscriminate attacks, leaving infrastructural damage and limited access to essential resources such as clean water and healthcare.
Throughout mid-2023, the RSF has established dominance over Khartoum State, repurposing civilian structures—like homes, schools, and religious places—into military bases and detention centers. Concurrently, the SAF has retained control over strategic regions of the city and has initiated offensives in September 2024 to reclaim lost territories, resulting in further clashes.
This report provides insight into the detention practices employed by both conflicting parties, focusing on the facilities used by the RSF and SAF. It incorporates testimonies from victims and witnesses to illustrate the extent of human rights violations within these detention environments. The fluid nature of territorial control complicates the landscape, with civilian areas and detention sites often shifting between control of the conflicting factions. Thus, the report emphasizes the pervasive risks and lack of protections faced by civilians, despite changes in control over such facilities from April 2023 to June 2024.
In conclusion, the conflict in Khartoum State has resulted in severe human rights violations and a humanitarian crisis. The RSF’s transformation of civilian spaces into detention facilities and the continuous struggle for control between the RSF and SAF exacerbate the situation for civilians. Victim testimonies reveal the dire conditions within these detention facilities, highlighting an alarming absence of oversight and protection for rights amid ongoing hostilities.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
