Satellite images show how Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are flouting international law by intentionally targeting civilians in the besieged city of el-Fasher. These actions should be considered war crimes, a research team from Yale University claims.
Caitlin Howarth, from the university's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL), stated that over 60 new burial mounds have appeared in just two weeks, indicating considerable loss of life.
The RSF has encircled the city with a 57 km earthen wall, effectively trapping its residents, who now face total food shortages. The local resistance committee reports that all food supplies have been exhausted, leaving people without any means of sustenance.
Description of the dire situation continues, as they note even what little alternatives for food existed have now disappeared. Reports suggest that these desperate conditions lead civilians to hide in makeshift shelters during bombardments.
El-Fasher, a city under siege for 18 months, suffers from severe communications issues, complicating the verification of information. The few remaining residents, estimated at around 300,000, live in a nightmarish condition devoid of humanitarian assistance.
Humanitarian flights are non-existent, and ground efforts to aid civilians have largely stalled. Community kitchens attempting to offer refuge have ceased functioning due to complete food unavailability.
Recent satellite imagery analysis indicated targeted attacks on areas housing civilians, including mosques and community kitchens, tragically resulting in at least 174 deaths and over 120 injuries within a short time frame. These incidents are believed to be underreported due to the ongoing chaos.
Yale HRL researchers assert that these attacks not only violate international humanitarian laws but also meet the criteria for crimes against humanity. They demand immediate cessation of hostilities and allowance for safe civilian evacuation alongside unrestricted humanitarian access.
With the situation worsening, Ms. Howarth pointed out there are only four RSF-controlled exits from the city. She urged immediate intervention to protect the helpless civilians trapped within this siege.
