As the city of El-Fasher in Sudan faces a severe humanitarian crisis, satellite images show the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) flouting international law through targeted attacks on civilians, which a team at Yale University claims amounts to war crimes.
Caitlin Howarth from Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) revealed in an interview with the BBC that recent satellite observations indicate a disturbing increase in burial mounds, with over 60 new graves noted in just two weeks. This grim statistic suggests an intensifying crisis as residents find themselves completely trapped.
Food supplies have run out entirely, with local resistance committees reporting, There is nothing left to eat today - all food supplies have run out. They pointed out that even alternative food sources have vanished, indicating total desperation among the population.
As Sudan's civil war continued since April 2023, primarily fueled by the power struggle between the military and the RSF, residents in El-Fasher are besieged. The RSF has constructed a 35-mile earthen wall around the city, eliminating all hope of escape.
The dire situation, worsened by ongoing bombardments targeting civilian shelters and community kitchens, has resulted in widespread malnutrition and casualties, emphasizing the urgent need for international intervention and humanitarian assistance.
Reports detail that recent attacks have destroyed critical infrastructure, including mosques and hospitals, resulting in civilian deaths and injuries. With no effective avenues for aid to enter and no relief measures in sight, the local community's condition continues to deteriorate.
Experts are calling for immediate action to allow safe passage for civilians and unrestricted humanitarian access, arguing that the current actions are not only inadmissible under international law but also possible crimes against humanity.
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