| Sudan 2024 © Diana Zeyneb Alhindawi/MSF |
A report released by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) this week reveals a collapse in the protection of civilians in Sudan, where the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces continues to cause widespread suffering and destruction. More than 10 million people–20 percent of the population–have been forced from home since the conflict escalated last year.
The report draws on medical and operational data MSF collected from the start of the war in April 2023 to May 2024, along with testimonies of survivors treated by MSF teams. The report contains shocking accounts of sexual violence, a defining feature of the war in Sudan and especially in Darfur. Data from MSF facilities supporting Sudanese refugees in neighboring Chad suggest the widespread use of sexual violence as a form of warfare, particularly targeting women and girls. It details targeted ethnic violence against people in Darfur, attacks on health care, and the wider health impacts of the conflict and bureaucratic restrictions.
“The violence of the warring parties is compounded by obstructions,” said Vickie Hawkins, MSF general director. “We call on all warring parties to facilitate the scale up of humanitarian aid and, above all, to stop this senseless war on people.” Read more from the report > |
