Women displaced from al-Fashir in Sudan describe harrowing experiences

Sudanese women displaced from provincial capital of North Darfur over the weekend described harrowing experiences as they fled from bombing and gunfire.

The city of al-Fashir was captured by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF)s on Sunday after an 18-month siege.

Witnesses said that during the assault RSF fighters went from house to house, beating and shooting people, including women and children.

The United Nations migration agency estimates that over 26,000 residents managed to flee al-Fashir.

They arrived exhausted and dehydrated in the nearby town of Tawila, around 60 kilometres west of the city.

Resources are severely stretched in the camp there, which already hosts over 650,000 displaced people.

Families are forced to live in makeshift tents in an open area, many with none of their belongings after being looted on their journey to safety.

"I came here barefoot, even my shoes were taken," said Aisha Ismael who fled the city on Saturday.

The United Nations said it has received credible reports of numerous atrocities, including summary executions, and sexual violence, particularly against women and girls.

Al-Fashir was the last of Darfur's five state capitals to fall to the RSF which is led by General Mohammad Hamdan Daglo.

It has been at war with the army for more than two years in fighting for control of Sudan that the UN estimates has seen over 40,000 people killed.

The war has also created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with part of the country, including the al-Fashir area, plunged into famine.

Over 14 million people have fled their homes, both internally and into neighbouring countries.

The International Criminal Court is investigating both the RSF and the Sudanese military for various alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during this period.