Khartoum: Rhino – The Sudan Democratic Liberation Movement (SDLM) on Monday called on the joint forces loyal to the army in El Fasher to allow civilians to exit through safe corridors, and to coordinate with the Rapid Support Forces to evacuate trapped citizens out of the fighting areas.
In a statement, the movement expressed its deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in North Darfur, due to the prevention of citizens from exiting to safe localities and their use as human shields by the joint forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
We have noted the RSF’s request to the Joint Forces to facilitate the evacuation of civilians through safe corridors, the distribution of paper instructions to citizens and the provision of safe corridors. However, this request was met with unjustified intransigence by the Joint Forces.
The statement reads: “The RSF’s acceptance and cooperation in opening safe corridors is met with intransigence from the Joint Forces, which raises serious concerns about the latter’s intention to use civilians as human shields, which amounts to a war crime. We particularly emphasize the information that the joint forces are using civilians in the Zamzam camp as human shields. The situation of the refugees inside the camp is also very dire due to the military presence, as we have observed the deployment of military vehicles and equipment in a way that surrounds the citizens on a permanent basis. To our great regret, some members of the pro-military movements appeared in civilian clothes and uniforms, claiming to be citizens. This deception is a crime against the citizen and a cowardly and unacceptable act.”
The statement continued: “It is worth noting that the armed forces and their allies have planted landmines around the camp and around the city of El Fasher, which poses a grave danger to unarmed civilians if they try to flee. Since the armed forces have a map of the locations of these mines, we call on them to assume their full responsibility and open safe corridors for the exit of citizens without endangering their lives and limbs.”
It added: “The Armed Forces’ fear of discovering the map of the mine corridors should not be at the expense of the safety and lives of citizens. It seems that the directions and instructions received by these forces come from the gang of Islamists in Port Sudan, those war-mongering military militias hiding in the uniforms of the Sudanese Armed Forces, who ignited the April 15 war without the slightest concern for the citizen and the country, but only focused on realizing their own ambitions.”
