Gunmen seize MSF vehicles in pre-dawn Central Darfur heist
Médecins Sans Frontières workers carry a wounded Sudanese refugee into a tent in Adre, Chad (File photo: MSF / Mohammad Ghannam)
The international humanitarian NGO, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders /MSF) says that two of its vehicles were stolen in the early hours of Friday, following an attack by 10 unidentified gunmen on an MSF centre in Zalingei, capital of Central Darfur.
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) yesterday, MSF confirms the theft of the two vehicles, and expresses shock at the incident.
“Our team had recently arrived in Zalingei to assess the medical and humanitarian needs of a region significantly impacted by Sudan’s ongoing war, with the objective of starting a project soon. This armed incident shocked our colleagues and cannot be tolerated,” MSF says.
“MSF calls Sudan’s main warring parties [Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF)], as well as other armed groups and militias, to respect and protect medical and humanitarian workers to safely continue providing much-needed aid to the population.”
MSF stresses that it is a neutral and unbiased medical humanitarian NGO, that works to help those affected by violence, epidemics, natural disasters, and exclusion from health care, regardless of their race, religion, or political affiliation.
In a separate statement, the General Coordination for Displaced People and Refugees in Darfur, accuses the RSF of attacking and intimidating humanitarian workers. The coordination confirms that the latest incident involved theft of MSF vehicles.
The coordination stress that “the matter is dangerous and extremely complicated in light of the statements of international officials and their knowledge of all this information,” expressed their astonishment at “the failure of the international community to take effective and practical measures to provide aid to displaced people and refugees.
‘Rogue elements’
The RSF has been approached for comment, and has not yet done so directly on this specific incident, however its feed on X (formerly Twitter) features several videos purporting to be ‘RSF-facilitated’ humanitarian convoys in Darfur.
RSF cadres are frequently accused of crimes against civilians, however, as part of the statement at the weekend, denies that it has looted relief facilities, citing “individual violations committed by rogue elements”.
“The RSF did not loot humanitarian aid warehouses in the areas under our protection, as relief aid did not reach these facilities in the first place.” The post says. “Additionally, our forces are committed to protecting and delivering humanitarian aid to civilians in all areas, as per the permanent orders issued to them by the RSF leadership in this regard. Furthermore, our forces have not harmed any humanitarian actors, as we have a genuine interest in their presence and in assisting civilians.”
The RSF continues: “We decisively address individual violations committed by rogue elements in certain areas and by our own personnel. We never tolerate them. We control and hold accountable those responsible for such actions, whether they are from our forces or civilians in areas under our protection. The RSF condemns all human rights violations committed in this war, and all wars. We constantly work to address them and ensure that they are not repeated…
“We are committed to facilitating and securing the delivery of aid and protecting humanitarian workers in the areas under our protection, as we respect international humanitarian law and desire to ensure a better life for civilians across Sudan,” the RSF statement concludes.
Humanitarian catastrophe
As frequently reported by Radio Dabanga, displaced people and refugees fleeing in Darfur are facing a dire humanitarian catastrophe. The US Dept of State has urged the warring parties “to immediately allow unhindered humanitarian assistance deliveries to all parts of Sudan”.
In response to the US, the RSF says that while it “deeply appreciate[s] the expression of concern shown in the statement issued by the US Dept of State,” it denies that RSF cadres are guilty of looting humanitarian aid warehouses, and “reject as unfair any attempts to equate the RSF with the SAF”.
Malnutrition
In an exclusive interview with Radio Dabanga this week, Mary Louise Eagleton, deputy representative of the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in Sudan, sheds light on the organisation’s efforts to confront the dire humanitarian circumstances currently impacting at least “four million children with acute malnutrition,” with “730,000 of them suffering from severe acute malnutrition” in the country.
The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has warned that the vast majority of Sudanese face severe hunger, with more than five million people unable to have one adequate meal per day, amidst 10 months of war.
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