Sudan Doctors Network: 19,000 people detained in Rapid Support Forces prisons in South Darfur

The Sudanese Doctors' Network reported on Wednesday that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are holding more than 19,000 people in prisons and detention centers in South Darfur and other parts of the Darfur region, in what it described as "catastrophic" conditions, with deaths occurring almost daily. The network cited sources inside Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, confirming that the detainees include military personnel from the regular forces and thousands of civilians, among them doctors, activists, and journalists. The statement provided details on the number of detainees, indicating that there are 4,270 police officers, 3,795 members of the armed forces, 544 members of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), 5,000 prisoners captured in fighting in El Fasher, and 5,434 civilians from various professions and backgrounds, including 73 medical personnel. The statement confirmed that the Dagris and Kober prisons, in addition to some unofficial detention centers, are being used to hold these large numbers of people in conditions that lack the most basic human necessities. He explained that the spread of cholera and other infectious diseases, resulting from severe overcrowding, poor hygiene, and the lack of clean water, is exacerbating the situation. The statement indicated that more than four deaths are recorded weekly among detainees due to medical negligence and the absence of necessary care, in addition to the denial of transferring critical cases to hospitals. The network appealed to the United Nations and human rights organizations to intervene immediately to pressure the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to release civilians, publish lists of detainees, halt arbitrary arrests, and urgently improve health conditions inside prisons. It is worth noting that the conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF erupted in April 2023, leading to famine, ethnically motivated killings, and mass displacement. The RSF controls all five Darfur states in western Sudan, while the army controls most of the other 13 states in the south, north, east, and center of the country, including the capital, Khartoum. The Darfur region represents about one-fifth of Sudan’s total area of ​​more than 1.8 million square kilometers, and most of its 50 million inhabitants live in areas under military control.