October 9, Al-Sayah — Residents in Al-Sayah town in North Darfur have experienced mass displacement following fierce fighting. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took control of the town last month and have looted residents properties.
Resident Yousif Mohamed Al-Mustafa told Darfur24 that he estimated 12,000 local people have been displaced.
“All the town’s residents have been displaced to different destinations and neighboring villages, leaving only some elderly people and poor families who do not have money to travel and have preferred to stay in the town,” he said.
Another resident, Ahmed Mohamed Salih, told Darfur24 that the current harvest has been affected by the battles in the town and the widespread security violations against the local population by the RSF.
“The purpose of the control is to displace the local population and impose de facto authority over them,” he said.
He also said that battles in the neighboring Mado area have caused the displacement of the population towards the mountains, and they have been exposed to widespread violations. Citizens have allegedly refrained from going to the farms for fear of being killed.
The Mado area witnessed fierce battles between the Joint Forces of the Armed Movements and the RSF last week, which left dozens dead and wounded, and losses in equipment and combat vehicles for both sides.