El-Fasher, January 19 (Darfur24)
Returnees to El Fasher city in North Darfur State on Monday complained of worsening security conditions, citing rising rates of theft and sexual assault compared to last year.
Between November and December, some families returned to their homes in El Fasher following the Rapid Support Forces’ takeover of the 6th Infantry Division command in late October. However, several returnees told Darfur24 that crime in the city has since reached unprecedented levels, prompting some families to leave once again.
A civil activist who recently returned to El Fasher, and requested anonymity, said they had hoped for safety and stability but were confronted with harsh realities. “There is no safe drinking water, no electricity, and not even the most basic necessities of life,” he said.
He added that returnees were simply seeking a dignified life in their homes and communities, but instead found widespread insecurity. Homes are no longer safe from burglary, forcing many families to live together in clusters, despite the presence of federal police posts in neighborhoods, which he said have failed to curb crime.
The activist reported that Nifasha camp and the Abu Shouk neighborhood witnessed more than five killings in December, in addition to four cases of sexual assault inside homes.
In a related account, a tea seller said her house is repeatedly looted by armed men because of her work in the market. She added that her life feels threatened both at home and in public spaces amid repeated incidents of sexual assault in markets and residential areas, allegedly involving elements of the Rapid Support Forces.
She noted that life in El Fasher has become especially difficult for women returnees, who face heightened vulnerability under what she described as exploitative “circumstances.”
Meanwhile, a source in the Federal Police affiliated with the Rapid Support Forces confirmed to Darfur24 that they receive daily reports of theft and sexual assault. The source acknowledged that police have been unable to contain the crimes, but accused unnamed actors of carrying out violations to tarnish the image of the Rapid Support Forces in the city.
Despite these conditions, the Rapid Support Forces continue to call on displaced residents to return to El Fasher, which remains affected by severe service shortages and disrupted communications.