Amsterdam / Sudan — The aerial bombardment by the army's warplanes has escalated since the beginning of this week in large parts of Darfur and central Sudan. In contrast, the artillery shelling by the Rapid Support Forces continued towards the Karari locality, north of Omdurman and El Obeid in North Kordofan, in addition to the continuous artillery shelling of residential neighbourhoods and civilian homes in the city of El Fasher, North Darfur.
The aerial and artillery bombardment targeted civilian objects such as hospitals, health centres, residential neighbourhoods, and markets, resulting in civilian casualties.
Since the beginning of the week, air strikes have targeted the city of Ed Daein in East Darfur, El Fasher, Mellit, El Taweisha, Abu Humeira, Kabakabiya, and El Koma in North Darfur, and Kabam in South Darfur, in addition to a number of neighbourhoods in the city of El Hasahisa in El Gezira, as well as areas in Omdurman. Artillery strikes by the Rapid Support Forces have also targeted areas in the neighbourhoods of Karari locality in Omdurman, El Waha neighbourhood, and El Fasher.
All the areas that were subjected to airstrikes are under the control of the Rapid Support Forces, except for the Hainassur neighbourhood in El Fasher, which is controlled by the army. The areas that were bombed included hospitals and other health facilities, markets, residential neighbourhoods, and civilian government facilities, but army loyalists believe that these facilities had a military presence.
In contrast, all the areas targeted by the Rapid Support Forces with artillery shelling are under the control of the army.
International law provides for the protection of civilian objects, which are all objects that are not military objectives. The laws state that "civilian objects are protected from attack unless and for such time as they are military objectives." These two rules apply to both international and non-international armed conflicts.
Abu Humeira
Last Saturday, the Sudanese army's warplanes launched air strikes on the Abu Humeira area, south of Um Keddada, 168 km east of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.
Civilians said that two shells fell in the vicinity of a water station in the valley of Tulus area, South Darfur without causing any loss of life or property. They explained that there were no military manifestations in the area. A force from the Central Reserve had previously withdrawn from the area, while a number of civilians were displaced from the area to Abu Hamira.
Malit
Last Monday, warplanes launched airstrikes on the city of Mellit in North Darfur state, destroying buildings of the Water Authority, forestry offices, and some neighbouring houses.
Civilians from Mellit told Radio Dabanga that the bombing led to the collapse of two houses, indicating that there were no casualties. They explained that the current airstrike is the second of its kind in ten days.
Last April, the Rapid Support Forces took control of the city of Mellit, which is considered an important commercial centre linking El Fasher. The operation to take control of Mellit was a prelude to the siege of El Fasher and launching a large-scale attack on the city starting on May 9.
Last week, the warplanes launched an airstrike on El Maliha area and other areas, and intensified their operations on the outskirts of the city of El Fasher.
Last Tuesday, warplanes launched raids on Ed Daien in East Darfur, El Fasher, El Taweisha and Abu Humeira in North Darfur, El Hasahisa and other areas in El Gezira.
In Ed Daein, the airstrikes targeted Ed Daein Teaching Hospital, especially the internal medicine ward for men, the obstetrics and gynaecology ward, the kidney dialysis centre, Ed Daein Grand Market next to the Grand Mosque, and El Khansa Elementary School for Girls. Civilians from Ed Daein told Radio Dabanga that the bombing killed nine civilians, eight of them women, in addition to one of the hospital's medical staff. Seventeen people were injured, including women and children.
In El Taweisha, North Darfur, the army's warplanes bombed the city, resulting in deaths and injuries. A video clip posted on social media showed pictures of the dead and wounded who fell as a result of the bombing, in addition to a fire that broke out in one of the houses.
In El Fasher, an eyewitness from Hainassur Health Centre in El Fasher told Radio Dabanga that at around 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, the army's warplanes bombed the east of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State. He added that the warplane came from the west and headed east, bombed, then flew from east to west and dropped a shell on the Hainassur neighbourhood health centre and another on the home of a civilian named Bakri.
He added that the bombing led to the death of two people, the injury of 13 people in critical condition, and 15 people in minor injuries. He stated that this is the second time that the centre has been bombed.
He pointed out that the warplanes also bombed the Mellit station, which resulted in deaths and injuries among civilians and military personnel affiliated with the armed forces, indicating that the Mellit station is crowded with civilians.
The warplanes also continue to bomb the Rapid Support Forces' positions in the north of the city on a daily basis.
In return, the Rapid Support Forces continue the artillery shelling of the city of El Fasher, targeting a number of health and voluntary facilities, residential neighbourhoods, displaced persons camps, the airport, and a number of military targets.
On Wednesday, August 21, the Rapid Support Forces bombed civilian sites in El Salam neighbourhood, south of El Fasher city, which led to the death of a woman and two of her children while they were trying to take shelter in El Nour Mosque in the same neighbourhood from the shelling. A number of worshipers were also injured by the artillery shell. On the same day, the Rapid Support Forces bombed the headquarters of the University of Omdurman Islamic University, El Fasher branch, which led to the destruction of the main library and administrative offices.
El Hasahisa
In El Gezira state, artillery shelling targeted El Imtidad and El Sadaqa neighbourhoods in , El Hasahisa, and the neighbouring El Farijab area.
The El Hasahisa Resistance Committees said on its Facebook page that the army's air force launched an airstrike on Tuesday targeting the northeastern area of the city, which led to dozens of civilian deaths and many injuries.
El Fasher
On the other hand, the city of El Fasher witnessed artillery shelling by the Rapid Support Forces towards El Fasher South, the livestock market, the Saudi hospital, and the airport since Tuesday evening, while warplanes bombed targets in the northern and eastern regions at dawn and on Wednesday morning.
Eyewitnesses reported that four people were killed and dozens wounded in the bombing on Tuesday, and that a number of those injured were in critical condition and would undergo surgery. The Rapid Support Forces control most of the localities in North Darfur State except El Fasher.
El Koma
On Wednesday morning, warplanes bombed the cities of El Koma and Kabakabiya in North Darfur State and Kabum in South Darfur.
Saleh Haririn from the local emergency room in El Koma told Radio Dabanga that the shelling of Al-Koma targeted the villages and the valleys on the outskirts of the city, and led to the death of a woman and 4 children, the death of 153 livestock, and the destruction of the city's water sources.
He explained that the bombing terrified children in the displacement centres in El Koma, which houses about 45 thousand displaced people. He confirmed that there was no Rapid Support Forces camp and denied any military presence inside the locality, pointing out that the locality is managed by an executive director affiliated with the North Darfur government.
Omdurman
The Teachers Committee revealed in a statement on Tuesday that the warplanes bombed the house of Khaled Mamour in Omdurman, which led to the death of all members of his family, including his wife, who is also a teacher, while the teacher sustained serious injuries and was transferred to the hospital.
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In contrast, civilians revealed to Radio Dabanga that 9 people from one family were killed and injured in Ombadda's El Jumaiyab by a shell that fell on their house on Monday, fired by the Rapid Support Forces.
A relative of the family reported that a shell believed to have been fired by the Rapid Support Forces fell on the home of the Kabroun Dareh Kanjar's family in Ombadda's El Jumaiyab, Block 16.
El Obeid
In the city of El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State, on August 14, at least 12 people were killed as a result of a violent artillery barrage carried out by the Rapid Support Forces that hit the city's main market and El Khansa Secondary School for Girls.
El Daman Hospital, where the victims were taken, said that 12 people were killed and about 45 others were injured in a bombing by the Rapid Support Forces on sites in the city of El Obeid.
What is civil property?
Legal experts revealed that Sudan is a signatory to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 for the protection of war victims and is a party to the First Additional Protocol of 1977 relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts, in addition to the Second Additional Protocol relating to the protection of victims of non-international armed conflicts.
They explained that the commitment to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Second Additional Protocol is included in the Jeddah Declaration between the army and the Rapid Support Forces issued on May 11, 2023.
According to the customary international humanitarian law code, civilian objects are "all objects that are not military objectives."
They pointed out that the International Criminal Court system classified the intentional targeting of civilian sites, i.e. sites that do not represent military targets, as a "war crime."
This report is published simultaneously on the platforms of media and journalistic institutions and organisations that are members of the Sudan Media Forum.
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