RSF takeover of Sinja triggers mass displacement, humanitarian crisis

June 30, 2024 (SENNAR) – As the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) consolidate their control over Sinja, the capital of Sennar State, a large number of civilians are fleeing from Sennar, Dinder and surrounding areas.

The Rapid Support Forces captured Sinja on Saturday after advancing from their positions in Jabal Moya, a strategic location linking Sennar state to other states. They quickly seized the military base and government headquarters and began looting and terrorizing the local population.

Fearing escalating violence, thousands of people have fled to Gedaref in eastern Sudan. Displaced people arriving in Gedaref report that many more remain trapped, unable to escape the Rapid Support Forces advance.

Displacement has resulted in large numbers of families being separated, with children and the elderly separated from their loved ones. Volunteers in Ed Damazin, Blue Nile State, are providing shelter to some of the displaced, while others are relying on the hospitality of the local community.

Sennar Human Rights Watch condemned the “worst humanitarian suffering in the city’s history,” noting rampant looting, housebreaking and attacks by the Rapid Security Forces. Civilians trapped in Sinja have also been subjected to aerial bombardment and artillery fire from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which are trying to regain control of the city.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the Sudanese Armed Forces had closed the Sinja-Wad Ezz bridge, preventing many people from escaping and forcing some to risk crossing the river. They have issued an urgent appeal to international aid organizations, hoping that they can provide assistance to the displaced.

Despite the efforts of the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Rapid Security Forces still control Mount Moya and Sinja, while the army holds the city of Sennar and has successfully repelled attacks by the Rapid Security Forces in recent days. The situation remains volatile and further displacement and humanitarian suffering are expected in the coming days.