Sudanese civilians are facing dire circumstances as they flee violence in El-Fasher, a city recently overtaken by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group. Ahmad Abdullah, 47, recounts his harrowing escape from the city, where he was repeatedly attacked and robbed while trying to reach a displaced persons camp in Tawila, located 60 kilometers away.

Abdullah described his initial encounter with armed men shortly after leaving El-Fasher. "When I first left El-Fasher, I ran into two armed men. One asked what I was carrying. I said I had nothing. He told me to go," he said. However, his luck soon changed when he was assaulted by men in a vehicle who beat him and stole his belongings, including money, a phone, and identification documents. "They took a knife I had, then told me to leave," he added.

As he continued his journey, Abdullah faced further violence. He was robbed of lemons he had found and then confronted by seven armed men who brutally attacked him. "They beat me savagely until blood poured from everywhere on my body. Then they threatened me with death or ransom," he recalled. In a twist of fate, his impoverished status as a donkey cart driver led one militiaman to spare his life. "They demanded I recite the Shahada (the Muslim declaration of faith) before they killed me. But one of them said, 'Leave him. Let him go. He has nothing.'"

The situation in El-Fasher has been catastrophic, with many residents not surviving the RSF's takeover. The city has been a focal point in Sudan's ongoing civil war, which has seen widespread atrocities, including allegations of genocide against ethnic African groups. Abdullah noted, "I've seen many people killed," and mentioned that his brothers were among the victims. Families have been torn apart, with many individuals kidnapped and held for ransom.

Human rights monitors report that the RSF has killed tens of thousands, with many more unaccounted for. Rumaytha Adam, 20, also experienced violence while fleeing El-Fasher. She witnessed the aftermath of mass killings and described the grim reality of her escape. "We found dead bodies along the way. We couldn't help anyone because we were forced to keep moving in one direction. You could only look ahead and keep going until we got here," she said. Adam lamented the loss of her brothers, stating, "The Rapid Support Forces killed everyone with knives — not just from bombardment or bullets. They threw themselves on people and killed them."

Survivors in Tawila continue to mourn their losses. Fatima Saleh shared her grief, saying, "Many families lost people. Some were killed, others died in the fighting — it was God's will. I lost my older brother directly before we left. He was killed by shrapnel from an artillery shell." The ongoing violence and instability in Sudan have left many families shattered and struggling to cope with their losses as they seek refuge from the chaos.