SC Connecticut News

In North Darfur, Sudan, the city of El Fasher is embroiled in conflict as fighting intensifies between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). This violence has left hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped amid escalating hostilities. In mid-September 2024, renewed shelling and airstrikes have further devastated the city's infrastructure.

Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab, along with a team of researchers, is closely monitoring the situation. They analyze satellite images and other data to gather information on what has become one of the world's largest displacement crises. The lab's reports have been vital for world leaders and humanitarian organizations. A report from June 2024 warning about an RSF attack contributed to the United Nations Security Council passing Resolution 2736, calling for a ceasefire to allow aid to reach 1.8 million people in need.

Raymond highlighted that his team documented over 50 mass casualty events during a period in Darfur. "The RSF," he explained, "has taken a literal scorched earth approach." Despite challenges, Raymond and Associate Professor Kaveh Khoshnood remain committed to their work. Raymond stated: “One of the things we can do is provide warning.”

The conflict stems from political instability following former President Omar Hassan al-Bashir's ousting in 2019. The SAF supports government leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan while the RSF backs General Mohamed Hamden Dagalo (Hemedti). The RSF includes many former Janjaweed members accused by the ICC of crimes against humanity during the Darfur genocide.

Since April 2023, more than 13 million people have been displaced due to this conflict. Cholera outbreaks and famine have worsened conditions for refugees and internally displaced persons across Sudan.

Early warnings from Yale’s lab about potential threats in El Fasher were shared with U.S. officials and U.N. Security Council members last year. Despite these efforts, diplomatic progress has stalled as fighting continues around El Fasher.

A recent report by Yale’s lab confirmed intense combat operations in El Fasher with SAF bombardments and RSF offensives threatening further destruction. The international community reacted swiftly; Alice Wairimu Nderitu described it as unleashing "a maelstrom of violence."

Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab continues its work under challenging circumstances while advocating for international accountability through documentation archived at the U.S Department of State’s Conflict Observatory.

Khoshnood emphasized public health's role in addressing global emergencies: “We’re seeing...the start of a genocide...This violence needs to stop.”