February 24, 2026 | Tawila
First: Escalating Sexual Violence Against Women and Girls in Tawila:
According to field sources, local hospitals in the Tawila area documented at least 488 cases of sexual violence among women fleeing El Fasher on February 22. The documented cases include individual rape, gang rape, and forms of torture related to sexual violence.
A counselor with a psychosocial support team from a human rights organization confirmed that Tawila is sheltering hundreds of survivors of sexual violence from El Fasher, including underage girls. Dozens of pregnancies among underage girls have also been recorded, requiring urgent and specialized health and psychological interventions.
Humanitarian organizations, including UNICEF and protection partners, are providing limited support to survivors. However, the current level of assistance is insufficient to address the scale of the violations and the growing medical, psychological, and legal needs. Sudan Rights Watch Network affirms that this pattern of violations constitutes grave crimes under international humanitarian law and human rights law, and necessitates independent investigations and guarantees of accountability and an end to impunity.
Secondly: The deteriorating situation of separated and unaccompanied children:
According to the Network’s sources, more than 1,300 children have arrived in displacement camps in Tawila locality from El Fasher, including children separated from their families or orphans. These children are living with foster families within the camps, amidst:
- A lack of effective protection systems.
- A scarcity of humanitarian aid.
- Inadequate healthcare and psychosocial support services.
- The risks of exploitation and abuse.
Sudan Rights Watch Network warns that the continuation of this situation without urgent intervention exposes children to compounded risks, including child labor, forced recruitment, and various forms of exploitation.
Third: Diphtheria Outbreak in Korma Administrative Unit:
Health sources informed the network’s field sources of an outbreak of diphtheria in the Korma Administrative Unit, part of El Fasher locality, located approximately 72 kilometers north of the city. The “Silk” Health Center received dozens of cases in a single day, sparking widespread concern among the population.
At the recent health sector meeting, humanitarian organizations most notably UNICEF and the World Health Organization confirmed that arrangements were underway to conduct an urgent field survey to contain the spread of the disease and mitigate its risks. This development comes amidst the collapse of the health infrastructure and the weakness of routine immunization programs, increasing the likelihood of infectious disease outbreaks in the overcrowded displacement environment.
Fourth: Arbitrary Arrest and Extortion in Nyala:
Sudan Rights Watch Network documented the arbitrary arrest of a butcher named Al-Faki Abdullah Abdulkarim in the Tawila area of Nyala. Rapid Support Forces (RSF) personnel detained him without any legal proceedings and demanded exorbitant sums of money for his release. Local sources informed the Network that the detainee was transferred to Tabit Prison and remained in custody until the demanded amount was paid.
According to reports from the Network’s field sources in North Darfur, his fellow butchers launched an urgent solidarity initiative to raise the required sum. They slaughtered several of their cattle in the Tawila area to generate the necessary funds. This led to direct economic repercussions, including:
- A noticeable shortage of red meat in the Dabba Nayra market.
- Increased meat prices in the Tawila city market.
- Similar price increases in the markets of neighboring camps. This incident points to a recurring pattern of arbitrary arrest and financial extortion, constituting a violation of the right to liberty and security of person, a breach of due process guarantees, and a negative impact on local food security.
Network Recommendations:
The documented incidents demonstrate a serious deterioration in the human rights situation in Nyala, Tawila, and El Fasher localities, manifested in:
- The continuation of arbitrary arrests and financial extortion.
- The widespread nature of sexual violence against women and girls.
- The vulnerability of separated and unaccompanied children.
- The escalating health risks associated with infectious diseases.
Therefore, the Network recommends the following:
- An immediate halt to arbitrary arrests and the release of those detained without legal justification.
- The initiation of independent and impartial investigations into crimes of sexual violence and ensuring the protection of victims and witnesses.
- The strengthening of protection programs for separated and unaccompanied children.
- Urgent support for the health sector, including emergency diphtheria immunization campaigns. – Expanding the scope of humanitarian aid to meet the growing needs.
The network emphasizes that continued impunity, coupled with a weak humanitarian response, threatens further deterioration of the humanitarian and human rights situation in the region and necessitates urgent national and international action.
Sudan Rights Watch Network
February 24, 2026