Traumatized residents of Sudan’s newly seized el-Fasher are struggling to survive without water, sanitation or reliable food supplies in a famine-stricken city, the result of its capture by paramilitary forces, U.N. aid coordinator Denise Brown told AFP on Monday.
El-Fasher fell to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in October after more than 500 days of siege and last Friday a small U.N. humanitarian team was able to make its first short visit in almost two years.
Mass atrocities, including massacres, torture and sexual violence, reportedly accompanied the capture of the city. Satellite pictures reviewed by AFP show what appear to be mass graves.
Brown described the city as a "crime scene," but said human rights experts would carry out investigations while her office focuses on restoring aid to the survivors.
"We weren't able to see any of the detainees, and we believe there are detainees," she said.
