New York – Sudan Now
Sudan has called on the United Nations and the UN Security Council to urgently intervene over the conditions of thousands of detainees held in prisons under the control of the RSF in the states of North and South Darfur, accusing the group of committing serious violations that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The appeal was made in a letter sent by Sudan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Al-Harith Idris, to the President of the UN Security Council on June 12, 2026. In the letter, he stated that the Sudanese government had documented what it described as systematic violations, including arbitrary detention, torture, extrajudicial killings, and the denial of medical care inside detention facilities operated by the RSF.
According to the letter, the RSF is holding approximately 19,800 detainees at Dagrees Prison in the city of Nyala. The detainees reportedly include 3,795 members of the Sudanese Armed Forces, 5,000 civilians from Al Fashir, 4,270 police personnel, 544 members of the General Intelligence Service, 73 medical workers, as well as 5,434 civilians from various professions and 690 women.
The letter described the humanitarian conditions inside the prison as “catastrophic,” citing a severe shortage of medical staff, medicines, food, and drinking water. It also reported the deaths of several detainees due to chronic illnesses, malnutrition and medical neglect, in addition to the denial of access to external medical treatment and the prohibition of family visits.
These allegations come as large parts of 9 Killed in RSF Drone Strike on Darfur Market continue to face a complex humanitarian situation amid a conflict that has been ongoing for more than three years. The United Nations and humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned of worsening health services, food shortages, and difficulties in delivering humanitarian aid to several conflict-affected areas.
The Sudanese government has accused the RSF of systematically engaging in torture and ill-treatment, including beatings, electric shocks and degrading treatment, amid what it described as overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, as well as the spread of infectious diseases including cholera.
The letter also included allegations of human organ trafficking inside Dagrees Prison, claiming that foreign elements were involved in the extraction of organs from some detainees and their removal from the facility. It added that these claims were not supported by evidence or confirmed by any independent international investigation.
Regarding the city of Al Fashir, the letter stated that the RSF are holding 881 military prisoners and 407 civilians in Shala Prison, including 113 children under the age of 18. It added that most of the detainees are wounded and injured individuals who have not received adequate medical care.
The conditions of detainees and prisoners have been receiving increasing attention from human rights organizations. However, limited access to many areas under the control of the RSF makes independent verification of the number of detainees and their conditions of detention extremely difficult, according to previous international reports.
The document indicated that around 300 injured detainees have died over the past two months inside Shala Prison due to the lack of medical treatment and healthcare. It also reported a cholera outbreak since last February, with between five and ten deaths recorded weekly linked to the disease, according to the letter.
Sudan has also accused the RSF of leaving the bodies of deceased detainees inside the prison for extended periods and forcing inmates to bury them, in addition to carrying out field executions against civilians. Among these allegations is the killing of 15 injured civilians inside Al-Rashid Dormitory at the University of Al Fashir, after they were accused of belonging to the Sudanese Armed Forces and joint forces.
In recent months, the states of Darfur have witnessed increasing UN warnings over the deterioration of the humanitarian situation and the protection of civilians, particularly in areas experiencing military operations or suffering from disruptions to essential services. This comes amid repeated calls to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of both detainees and civilians.
These allegations come as the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF continues since April 2023, amid mutual reports from both sides of the conflict regarding violations against civilians and prisoners in different parts of the country.
