Occupation of Khartoum Hospitals and Deployment of Snipers: Hemedti Revives the Tragedies of Darfur

The Sudanese Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), spare no effort in committing all prohibited acts in their fierce war against the regular army, which started on April 15, 2023, and is expected to continue in the coming days.

One of the most dangerous actions taken by these forces in their pursuit of their leader’s ambitions is targeting sick civilians, occupying medical centers, and installing snipers inside them, as reported by Sudanese human rights organizations.

Although it is well known that even in times of war, there are ethical rules regarding the treatment of civilians that the conflicting parties are supposed to adhere to, Hemedti’s forces noticeably disregard them.

Article 4 of the International Humanitarian Law, issued by the United Nations, guarantees the protection of civilians from the dangers of war and recognizes their right to receive the assistance they need.

It is imperative to exercise all possible precautions to avoid causing harm to civilians, their homes, and the destruction of their means of survival, such as water sources, crops, and livestock.

As for Article 6 of International Humanitarian Law, it prohibits attacking medical personnel, medical vehicles, and hospitals dedicated to humanitarian work.

 

Grave Violations

However, the Rapid Support Forces continue their grave violations that infringe upon the right to life and the right to health by occupying a number of government and private hospitals and healthcare centers.

In recent days, Hemedti’s forces have forcefully stormed several hospitals, occupying and stationing themselves on the rooftops, using them as sniper platforms.

As a result, medical services have been suspended, with artillery and snipers deployed, turning these hospitals into military targets according to the definition of military objective provided in International Humanitarian Law.

On May 8, 2023, the National Mechanisms for Reporting and Follow-up and the National Committee for Local International Humanitarian Law issued a report on the violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces regarding the right to life and the right to health.

The number of public hospitals targeted by Hemedti’s forces reached around 14 hospitals.

The number of affected private hospitals reached approximately 15 hospitals, including Kuwaiti Specialist Hospital, East Nile Hospital, Central Blood Bank, National Health Laboratory (STACK), al-Faisal Specialized Hospital, and Balsam medical center.

The report also stated that Hemedti’s forces disrupted several kidney dialysis centers and major cardiac centers, resulting in the death of many patients.

Additionally, they targeted and disabled a number of electrical transformers supplying power to some hospitals, according to the report.

It is worth mentioning that on May 4, 2023, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim, the spokesperson of the Sudanese Ministry of Health, announced that there were 14 Sudanese hospitals surrounded by the Rapid Support Forces militia.

Dr. Ibrahim explained that this is a phenomenon that contradicts Sudanese ethics and international agreements in preserving healthcare services and emergency assistance.

He stated: “The occupation of hospitals by the Rapid Support Forces has affected the provision of healthcare services because these are major hospitals in Khartoum.”

“The interruption of electricity and water supply caused by them has impacted the delivery of healthcare and medical treatment to Sudanese citizens.”

The violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces did not stop at attacking hospitals alone. On April 17, 2023, they abducted three doctors from the Doctors’ Hospital in Khartoum.

They also abducted a significant number of surgeons, specialists, and nurses from various hospitals to treat their leaders in conflict zones.

On May 5, 2023, a tragic incident occurred in Khartoum when Farida Abdelmonem, a resident physician at the Omdurman Maternity Hospital, was killed by the Rapid Support Forces’ gunfire.

The doctor was on her way home in Khartoum before she was brutally killed, according to the Sudanese Ministry of Health’s statement.

On April 26, 2023, the Sudan Doctors’ Union announced that the hospitals in Khartoum were shelled by artillery and Rapid Support Forces’ vehicles, and 19 hospitals were forcibly evacuated completely.

The union mentioned that there are 82 essential hospitals in the capital and states, of which 23 hospitals are operating partially or fully (some providing only primary emergency care), and all of them are at risk of closure due to violations, the depletion of medical staff and supplies, as well as water and electricity cuts.

 

Official Note

On April 27, 2023, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered an official memorandum to the World Health Organization regarding the violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces on Sudanese hospitals and doctors.

The attack by Hemedti’s forces on medical institutions and healthcare professionals was described as a shocking, barbaric act that contradicts all humanitarian principles and norms.

It was stated that these operations constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and all principles, norms, and rules of engagement that protect the sanctity and sacredness of these facilities.

The World Health Organization and the United Nations, along with their organizations and agencies, were called upon to condemn these acts and demand the immediate withdrawal of the Rapid Support Forces from all healthcare institutions and facilities in Sudan.

As of May 9, 2023, the Preliminary Committee of the Sudan Doctors’ Union announced an increase in civilian casualties since the start of the clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, with 517 deaths and 2,701 injuries.

It was noted that all hospitals and healthcare facilities in the city of al-Junaynah (Darfur) in western Sudan are not operational.

On May 11, the committee stated that 67% of hospitals near conflict areas have ceased their services.

It clarified that out of 88 essential hospitals in the capital and states, 59 hospitals have ceased operations, and 29 hospitals are functioning partially or fully but are also at risk of closure due to a shortage of medical staff, medical supplies, water, and electricity.

On May 9, 2023, the Sudanese National Mechanism for Human Rights and the National Committee for International Humanitarian Law urged the armed forces to protect medical facilities, as they have been converted into military barracks for the Rapid Support Forces.

They appealed to those forces through their human rights and international humanitarian law unit to cease occupation and attacks on doctors and hospitals and to vacate these facilities unconditionally.

 

Gang Behavior

With regard to this dire situation, Sudanese politician Dr. Ibrahim Abdel-Atti stated that he is not surprised by the crimes and violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces against hospitals and medical teams, as this is within the nature of these barbaric militias.

He further explained to Al-Estiklal that these militias committed heinous crimes during the first Darfur war, where they ravaged villages and homes, killing thousands of civilians in hours.

He cited the example of the miniaturized version of the dispersal of the General Command sit-in, where they killed 100 people in a single morning and raped dozens of women.

Abdel-Atti emphasized that they are not dealing with regular forces or modern armies in the sense that they are subject to international law and abide by the ethical and humanitarian laws and rules of war.

He stressed: “We are talking about gangs in military attire that have been legalized in the past era, and Sudan is now paying the terrible price for this mistake.”

He underscored the need to realize that Sudan is facing the greatest danger in its history, a danger that surpasses the risk of South Sudan’s secession because the current situation is devastating to the state itself.

If the Janjaweed (origins of the Rapid Support Forces) prevail, there will be no Sudan as commonly known; it will become a quasi-state without a ruler or any cohesion.

He affirmed that targeting hospitals, medical teams, and civilians is only the beginning of a terrifying phase. If they seize control, Khartoum will become the second Darfur.

Abdel-Atti concluded by saying: “Standing alongside the army and the Sudanese state is an obligatory matter for every citizen, even if we differ in methods and objectives.”

Since the outbreak of clashes on April 15, the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, has been experiencing a state of chaos resulting from the battles between the army and the Rapid Support Forces amid a dire humanitarian situation.

In response to a Saudi–American initiative, al-Burhan and Hemedti, represented by delegates, traveled to Jeddah a few days ago for talks on a ceasefire, but no results have been achieved yet.