A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding within a Sudanese prison controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, where over 300 detainees have perished in just two months due to severe neglect and brutal conditions. The Shala prison, located southwest of el-Fasher in North Darfur, has become a focal point of alleged war crimes and human rights violations.
According to local monitoring groups, the deaths resulted from rapidly deteriorating health conditions and the systematic denial of basic medical treatment. The facility, which came under RSF control in late October, currently holds approximately 9,000 civilians in what witnesses describe as inhumane conditions.
The crisis has been exacerbated by a major cholera outbreak within the prison walls, claiming up to ten lives weekly. The volunteer-run Popular Resistance group in Sudan reports that inadequate medical care has led to severe infection outbreaks, particularly among civilians already injured by shelling attacks.
Disturbing practices include leaving deceased prisoners’ bodies in cells alongside living detainees for extended periods. These alleged abuses form part of a broader pattern of severe human rights violations attributed to RSF forces.
The situation in el-Fasher itself remains dire since the RSF overran the city in October following a 550-day siege. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders reported earlier this month that the city was ‘largely destroyed’ with ‘few civilians remaining.’ Eyewitness accounts describe widespread executions, rape, and looting by RSF fighters against civilian populations.
Additional atrocities include targeted violence against people with disabilities and the trapping of large groups in trenches before opening fire. Before the RSF takeover, el-Fasher hosted approximately 260,000 residents. The UN’s World Food Programme now estimates only 70,000-100,000 civilians remain trapped within the devastated city.