Press release
Geneva – March 5, 2024
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) faced an attack on its center in Zalingei, Central Darfur, with two vehicles looted by ten unidentified gunmen on Friday, March 1, 2024. The Committee for Justice (CFJ) strongly condemns this act of violence.
MSF’s team had arrived in Zalingei to assess the medical and humanitarian needs in the war-affected region, intending to initiate a crucial project. The organization expressed deep shock at the armed assault on its staff and deemed it intolerable.
The General Coordinator for Displaced Persons and Refugees in Darfur points fingers at the Rapid Support Militias for the attack, emphasizing the complexity of the situation. The international community’s failure to take adequate measures to aid displaced individuals in camps raises concerns.
Notably, the General Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugees in Darfur had previously opposed Sudanese government decisions preventing humanitarian aid entry via the Chadian border, depriving over five million people, mainly camp-displaced, of crucial food access.
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) strongly condemns this act of violence and calls for a thorough and transparent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
CFJ emphasizes that obstructing food and relief delivery to the displaced constitutes a “war crime” and a blatant violation of international and humanitarian law. The Committee calls on all parties involved to respect and safeguard medical and humanitarian workers, rejecting the use of food as a weapon against innocent citizens. CFJ urges the Sudanese government to reconsider the decision to block entry of humanitarian assistance from Chad.
