Arab Man Risks Life to Shelter and Smuggle Hundreds of Masalit People Amid Darfur Violence

Saad al-Mukhtar, an Arab man in Geneina, Sudan, courageously risked his own life to provide refuge and help transport hundreds of Masalit people targeted by Arab militias to safety across the border in Chad. The heroic actions took place during the escalating ethnic violence in the Darfur region of Sudan in 2022.

Al-Mukhtar's brave efforts came amidst a genocide being carried out against non-Arab groups, particularly the Masalit, in Darfur according to a report by the Raoul Wallenberg Centre. The report found the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary and its allied militias responsible for committing and inciting genocide against the Masalit and other non-Arab communities. Evidence cited in the report implicates Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Libya, Chad, the Central African Republic, and Russia via the Wagner Group in the ongoing genocide.

The RSF has its roots in the Janjaweed militias, which were previously utilized by the Sudanese government to violently quell uprisings in Darfur. The current conflict, which has displaced over 8 million people and left 18 million struggling with food insecurity, is seen as a continuation of the same ethnically motivated violence carried out by the Janjaweed according to the report's findings.

Why this matters: The courageous actions of individuals like Saad al-Mukhtar in the face of ethnic violence and genocide underscore the pressing need for the international community to take action to prevent further atrocities in Darfur. The implication of multiple countries in the ongoing crisis highlights the complexity of the situation and the importance of a coordinated global response.

The Raoul Wallenberg Centre's report calls for immediate action by the international community to prevent and stop the genocide unfolding in Darfur. "The ongoing conflict in Darfur, which has displaced over 8 million people and left 18 million food insecure, is a continuation of the same ethnically motivated violence perpetrated by the Janjaweed," the report states, emphasizing the urgency of the situation and the need for intervention to protect vulnerable populations like the Masalit from further targeted violence.

Key Takeaways

• Saad al-Mukhtar risked his life to help transport Masalit people to safety in Chad.
• Genocide against non-Arab groups, especially Masalit, is being carried out in Darfur, Sudan.
• The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias are responsible for the ongoing genocide.
• The conflict in Darfur has displaced over 8 million people and left 18 million food insecure.
• The international community is called to take immediate action to prevent further atrocities in Darfur.