Thousands flee North Darfur town after clashes, accusations of civilian killings
March 24, 2025 (AL-MALIHA) – Thousands of families have been displaced from the town of Al-Maliha in North Darfur state, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Monday, following the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) takeover of the area. The Umma Party has accused the RSF of killing 40 civilians.
This localized displacement comes even as the IOM reported the first slight decrease in overall internally displaced persons (IDPs) across Sudan since the conflict began in April 2023.
On Thursday, the RSF claimed control of Al-Maliha, 210 kilometres (130 miles) from El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state. The Sudanese army, however, said it had retaken the town. Communication networks in Al-Maliha are currently down, making it difficult to verify the claims of either side.
“Fifteen thousand families were displaced from the town of Al-Maliha as a result of clashes between the army and joint forces against the Rapid Support Forces,” the IOM said in a statement.
The organization noted that these families were displaced to locations within the al-Maliha locality, where “the situation remains tense.”
Displacement dips slightly
The IOM’s broader report on displacement in Sudan, also released on Monday, painted a picture of massive, ongoing internal displacement, albeit with a slight decrease compared to previous figures.
The IOM estimates 11,301,340 IDPs across Sudan, residing in 10,285 locations across all 18 states. This includes approximately 8,596,622 individuals displaced since the conflict erupted on April 15, 2023. A further 3,934,086 individuals have crossed borders into neighbouring countries.
Notably, this latest IOM update marks the first reported decrease (by 2.4%) in the total number of IDPs since the conflict began, attributed to some return movements.
However, the situation remains dire, with Khartoum state (31%), South Darfur (18%), and North Darfur (16%) having the highest number of people fleeing their homes. South Darfur (16%), North Darfur (16%), and River Nile (8%) states host the largest proportions of IDPs.
The IOM also highlighted that over half (53%) of the IDPs are children under 18.
Between April 1, 2024, and January 31, 2025, 605,000 people fled their homes in areas of North Darfur due to military clashes and the RSF’s incursion into villages north of Kutum and north and west of El Fasher, highlighting that specific regions like North Darfur continue to experience significant displacement.
40 people killed
The National Umma Party said that after the fighting in al-Maliha ended, the RSF committed grave violations against unarmed civilians. Reports documented the deaths of more than 40 people, with dozens more injured and missing, it added.
The party stressed that these violations constituted war crimes and a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, and it demanded an immediate end to them and action to protect civilians from violence.
The Rapid Support Forces have adopted a policy of looting civilian resources, killing unarmed people, and terrorizing civilians whenever they invade an area, the Umma Party and aid groups say.