Sudanese doctors say RSF holding 19,000 in Darfur prisons
December 10, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are holding approximately 19,000 people, including thousands of civilians, in harsh detention conditions across Sudan’s western Darfur region, the Sudanese Doctors Network said on Wednesday.
The paramilitary group has detained large numbers of regular troops, politicians, activists, and businesspeople since the conflict with the Sudanese army erupted on April 15, 2023. Following recent military setbacks in Khartoum, Al Jazirah, and Sennar states, the RSF has reportedly transferred scores of prisoners to facilities in Darfur.
“The RSF is holding more than 19,000 people in Dagris and Kober prisons in Nyala and other detention centres in Darfur,” the network said in a statement.
The union detailed that the detainees include over 5,000 civilians—among them politicians, journalists, and 73 medical professionals—mostly arrested in Khartoum and Darfur.
The breakdown of security personnel held includes 3,795 army soldiers, 4,270 police officers, and 544 intelligence agents, alongside an uncounted number of auxiliary forces.
Conditions in the facilities have deteriorated sharply. The network described the prisons as lacking basic hygiene, medical isolation, and adequate food or water, leading to the spread of infectious diseases.
The statement reported that at least four detainees die weekly due to medical negligence and a lack of access to hospitals.
The report echoes findings from the Emergency Lawyers group, which stated on November 11 that detainees were dying of hunger and torture in the “Al-Khair Correctional City,” also known as Dagris Prison. Witnesses have described the facility, located 25 kilometres west of Nyala, as a “site of horror.”
The Doctors Network called on the United Nations and international aid groups to pressure the RSF to release civilian detainees, publish lists of those held, and ensure access to medical care and family contact in accordance with international humanitarian law.