Darfur joint forces recapture crucial water reservoir from RSF in El-Fasher

May 27, 2024 (EL FASHER) – Joint Forces, under the command of the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Arko Minawi recaptured the Golo reservoir west of El-Fasher on Monday. The reservoir, the primary water source for the North Darfur capital, had been briefly seized by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

On Sunday, the RSF, led by field commander Ali Rizkallah “Al-Savana”, took control of the reservoir, shutting down water purification stations and cutting off water supplies to El-Fasher. In a widely circulated video, Rizkallah declared, “From now on, they will have to get water from the Red Sea.”

Following the recapture, Minawi condemned the RSF’s actions on the “X” platform, emphasizing the reservoir’s crucial role as the sole water source for the densely populated city. He criticized the RSF’s behaviour, stating, “These people, with their behaviour, talk about democracy, and it is unfortunate that they are funded by countries that are members of the United Nations.”

The Golo reservoir, located approximately seven kilometres west of El-Fasher, is the main drinking water source for the Darfur region’s historic capital. Military sources revealed to Sudan Tribune that after being expelled from Golo, Al-Savana’s forces burned approximately three villages west of El-Fasher, displacing their residents.

This incident follows a pattern of retaliatory attacks on villages in the western countryside of El-Fasher by the RSF and Arab tribal militias. These attacks, often targeting the Zaghawa ethnicity, began on April 6th and have resulted in the displacement of over 50,000 people.

The escalating conflict between the RSF and the joint forces, who are aligned with the Sudanese army, has led to widespread violence and displacement in the region.