EL-GENEINA — The Rapid Support Forces currently control el-Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, during ongoing conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces. The capital city hosts more than 120,000 displaced people.

Lecture halls at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of el-Geneina are being used as shelters for displaced individuals. Zainab, who previously worked as a nurse in Omdurman, constructed a small hut on the university campus grounds after initially sheltering in college halls. Her husband, a police officer, disappeared during fighting in Omdurman.

"We are relying on God. I have three daughters with me here; they need food, clothes, and drink, and all of this is not available. Until now, there is no official organisation we rely on," Zainab said.

Two of Zainab's daughters have shrapnel injuries. "The doctor at El-Geneina Teaching Hospital told me both of them need surgery costing two thousand dollars," Zainab said.

More than 50,000 people have been reported killed in the conflict between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces. United Nations officials and human rights investigators described violence targeting the Masalit tribe in el-Geneina as ethnically motivated and possible crimes against humanity. United Nations officials characterized violence committed by Rapid Support Forces fighters and allied groups in el-Geneina in late 2023 as severe.

Nagwa, a teacher residing in the al-Nasr neighbourhood of el-Geneina, has remained in the city despite property losses. "After the war, we lost our homes, our belongings, and even our jobs. I used to be a teacher; now, I lost my job and my salary was stopped, and the situation got worse," she said. She indicated that staying in el-Geneina preserved what little remained. "When a person is displaced, the suffering is greater. Staying preserves what remains, even if it's little," she said.

Food and drinking water costs are elevated in el-Geneina, and humanitarian aid organizations are unable to meet all resident needs. Markets and hospitals have reopened. The education and health sectors in el-Geneina operate below pre-conflict capacities.

An official with an international humanitarian organization, Mohamed, stated that humanitarian response efforts in West Darfur face major challenges. The exact population of el-Geneina is unclear due to an influx of people from other regions.