8,000 detainees transferred from Shala prison in El-Fasher to detention facilities in Nyala

Survivors recently released from detention centres run by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia in the city of El-Fasher reported that they were subjected to severe torture methods, including starvation, deprivation of drinking water, and confinement inside metal containers exposed to extreme heat, before being moved to other detention sites within the city.

One survivor told Darfur24 that detainees were held in harsh and inhumane conditions inside Shala prison, saying they were subjected to prolonged starvation and thirst.

Released detainees said hundreds of prisoners inside the facility were young men, including travellers heading to gold mining areas and students on their way to study. They added that families remain unaware of their fate or places of detention.

The RSF had previously intercepted dozens of travellers from Darfur heading toward areas under Sudanese Armed Forces control, detaining them in its facilities. Some were released in exchange for financial payments, while others remain unaccounted for.

The released detainees also said they were severely beaten and held inside dark, overheated containers at a site known as the “land transport station” north-east of the city, which is used as a temporary detention centre before transfer to Shala prison west of El-Fasher.

In the same context, multiple sources confirmed that the RSF has transferred around 8,000 detainees from Shala prison to Dagrees prison in Nyala, South Darfur State, since its control of the city in October 2025.