Khartoum
At least 11 people, including three children, have lost their lives, and 17 others were injured in ongoing clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State. This was confirmed by the Sudanese Doctors Network in a statement.
The organisation expressed concern over the escalating violence in this densely populated city, which has been under attack since May 10. They warned that if the fighting continues, a severe humanitarian crisis is imminent.
On Saturday, the network urged for an immediate halt to indiscriminate shelling and called for the lifting of the city’s blockade, which affects more than one million residents, many of whom are displaced. They also appealed to international organisations to ensure that vital humanitarian aid, including food and medical supplies, reaches the affected population.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, through his spokesman Stephane Dujarric, voiced alarm over the RSF’s assault on El Fasher. He urged the paramilitary group to stop the attack and warned that further escalation could ignite intercommunal violence across Darfur.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in conflict between the SAF and RSF, leading to over 16,650 deaths and mass displacement, according to UN estimates.
