Sudan’s situation has deteriorated dramatically as paramilitary forces target civilians in El-Fasher, the last major city in Darfur that remains outside their control. Over the past ten days, at least 165 civilians have lost their lives, according to local activists. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have bombarded the city with more than 750 mortar rounds and artillery shells, intensifying the violence that has plagued the region since the conflict erupted in April 2023.
The death toll has been corroborated by health facilities, with reports indicating that residential neighborhoods, marketplaces, and displacement camps have been struck during this tragic escalation. Local resistance committees, comprised of volunteers, have labeled the situation a “bloody massacre,” emphasizing the dire consequences for the city’s inhabitants.
Efforts by the RSF to capture El-Fasher appear to be motivated by a need to assert control following their recent loss of the capital, Khartoum. As the fighting escalates, the humanitarian crisis deepens. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his alarm over the “increasingly catastrophic situation” in the area, highlighting concerns about reports of harassment, intimidation, and arbitrary detentions of displaced individuals at various checkpoints.
The ongoing war, now in its third year, has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands, displacing over 13 million people. The landscape of Sudan has effectively been split in two, with the regular army maintaining control over the center, east, and north, while the RSF dominates much of Darfur and portions of the south. The conflict has exacerbated an already dire situation, with famine having been declared in five regions, including three displacement camps outside El-Fasher that have turned into battlegrounds.
The international community continues to watch with growing concern as the violence further devastates a region that has long been plagued by instability and humanitarian crises. The unfolding events in El-Fasher serve as a grim reminder of the urgent need for intervention and support for the enduring plight of civilians caught in the crossfire.
