In a devastating incident on Sunday, six people were killed in Sudan’s Darfur region due to artillery shelling that targeted a crowded market and a nearby camp housing displaced individuals, according to local health volunteers. The attack occurred in the Abu Shouk camp, located on the outskirts of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, which has been under siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since May 2022. The ongoing conflict, which has persisted for nearly two years, involves a brutal struggle between the RSF and Sudan’s national army.
The local Emergency Response Room, a collective of volunteer groups aiding in medical evacuations, reported that the shelling specifically struck the market at a time when civilians were gathering to purchase essentials for Ramadan. As the holy month of fasting commenced on Saturday, the assault added to the mounting suffering faced by the population, with the volunteer committee attributing responsibility for the attack to the RSF.
The dire conditions in Sudan have been exacerbated by widespread conflict, starvation, and displacement. A December assessment backed by the United Nations revealed that famine had already taken hold in Abu Shouk and two other camps in the El-Fasher region, with forecasts suggesting that the crisis could extend to additional areas, including the city itself, by May.
While the RSF has established control over nearly the entire northwest region of Darfur, they have not succeeded in capturing El-Fasher, where Sudanese army and allied forces have managed to resist their advances. The ongoing war has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people and displaced more than 12 million, pushing millions closer to the brink of mass starvation.
Amidst this chaos, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) recently expressed concerns over the situation in the Zamzam camp, noting that intense fighting had compelled them to halt the distribution of vital food and nutrition assistance. The complex humanitarian crisis continues to unfold, with civilians caught in the crossfire of a conflict with devastating consequences.
