A Sudanese paramilitary attack involving shelling and drones struck a shelter in the Darfur region, resulting in the deaths of at least 53 individuals, a doctors’ group confirmed over the weekend. The assault, which occurred in the city of El Fasher, marked the latest episode in Sudan’s ongoing conflict that has spanned more than two years.
According to the Sudan Doctors Network, a medical organization monitoring the conflict, the attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on El Fasher claimed the lives of 14 children and 15 women, with an additional 21 people sustaining injuries, including five children and seven women. Many of the wounded individuals suffered severe injuries, the group reported.
The targeted site, al-Arqam Home, a shelter for displaced families situated at the Omdurman Islamic University in El Fasher, bore the brunt of the assault. The medical group condemned the attack as a continuation of the RSF’s brutal actions against civilians, in clear violation of international norms and laws.
While the RSF did not provide an immediate response to requests for comments, the Mashad Organization, a human rights group, characterized the incident as one of the most heinous massacres since the RSF launched its offensive in the city more than a year ago. The organization labeled it as an “act of genocide” perpetrated before the eyes of a passive world.
El Fasher has remained a focal point in the conflict between the Sudanese military and paramilitary forces, with the city serving as the military’s final stronghold in Darfur. Following a total blockade imposed by the paramilitaries in July, approximately 260,000 civilians are trapped in the city, having fled previous attacks by the RSF. The residents of El Fasher are enduring hardships due to food shortages and disease outbreaks, including cholera, as reported by the UN.
The unrest in Sudan erupted when tensions between the military and the RSF erupted into open conflict in April 2023, spreading beyond the capital, Khartoum. The escalating violence has led to a full-scale war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced over 14 million individuals, and plunged parts of the country into famine.
The devastating conflict has been marred by atrocities such as mass killings and sexual violence, prompting investigations by the International Criminal Court for potential war crimes and crimes against humanity.