The Sudanese human rights organization, “Emergency Lawyers,” announced the deaths of 25 civilians and the injury of 100 others in clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.
The organization stated that “25 people were killed and 100 injured in clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces in the western neighborhoods of El Fasher over the past two days.”
Meanwhile, a medical source at El Fasher South Hospital told “AFP” that “dozens of civilian injuries arrived at the hospital due to clashes on Tuesday.”
The source added, requesting anonymity, “We suffer from a shortage of blood and staff.”
Eyewitnesses told “AFP” that “the clashes forced hundreds of displaced people to flee from Abu Shouk camp to the nearby city of El Fasher after the fighting reached the heart of the camp.”
The Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, currently control four of the five state capitals of Darfur, except for El Fasher, which hosts armed groups.
Until recently, they had pledged to “remain equidistant from the warring parties,” avoiding slipping into combat.
However, this stance changed last week with armed groups announcing that they “decided to engage in fighting against the Rapid Support Forces due to the provocations and violations” attributed to these forces in El Fasher, according to “AFP.”
North Darfur has witnessed clashes on two fronts in recent days, the first between the Rapid Support Forces and armed movements west of El Fasher and in the town of Mellit, located 100 kilometers north of it, and the second between the Rapid Support Forces and the army in El Fasher itself.
The clashes in El Fasher have escalated international concerns about the fate of the city, which was a major distribution center for relief and aid.
The war in Sudan over the past year has led to thousands of deaths, including up to 15,000 people in Geneina, the capital of West Darfur state, according to UN experts.
The war has pushed the country, with a population of 48 million, to the brink of famine, destroyed infrastructure, and displaced over 8.5 million people, according to the United Nations.
“Emergency Lawyers” is an organization that documents violations against civilians in the ongoing war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces since April 15, 2023.
