Darfur City of El-Fasher Under Siege as Paramilitary Attack Kills 14 Civilians
A human rights group reported that at least 14 civilians were killed and dozens more were injured in an attack by paramilitary fighters of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as they attempted to flee the besieged city of El-Fasher.
As Arab News reported yesterday, the attack, which occurred on Saturday, adds to the humanitarian crisis in the last holdout city for the Sudanese army in the Darfur region.
According to the human rights group Emergency Lawyers, which documents atrocities in the ongoing conflict, the hundreds of thousands of people trapped in El-Fasher are facing severe shortages of food, medical supplies, and electricity. Residents report constant artillery and drone attacks, with one telling Reuters that the number of deaths is increasing daily. A doctor, speaking anonymously, stated that hunger is an even greater problem than the shelling, noting that children and adults are malnourished and that food is scarce. Many residents have resorted to eating animal feed.
The RSF, which has its roots in the Janjaweed militias, has been accused by locals of blocking food supplies and attacking aid convoys. The price of goods that can be smuggled into the city is more than five times the national average.
Those who manage to flee the city face further risks. Survivors who reached the village of Tawila reported being attacked by RSF fighters who stole their belongings and abducted people. Tawila itself is now hosting over half a million displaced people, but aid is scarce due to cuts in foreign funding. The onset of the rainy season, combined with poor sanitation, has led to a cholera outbreak, with Medecins Sans Frontieres treating 2,500 cases since mid-June. The Norwegian Refugee Council found that only 10% of people in Tawila have reliable access to water.
The war between the Sudanese army and the RSF began in April 2023. The fall of El-Fasher would give the RSF control over nearly all of Darfur, which analysts believe could lead to the de facto division of Sudan. A UN call for a humanitarian pause to the fighting was rejected by the RSF.
