Sudan: RSF Attack Kills Eight in El-Fasher, Targets Civilians and Health Workers
In El-Fasher, Sudan, a devastating attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) resulted in the deaths of eight civilians. The RSF bombed a bunker sheltering numerous people, according to a doctor at El-Fasher Teaching Hospital. This hospital is among the few still functioning in the besieged city.
Details of the Attack
The RSF used a drone in the attack late Tuesday. Health workers in the region are facing continuous threats. They depend on satellite internet due to communication blackouts. El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, remains the only major city in Darfur not under RSF control, despite being besieged since May of the previous year.
Escalating Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis
The assault is part of an intensified RSF campaign to seize El-Fasher, especially after losing control of Khartoum to the army. An eyewitness confirmed that the bombed shelter was protecting many civilians. Continued artillery attacks by the RSF were also reported. The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with tens of thousands dead and widespread hunger and displacement.
Impact on El-Fasher Residents
Most of Darfur is now under RSF control. Access to media and communication is severely restricted. The residents of El-Fasher, numbering around one million, are struggling with critical shortages of food, water, and healthcare. Infrastructure has collapsed due to fuel shortages and lack of maintenance.
Malnutrition and Displacement
The UN reports high rates of acute malnutrition among young children in El-Fasher. Aid organizations warn of widespread starvation despite the lack of data for a formal famine declaration. About 780,000 people have been displaced from El-Fasher since the conflict's start, contributing to Sudan's immense internal displacement crisis. An estimated 10 million people have been uprooted, with a significant portion in North Darfur.