Fighting flares in North Darfur’s El Fasher; RSF attacks villages

November 17, 2024 (EL FASHER) – Clashes between the Sudanese army and its allies against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted again on Sunday in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, as the paramilitary group continued its assault on villages in the Kutum locality, residents and military sources said.

The fighting in El Fasher, which has intensified over the past two weeks, underscores the RSF’s attempts to seize control of the city, one of the region’s last remaining strongholds of the central government.

Residents reported heavy artillery exchanges from the early morning, followed by direct confrontations in the southeastern part of the city. A military source confirmed that army warplanes conducted airstrikes targeting RSF positions in the east.

“RSF artillery has been pounding the army’s Sixth Infantry Division headquarters and surrounding areas, as well as northern and western neighbourhoods and the airport,” one resident said, adding that civilian casualties and significant damage to homes were reported.

The Sixth Infantry Division claimed in a statement that its forces had advanced in the southeast, capturing several RSF positions and inflicting heavy losses.

Meanwhile, at least four people were killed and dozens injured in overnight attacks by the RSF and allied militias on villages in Kutum locality, according to Abbas Mohamed Adam, a local activist.

“They attacked Amrai and Boya villages on Saturday night, killing four people and wounding more than 10,” Adam said. “Both villages were burned, livestock were stolen, and residents were forced to flee into the forests.”

Since mid-October, the RSF and allied militias have been accused of carrying out scorched-earth tactics against villages predominantly inhabited by the Zaghawa ethnic group in Kutum, burning more than 45 villages and displacing thousands of residents.