Heavy RSF shelling kills at least 20 in Sudan’s besieged El Fasher
April 23, 2025 (EL FASHER) – At least 20 people were killed and dozens injured on Wednesday in heavy artillery shelling by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on various parts of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, local sources and officials reported.
For three consecutive days, the city has endured intense artillery bombardment by the RSF, described as the heaviest in months. The shelling targeted positions held by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied armed movements, as well as markets, displacement shelters, and the Abu Shouk and Abuja camps, according to residents and aid workers.
Emergency room volunteers reported that the shelling over the past three days has killed more than 80 civilians.
This significant military escalation by the RSF against the regional capital follows their recent tightening of a complete siege on the city. There are widespread expectations of a large-scale ground assault aimed at capturing the last major government stronghold in the Darfur region.
A statement from the El Fasher Resistance Committees, received by Sudan Tribune, said “more than 20 people were killed, including women and children, due to the indiscriminate artillery shelling by the Rapid Support Forces.” The statement added that around 17 others were injured, some critically.
The Resistance Committees also reported fierce clashes between the warring parties in the northeastern part of the city on Wednesday, followed by heavy shelling targeting various sites, including the Abu Shouk camp and the livestock market.
Meanwhile, the command of the SAF’s 6th Infantry Division reported that a contingent of RSF fighters fled their positions in the northwestern sector of El Fasher aboard 17 military vehicles after facing intense SAF artillery fire.
According to the division’s daily report citing field intelligence, the RSF’s military police pursued the fleeing group, leading to a violent clash between the two RSF units. The report claimed all pursuing military police members were killed and one of their vehicles destroyed, while the fleeing force seized the remaining two vehicles and escaped the area.
In a related development, the El Fasher and Camps Emergency Room announced the death on Tuesday of its youngest volunteer, 14-year-old Mohamed Mukhtar Ismail. He succumbed to injuries sustained during the RSF shelling of El Fasher neighbourhoods on Monday. Ismail had been volunteering at the displacement centres and the local emergency room.
Most residents remaining in El Fasher are relying on community kitchens that provide free meals, as they face severe food shortages due to the ongoing siege, residents said.