Heavy clashes erupt in El Fasher as Sudanese army and RSF battle
April 30, 2024 (EL FASHER) – Heavy fighting broke out in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, on Tuesday morning when Sudanese army warplanes launched airstrikes on Rapid Support Forces (RSF) positions within the city. This escalation comes despite international calls for a ceasefire.
A joint force comprised of armed movements in Darfur allied with the army claims to be closely monitoring RSF movements around El Fasher, the sole major city in Darfur not currently under the control of the paramilitary forces.
The armed groups have threatened a decisive defeat for the RSF.
The RSF, however, continues to mobilize fighters, including Arab tribal militias, around El Fasher, defying international pressure. In response, the Sudanese army and allied forces have significantly bolstered their defences throughout the city.
Witnesses reported a military aircraft belonging to the army bombing mobile and fixed RSF targets in the city’s eastern and northern districts. The RSF retaliated with ground-based missiles in an attempt to intercept the aircraft.
The RSF released a video on platform “X” claiming to have repelled 22 Sudanese army attacks on El Fasher since the conflict began. They vowed to defend themselves and confirmed the arrival of reinforcements led by Major General Al-Nur Al-Qubba.
Al-Qubba, leader of the “Peace Shield” faction within the RSF, had been rumoured to be siding with the rival Revolutionary Awakening Council of the tribal leader Musa Hilal. However, a recent video shows him on the outskirts of El Fasher, denying those claims and criticizing the council leader’s decision to support the army against the RSF.
El Fasher is strategically important, being the only major city in Darfur that hasn’t fallen under RSF control. The RSF tightened its grip on the surrounding states of South, West, Central, and East Darfur last year.
Joint force accuses RSF of terrorizing El Fasher
The Joint Force in Darfur issued a statement condemning the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for their actions in El Fasher. The statement accuses the RSF of spreading fear and terror among the city’s residents.
According to the Joint Force’s official website, El Fasher is well-defended and will resist the RSF, which they refer to as a “militia” and its allies.
In statement to Sudan Tribune, Ahmed Hussein Mustafa, spokesperson for the Joint Force, accused the RSF of obstructing humanitarian aid by preventing commercial and relief trucks from reaching El Fasher. He called these actions “unfair to civilians.”
Mustafa elaborated that the RSF has been blocking roads and rerouting trucks carrying vital supplies, including a UNICEF shipment of medicine and food for children originally intended for North and South Darfur. These supplies were diverted to El Daein in East Darfur.
He further accused the RSF of destroying villages west of El Fasher, forcing residents, primarily of the Zaghawa ethnicity, to flee towards the city. The surrounding agricultural areas are considered a crucial food source for El Fasher.
In mid-April, the RSF, reportedly aided by Arab tribal militias, attacked over 15 villages in the western countryside, displacing residents and escalating tensions in the region.
(ST)