Mass exodus from El Fasher amidst intensifying conflict in North Darfur

June 3, 2024 (EL FASHER) – As fierce battles rage between the Sudanese army, its allied movements, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), thousands of civilians are fleeing El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.

Since May 10, the historic city has been engulfed in bloody conflict, resulting in substantial civilian casualties and widespread devastation. The escalating violence, characterized by heavy artillery fire from the RSF and airstrikes by the army, has forced thousands of residents to abandon their homes.

Adam Regal, spokesperson for the Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugees in Darfur, reported a significant influx of displaced people arriving in the Tawila area and other locations in Jebel Marra, areas controlled by the Sudan Liberation Movement.

Regal described the displaced as facing dire conditions, lacking basic necessities such as food, medicine, water, and shelter. He urgently appealed to the United Nations, its agencies, and regional and international humanitarian organizations to provide immediate emergency assistance.

The warring parties have been accused of obstructing the safe passage of fleeing civilians and committing grave violations, including ethnically motivated killings, arrests, and extortion.

El Fasher, the central hub of the five-state Darfur region, remains the only city not under RSF control. The paramilitary group has been mobilizing thousands of fighters for months in a concerted effort to seize the strategic capital.