RSF continues El Fasher assault, displaces thousands amid humanitarian crisis
June 10, 2024 (EL FASHER) – On Monday, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continued their assault on populated areas in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, with heavy artillery. The attacks resulted in civilian casualties and a surge of people fleeing the city.
Eyewitnesses reported to Sudan Tribune that the RSF launched a violent artillery attack on several locations within El Fasher, killing and injuring numerous civilians. The shelling targeted the Al-Wadi neighbourhoods, areas near the army’s general command and the main market, the Tambasi neighbourhood, and shelters for displaced people in the Al-Qadi and Dar Al-Salam schools.
Later that evening, the RSF attacked multiple sites in an attempt to breach the joint force’s defences. A military source informed Sudan Tribune that an estimated 25 combat vehicles entered the Bisharia neighbourhood, east of the city, but were repelled by the joint force after intense fighting. Fierce battles also erupted in the southern part of the city, where the joint force destroyed seven RSF vehicles and killed a significant number of their soldiers.
Additionally, the joint force shot down an RSF drone targeting their headquarters near the Abu Shouk camp for displaced people north of El Fasher.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Abdel Rahman Alnayer, spokesperson for the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Nur, reported a continuous influx of people fleeing the conflict in El Fasher towards areas controlled by the movement in Jebel Marra. Dozens of families arrive daily by truck, livestock, or on foot, facing dire conditions.
Alnayer tweeted that families reaching the movement’s areas are suffering from hunger and disease, with children, pregnant women, and the elderly particularly vulnerable. Dozens are dying daily due to malnutrition and lack of medicine. He warned of a humanitarian catastrophe and called for urgent international intervention.
While the movement is providing security and shelter for the displaced, it lacks the resources to provide adequate food and medical care due to the overwhelming numbers. Alnayer issued a plea for assistance to the global community and humanitarian organisations, urging immediate action to save lives.
On 8 June, the RSF attacked El Fasher South Hospital, assaulting staff and patients and forcing its closure.