Artillery and air strikes in El Fasher as residents flee westward

July 12, 2024 (EL FASHER) – The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) exchanged artillery and air strikes in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, on Friday, as residents continued to flee the city.

Since May, El Fasher, the largest city in the Darfur region, has witnessed fierce battles between the SAF, its allied groups, and the RSF. These clashes have resulted in the deaths and injuries of dozens of civilians, displaced thousands, and caused significant damage to infrastructure.

According to local sources, SAF warplanes targeted RSF positions south, east, and north of El Fasher early Friday morning. The RSF responded with heavy artillery fire on various locations within the city.

Sporadic clashes involving light and heavy weapons between the SAF, its allied forces, and the RSF had already occurred in El Fasher around midnight on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the escalating military operations have triggered a mass exodus from El Fasher, with humanitarian activists reporting that an estimated 3,000 residents have fled the city within the past few hours, seeking refuge in the Sullum area, approximately 20 kilometres to the west.

United Nations agencies estimate that over 143,000 displaced people from El Fasher have arrived in Tawila and surrounding areas, roughly 60 kilometres west of the city.