RSF shelling kills dozens in El Fasher in two days

September 27, 2024 (EL FASHER) – Relentless shelling by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has plunged El Fasher, the capital of Sudan’s Darfur region, into a humanitarian crisis. For the fifth consecutive month, the city has endured a deadly barrage of artillery fire, leaving dozens dead and its infrastructure in ruins.

The RSF, locked in a power struggle with the Sudanese army since April 2023, launched a major offensive on El Fasher in May, aiming to seize control of the strategically important city. While the intensity of the assault briefly subsided after the June death of RSF commander Ali Yaqoub, fighting has surged again in September.

The North Darfur state government reported on Friday that at least 62 people have been killed and dozens wounded in the past two days alone. It accused the RSF of using internationally banned weapons in its indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas.

“More than 62 people were killed and dozens injured in heavy artillery shelling carried out by the RSF on various areas of El Fasher on Thursday and Friday,” a government statement said, condemning the “continued violations by the desperate RSF militia in shelling civilians in residential neighbourhoods, markets, hospitals, humanitarian organisations’ headquarters, and warehouses.”

The RSF has intensified its bombardment since Thursday, deploying artillery and drones to target residential areas, markets, and shelters housing displaced people.

Among the worst-hit areas are the Tambasi, Al-Radief, Al-Wadi, South Al-Thawra, and Al-Madraj neighbourhoods, along with the livestock market and the Al-Sanusi school, which is sheltering a large number of civilians who have fled the fighting.