New wave of displacement from El Fasher as fighting intensifies

November 19, 2024 (EL FASHER) – More than 3,000 people have fled El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, amid escalating clashes between the army and its allies against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a spokesperson for the General Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugee Camps in Darfur said on Tuesday.

Adam Rajal said in a statement that around 642 families, comprising 3,210 individuals, have fled to the Jebel Marra mountains, seeking refuge from the intensifying fighting.

“The displaced are living in extremely harsh humanitarian conditions, with a lack of basic necessities such as food, medicine, and water,” Rajal said, urging donors to increase financial support to meet the growing needs of those displaced.

The latest exodus comes as the RSF seeks to gain control of El Fasher, one of the last strongholds of the central government in Darfur. Fighting between the army and the RSF, which began in mid-April, has intensified in recent weeks, with both sides using heavy weaponry.

Eyewitnesses told Sudan Tribune that the RSF shelled the northern and western neighbourhoods of El Fasher with heavy artillery before engaging in direct confrontations with the joint force in the northeast axis.

The 6th Infantry Division said on its official Facebook page that the air force destroyed RSF tanks in the Jugu Jugu area, east of El Fasher. It also reported airstrikes on what it described as “enemy” positions in the southeast.

Since May, more than 500,000 people have fled El Fasher to areas in Jebel Marra, controlled by the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Nur, while others have fled to the northern states.