At least 38 people have been killed in an attack by Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the city of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, Al Jazeera reports, citing local activists.
The attack, which occurred on Sunday, involved the use of high-explosive missiles targeting the city center.
The El-Fasher resistance committee, a volunteer aid group, reported that the RSF launched four high-explosive missiles into the city. This follows a drone attack on Friday that targeted the city’s Saudi Hospital, killing nine and wounding 20, forcing the suspension of medical operations. World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus condemned attacks on healthcare facilities in Sudan as “deplorable.”
The violence in El-Fasher is the latest escalation in the ongoing power struggle between the RSF and the Sudanese army, which began in mid-April 2023. The conflict has triggered a major humanitarian crisis, displacing over 11 million people and resulting in tens of thousands of deaths.
The RSF currently controls most of Darfur, as well as significant parts of South Kordofan and central Sudan, while the army holds the north and east. Both sides have been accused of targeting civilians
Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report on Monday detailing widespread sexual violence, primarily perpetrated by the RSF and allied groups against women and girls in South Kordofan since September 2023. The report documented numerous cases of gang rape, sexual slavery, and other heinous acts that may constitute war crimes. Victims ranged in age from seven to 50 years old, with many attacked in their homes or abducted and held captive.
