At least 32 civilians, including 10 children and 4 women, were killed on Friday in a devastating attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the city of El Fasher, capital of North Darfur State, according to a statement issued by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).

The SAF's 6th Infantry Division reported that the RSF launched a coordinated assault using suicide drones and artillery shelling, which targeted various parts of the city. An additional 17 people were injured and taken to hospitals for treatment.

Local volunteer group Coordination of Resistance Committees in El Fasher confirmed the attack, noting that the northern and eastern neighborhoods of the city came under heavy bombardment. The group urged residents to remain indoors amid the ongoing threat from drone strikes.

In a separate incident, the Zamzam displacement camp, located near El Fasher, was also targeted in a second RSF attack. While no casualties have yet been confirmed, the Sudanese Doctors Network condemned the use of heavy weaponry against the civilian population, calling the assault an escalation in RSF violence.

Ibrahim Khatir, Director-General of North Darfur State’s Health Ministry, confirmed the strike on Zamzam camp but said communication difficulties have hindered efforts to assess the full extent of the damage and any potential casualties.

The attack marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the RSF and the SAF, which has engulfed Sudan since April 2023. El Fasher has become a key flashpoint since renewed clashes erupted on May 10, 2024.

According to data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), cited by the United Nations, the conflict has so far claimed more than 29,683 lives. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that the fighting has displaced over 15 million people nationwide, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

The latest wave of violence highlights the growing insecurity in Darfur, a region already scarred by decades of conflict, and raises renewed concerns over the safety of civilians and humanitarian workers in the region. (ILKHA)