A doctors’ group reported that at least 53 individuals were killed in a shelling and drone assault carried out by Sudanese paramilitary forces on a shelter in a besieged city in Darfur. The attack, which occurred in El Fasher, resulted in the deaths of 14 children and 15 women. Additionally, 21 people were wounded, including five children and seven women, with many suffering severe injuries. The assault targeted the al-Arqam Home, a refuge for displaced families in El Fasher, North Darfur. The Sudan Doctors Network condemned the attack as part of a brutal campaign by the Rapid Support Forces against civilians, violating international norms and laws. Human rights organizations and rights groups have condemned the assault as one of the most heinous massacres since the paramilitaries initiated their offensive on the city over a year ago, labeling it as an act of genocide witnessed by a passive world.
El Fasher has been a focal point of clashes between the Sudanese military and paramilitaries, with the city being the military’s final stronghold in Darfur. The paramilitary forces had enforced a complete blockade on El Fasher in July, leaving around 260,000 civilians trapped in the city following mass population displacement due to RSF attacks. The residents of El Fasher are facing severe challenges such as hunger and disease outbreaks, including cholera, as warned by the United Nations. The conflict in Sudan originated from tensions between the military and the RSF erupting into widespread violence in 2023, resulting in a protracted war claiming numerous lives, displacing millions, and leading to famine in parts of the country. The International Criminal Court is investigating the conflict’s atrocities, including mass murders and sexual violence, as potential war crimes and crimes against humanity.