A shelter in the besieged city of El Fasher in the Darfur region was struck by a shelling and drone attack carried out by Sudanese paramilitary forces, resulting in the death of at least 53 individuals, as reported by a group of doctors on Saturday. The assault, which occurred late on Friday, was the most recent incident in Sudan’s ongoing conflict that has spanned over two years.
The Sudan Doctors Network disclosed that among the casualties were 14 children and 15 women, with an additional 21 individuals wounded, including five children and seven women. Many of the injured sustained severe wounds in the attack on the city by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The targeted area, known as al-Arqam Home, served as a refuge for displaced families in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur province. Situated at the Omdurman Islamic University, the shelter became the site of what the medical group described as a “massacre” indicative of the RSF’s brutal tactics against civilians.
Characterizing the assault as one of the most heinous massacres since the RSF’s incursion over a year ago, the Mashad Organization condemned the act as a form of genocide unfolding before the world’s silent gaze. The RSF has not yet responded to requests for comments on the incident.
El Fasher has been embroiled in intense conflict between Sudanese military forces and paramilitaries for several months. The city, serving as the military’s final stronghold in Darfur, has faced relentless bombing and a complete blockade imposed by the paramilitaries since July. With approximately 260,000 civilians trapped in the city following mass exoduses due to RSF attacks, the UN and humanitarian agencies have raised concerns about widespread hunger, disease outbreaks such as cholera, and the severe humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
Sudan descended into turmoil when tensions between the military and the RSF erupted into violent clashes in April 2023, spreading across Khartoum and other regions. The conflict has since escalated into a full-scale war, resulting in tens of thousands of fatalities, displacing over 14 million people, and plunging parts of the country into famine. The International Criminal Court is investigating the numerous atrocities, including mass killings and sexual violence, as potential war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the conflict.
