Sudan: Violent Clashes in El Fasher and Warnings of a Severe Humanitarian and Health Crisis

SadaNews - Violent clashes erupted on Saturday morning between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces in the south of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, with both sides utilizing heavy and medium weapons.

These battles come after the United Nations announced that around 90 people had been killed in recent days due to ongoing attacks on the city and the neighboring Abu Shouk camp.

On Friday, the United Nations reported that at least 90 people had been killed over the course of 10 days due to attacks attributed to the Rapid Support Forces on the besieged city of El Fasher and the adjacent Abu Shouk camp.

The Rapid Support Forces, which have been at war with the army since mid-April 2023, have imposed a siege on El Fasher since May of the same year, the capital of North Darfur State in western Sudan.

El Fasher has been witnessing daily battles between the two sides for weeks, as the Rapid Support Forces aim to control the city through repeated attacks, while the army repels these assaults and seeks to lift the siege that the Rapid Support Forces have imposed on the city for more than two years.

Jeremy Lawrence, spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned that these attacks involve deliberate targeting of civilians, noting that some victims appeared to have suffered what seem to be summary executions, mostly in Abu Shouk camp and from the Zaghawa tribe. He added that the rising violence driven by ethnic motives constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

The World Health Organization also warned of a severe humanitarian and health crisis in El Fasher as a result of armed conflict, the siege, and displacement, indicating that food shortages, lack of health services, and the outbreak of cholera are exacerbating the suffering of civilians.

The organization confirmed that Sudan had recorded nearly 48,000 cases of cholera and 1,094 deaths as of August 11, reflecting the acute challenges faced by the population in the region.