Sudan Doctor's Network: Rapid Support Forces kill 18 and kidnap 14 others

SadaNews - The Sudan Doctor's Network has accused the Rapid Support Forces of killing 18 people and kidnapping 14 others from a neighborhood in the city of El Fasher in North Darfur state, western Sudan.

A statement from the network today, Tuesday, mentioned that the Rapid Support Forces killed 18 people during their incursion into one of the peripheral neighborhoods of El Fasher, and kidnapped 14 others, including three girls.

The network stressed the "danger of the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in El Fasher."

Violent clashes erupted today, Tuesday, between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, according to military sources for Al Jazeera.

The Sudan Doctor's Network confirmed that this situation "has led to a complete disruption of even the simplest life necessities, and an unprecedented increase in civilian suffering."

It condemned the recent escalation manifested in the infiltration of the Rapid Support Forces into residential neighborhoods north of the city, and the commission of murder and arbitrary arrests against civilians, as reported.

It stated that this represents a direct threat to the lives of the residents and exacerbates the humanitarian catastrophe, calling on the international community and humanitarian organizations to take urgent action to provide protection for civilians.

The pace of battles in the Kordofan region is accelerating, with the Sudanese army advancing toward the heart of Darfur, while El Fasher has been under a tight siege since June 10, 2024, amid a disruption of humanitarian supplies and a halt to basic services, worsening the suffering of the civilian population.

The Sudan Doctor's Network also emphasized the need to ensure the safe delivery of medical and humanitarian aid, and to halt clashes within residential neighborhoods and civilian gathering sites.

El Fasher is the last major city in the Darfur region not under the control of the Rapid Support Forces, which are seeking to compensate for their loss of the capital, Khartoum, at the end of March.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been experiencing war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and displacing at least 13 million people, while some areas are suffering from famine amid the "worst humanitarian crisis" in the world according to the United Nations.

A few days ago, the United Nations announced that about 20,000 people fled from Sudan to Chad within two weeks, escaping from the violence in Darfur, expressing its concern over this mass displacement, which continues "at a worrying pace."

Source: Al Jazeera + Anadolu