Sudan: Rapid Support Forces Shell Neighborhoods in El Fasher City

SadaNews - Military sources told Al Jazeera that the Rapid Support Forces launched a wide artillery attack today, Tuesday, targeting various neighborhoods in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, amid intermittent clashes with the army.

Medical sources reported that the health and humanitarian conditions have significantly deteriorated due to the continuous shelling, which has affected hospitals and markets, in addition to the stoppage of water and electricity stations.

The sources confirmed that civilians are facing severe difficulties in obtaining food and medicine, with some resorting to consuming animal feed amid a lack of serums and treatments for chronic diseases.

On Monday morning, the Sudanese army repelled a large-scale attack by the Rapid Support Forces aimed at its defenses in El Fasher. According to the sources, the Rapid Support Forces shelled neighborhoods in El Fasher early in the morning, including the First Degree neighborhood in the west of the city, using heavy artillery and strategic drones.

Intermittent clashes also erupted between the two sides in the northern, southern, and eastern areas of the city.

Severe Shortage of Drinking Water

Local sources reported that El Fasher is suffering from a severe shortage of drinking water, with most wells halted due to lack of maintenance, and solar power devices malfunctioning due to destruction or theft, raising the alarm for a complete drought within the city.

The sources indicated that the food situation is extremely critical, as residents rely on limited meals, each costing about 35 dollars, an amount that the majority of people cannot afford.

El Fasher has been under a siege imposed by the Rapid Support Forces for over 500 days, during which continuous battles have resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries, and led to more than 500,000 people being displaced towards neighboring cities and towns.

This escalation comes as part of the bloody war that Sudan has been witnessing since mid-April 2023 between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, which has led to the deaths of more than 20,000 people and the displacement of over 15 million, according to United Nations data.