In brief
The UN has confirmed over 400 fatalities due to recent attacks by the Rapid Support Forces in Darfur, as millions of people flee their homes, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan's Darfur region has taken a brutal turn, with the United Nations reporting that over 400 people have died in recent violence attributed to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The situation intensified last week when the RSF launched an aggressive ground and aerial assault targeting refugee camps near El-Fasher, aiming to capture the last state capital in Darfur controlled by the Sudanese army.Since the power struggle erupted in April 2023, Sudan has been experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, displacing millions from their homes. UN spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani stated they verified 148 deaths between Thursday and Saturday alone, cautioning that the actual toll could be significantly higher as they continue to gather information. The UN also reported that among the deceased, at least nine were humanitarian aid workers. The two main refugee camps surrounding El-Fasher—Zamzam and Abu Shouk—currently house over 700,000 people, many of whom are grappling with dire, famine-like conditions.In a statement, the RSF denied responsibility for harming civilians and claimed the reports of killings in Zamzam were fabricated to tarnish their reputation. They also declared that they had successfully liberated the camp from the Sudanese army's control, alleging that the army was using the camp as a military stronghold and endangering innocent civilians as human shields.El-Fasher remains the last significant urban area under the army's control and has been besieged by the RSF for almost a year. As Sudan's civil war nears its third year, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk urged all parties involved to commit to tangible efforts to end the conflict and alleviate the suffering of civilians.
