Shelling In Darfur Claims 12 Lives As Violence Escalates.
At least 12 people were killed on Saturday following shelling by Sudanese paramilitary forces in the northern part of Darfur, local activists reported. The assault, carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), also injured five others, according to a local resistance committee, part of a volunteer network providing aid throughout the region.
The attack occurred near the town of Kutum, where RSF fighters reportedly detained three individuals, adding further strain to a region already under RSF control for nearly a year amidst an ongoing conflict with Sudan’s regular army.
Governor Mini Minawi, a former rebel leader aligned with the regular army, accused the RSF of setting fire to around 20 villages in the area. Since the RSF’s advance last year, Sudan’s regular army has largely withdrawn to El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.
El-Fasher, home to approximately two million people, has been under siege by the RSF since May, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region. Famine has been declared in the Zamzam camp for displaced persons, located south of the city, as essential resources dwindle.
The United Nations has raised alarms over the worsening conditions in Darfur and across Sudan. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently described the situation as a “nightmare of violence” for the Sudanese people, citing thousands of civilian deaths and reports of widespread atrocities, including rampant sexual violence.
The ongoing conflict between the RSF and the regular army has devastated communities across Sudan, with aid agencies struggling to reach affected areas. The UN and other international organisations continue to call for an end to hostilities and a peaceful resolution to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people.
