North Darfur: 80+ killed and injured in El Fasher assault

The Ministry of Health in North Darfur reported that 15 people were killed, and 64 others injured, in El Fasher on Wednesday, following artillery shelling by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Shelling also resumed on Zamzam camp for displaced people.

Ibrahim Khater, director general of the Ministry of Health in North Darfur, stated yesterday that the deceased “were five children and 10 women”. He added that the bombing targeted the livestock market area, the first district of El Sawra neighbourhood, and shelter centres in the Shala area of the North Darfur capital.

Seven people were killed in southwestern El Fasher on Monday due to artillery shelling, while at least one person died in Sudanese Air Force strikes on Tuesday that destroyed the Tijani zawiya in eastern El Fasher. Sudan War Monitor estimates that nearly 200 people were killed this week due to airstrikes in North Darfur.

The RSF also resumed heavy artillery attacks on Zamzam camp in El Fasher on Wednesday morning. Sources from the camp reported on Wednesday that the death toll had risen to eight, with injuries and extensive damage to homes. The latest death toll has not been determined as of time of writing.

Videos circulating on social media, seemingly from Zamzam camp, showed panicked residents, and burnt homes and vehicles.

While residents accuse the RSF of targeting civilians, the RSF claims they are targeting Sudanese Joint Force* (formerly the Darfur Joint Force) bases in the camp, and accuse their opponents of using displaced civilians as human shields.

Famine conditions, classified as Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Phase 5, the highest level on the IPC Acute Food Insecurity scale, were confirmed in July at Zamzam camp, leaving thousands of children facing life-threatening malnutrition. Zamzam houses between 500,000 and 1 million people.

Despite calls from the United Nations and other international bodies, and UN Security Council directives, for a ceasefire, clashes between the RSF, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the allied Sudanese Joint Force in El Fasher continue into their seventh month.

The RSF controls four out of five states in Darfur and most localities in North Darfur, excluding El Fasher, where it maintains a siege.

*The Sudanese Joint Force is made up of fighters of the Sudan Liberation Movement faction headed by Darfur Governor Minni Minawi (SLM-MM), the JEM faction led by Finance Minister Jibril Ibrahim (JEM-JI), and several small rebel groups. These movements formed the Darfur Joint Force in June 2022 as agreed in the 2020 Juba Peace Agreement, to protect the people of Darfur. They renounced their neutrality in November last year and are now fighting against the RSF alongside the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).