KHARTOUM, Sudan / ISTANBUL
At least 62 Sudanese civilians were killed, and 75 others injured in artillery shelling by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El-Fasher, the capital city of North Darfur State in western Sudan, the army said on Thursday.
A military statement said 17 women and 15 children were among the victims in the indiscriminate shelling that targeted the city on Wednesday.
The army said its forces responded to the RSF attacks on the city, killing 70 militants, injuring dozens, and destroying 15 combat vehicles and two fuel tankers.
There was no immediate comment from the rebel faction on the army statement.
El-Fasher has seen deadly clashes between the Sudanese army and the RSF since May 2024, despite international warnings over the risks of fighting in the city, which serves as a hub for humanitarian operations in all five Darfur states.
Earlier this week, the RSF claimed to have seized control of the Zamzam refugee camp in El-Fasher after clashes with army forces. At least 400 civilians were killed and nearly 400,000 displaced due to the fighting, according to UN figures.
Since April 15, 2023, the RSF has been battling the Sudanese army for control of the country, resulting in thousands of deaths and one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
More than 20,000 people have been killed and 15 million displaced, according to the UN and local authorities. Research from US scholars, however, estimates the death toll at around 130,000.
In recent weeks, the RSF has lost significant territory across Sudan to government forces.
