KHARTOUM, Sudan
At least seven people were killed and 11 others injured in artillery shelling by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group in western Sudan on Wednesday, according to a local activist group.
RSF forces heavily shelled the Abu Shouk camp in El Fasher city, the capital city of North Darfur State, causing the casualties, the Abu Shouk Emergency Committee said in a statement.
El Fasher, a key hub for humanitarian operations across Darfur’s five states, has been a flashpoint for violence since May 10, despite international warnings against further escalation.
There was no comment from the paramilitary group on the report.
Meanwhile, the Sudanese army continued to advance in several neighborhoods in Bahri city, north of the capital Khartoum, witnesses said.
Most of the neighborhoods in Bahri are currently under the army’s control, except for few ones in the city’s western side that remain under RSF control, they added.
The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which began in mid-April 2023, has claimed more than 20,000 lives and displaced 14 million people, according to the UN and local authorities.
A study by US-based universities estimates the death toll at around 130,000.
International organizations have warned about a worsening humanitarian catastrophe, with millions facing famine and death due to food shortages amid fighting that has spread to 13 of Sudan’s 18 states.
