AL FASHER, Sudan: At least 65 people, predominantly children, have been killed since Saturday due to bombardments by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Al Fasher, a city in Sudan’s Darfur region.
Activists report that the RSF, descended from the Janjaweed militias known for terrorizing Darfur since 2003, launched over 70 rockets in one day, targeting hospitals, homes, mosques, and markets.
The Al Fasher Resistance Committees disclosed that the victims included more than 43 children, 13 women, and nine men. The governor of Darfur, Mini Minawi, described the current situation as one of the bloodiest days in Al Fasher, emphasizing the extensive damage to civilian areas.
The continuous siege of Al Fasher by the RSF, since May, has left the city in dire straits. The RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, and the Sudanese army, under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, have been embroiled in a brutal conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives, with some estimates reaching 150,000 according to US envoy Tom Perriello.
The United Nations highlights Sudan as facing the world’s largest internal displacement crisis, with over seven million people forced to flee due to the ongoing war. Additionally, warnings of famine loom over the nation, and both factions have been accused of committing war crimes, including targeting civilians.
Efforts to resolve the conflict are ongoing, with US mediators scheduled to attempt new peace talks in Switzerland starting August 14. The international community’s response has been criticized as inadequate given the severity of the humanitarian crisis.
