KHARTOUM: Intense clashes between rival Sudanese generals in Darfur on Sunday resulted in the deaths of at least twelve civilians, according to a doctor in the war-ravaged region. The doctor, speaking anonymously for security reasons, revealed that the fighting had taken place in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state.
The doctor reported a provisional death toll of twelve civilians, emphasizing that the violence of the conflict had severely restricted the movement of victims to hospitals. Residents had previously witnessed battles, shelling, and artillery strikes in Nyala on Saturday.
Darfur, a vast western region bordering Chad, has become the epicenter of violent power struggles between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. The United Nations has warned that the violence in Darfur has taken on an “ethnic dimension” and could potentially constitute “crimes against humanity.”
The RSF traces its origins back to the Janjaweed militias that former strongman Omar al-Bashir unleashed in response to a rebellion by ethnic minorities in Darfur in 2003, resulting in accusations of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
2,800 Killed in Sudan Conflict Since April 15
According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, the ongoing battles since April 15 in Sudan have claimed nearly 2,800 lives. The conflict has also internally displaced almost two million people, while approximately 600,000 have sought refuge across Sudan’s borders, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.
In response to the escalating violence, the UN has called for “immediate action” to halt the killing of individuals fleeing El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur state, by paramilitary forces. In mid-June, the United States State Department disclosed that up to 1,100 people had been killed in El Geneina. The region has witnessed bodies lying in the streets, including groups of individuals face down on dirt roads, while shops have been looted.
