PORT SUDAN: Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have announced their willingness to establish “safe passages” out of El-Fasher, a city in Darfur engulfed in weeks of conflict.
The RSF, engaged in a prolonged battle with the regular army, in a post on social media platform X expressed its intention to assist citizens by facilitating their voluntary relocation to other areas and ensuring their protection.
El-Fasher, once a vital humanitarian aid hub providing shelter to many, has become a focal point of conflict as the RSF strives to assert control. Urging residents to steer clear of combat zones and potential air strikes, the paramilitaries cautioned against responding to instigations that could drag them into the turmoil of war.
Sudan remains entrenched in conflict, pitting the regular army, led by Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, against the RSF, led by former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The toll of this conflict has been staggering, with estimates suggesting as many as 15,000 lives lost in the state capital of El-Geneina in West Darfur alone, according to United Nations reports.
Doctors Without Borders reported receiving over 450 casualties from the fighting at its hospital in North Darfur since May 10, though the actual death count is believed to be much higher.
Meanwhile, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator painted a grim picture, describing Sudanese residents as trapped in a vortex of relentless violence and increasingly facing the specter of famine exacerbated by the rainy season and hindered aid access.
Since the outbreak of war in April 2023, tens of thousands have been killed, and millions have been displaced. With only 12 percent of the $2.7 billion sought in funding for Sudan secured, the UN cautioned that famine looms ominously on the horizon.
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