December 19, El Fasher — At least 19 civilians were killed and over 20 injured on Wednesday after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shelled El Fasher, capital of North Darfur.
Witnesses told Darfur24 that the RSF launched a violent attack on residential areas in the southern and western parts of the city, including around Saudi Hospital, which has been shelled more than four times in recent weeks, and is no longer operational. On Monday, six people were also killed when the RSF shelled a mosque in El Fasher.
In the past week, El Fasher, which is home to around two million people, has experienced continuous shelling by the RSF, which has killed at least 70 civilians and injured over 300, according to local health authorities. The RSF is fighting to take over the city, the last stronghold of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in the region.
On Wednesday, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, condemned recent airstrikes and shelling in Darfur and Khartoum.
“This wave of large-scale and devastating violence against civilians underscores the need for immediate de-escalation,” Nkweta-Salami said. “After 20 months of conflict, this ever-rising toll of the dead and injured is unacceptable. International humanitarian law must be respected.”