By Sudans Post
EL FASHER – Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has intensified its shelling of western, central, and northern neighborhoods in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, just days after the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and its allies from the Joint Force of Armed Struggle Movements (JSAMF) repelled an attempt to seize the city.
El Fasher serves as a refuge for the largest population of displaced civilians from the state’s rural areas and those who fled RSF offensives in Central, West, East, and South Darfur following the outbreak of the deadly conflict between the two rival forces in April 2023.
The city also houses the sole remaining SAF base in the entire region, the 6th infantry division, after the RSF seized control of the 15th division in El Geneina, West Darfur, the 16th division in Nyala, South Darfur, the 20th division in El Daen, East Darfur, and the 21st division in Zalingei, Central Darfur state.
While SAF divisions traditionally consist of three brigades, a division may consist of four bridges. In the case of North Darfur State, the 6th infantry division consists of three brigades: Brigade 22 (previously located in Kutum), Brigade 154 (located inside the division headquarters and belongs to the Artillery Corps), and Brigade 271 (which belongs to the transport corps).
The RSF on Thursday attacked the town from two directions, the south and the east, and its forces reached as far as El Fasher South Hospital, which is just 2.3 kilometers away from the 6th infantry division headquarters. Sudans Post cannot independently verify that the RSF were ousted from the hospital, despite claims by the SAF and allies to have regained control.
Local sources told Sudans Post today that the RSF artillery bombardment continued intensively from early morning hours until eleven o’clock yesterday, then temporarily ceased before the army retaliated by shelling RSF positions in the east of the city such as Hai El Salam.
The RSF also responded by intensifying their shelling of the 6th Infantry Division’s headquarters, targeting areas north and northwest of the city. Loud explosions and gunfire were heard near the 6th Division headquarters around noon, sparking speculations of SAF withdrawal and that the explosions were the ammunition set on fire by fleeing SAF soldiers.
However, a military source told Sudans Post that the explosion was the result of an attack by the RSF using drones and the SAF was responding to the attack. The military source claimed that the SAF was able to repulse the attack which involved the use of around 20 drones by the RSF, 16 of which were destroyed.
In a statement, the El-Fasher Resistance Committees denounced the RSF artillery shelling of residential neighborhoods, confirming civilian casualties without specifying the number. They indicated that the continuous shelling forced large numbers of civilians to flee their homes and displace to safer areas outside the city.
“This shelling by the RSF has resulted in the death of around 3 women and four children. Now people have fled the neighborhoods that are being targeted by the RSF to areas outside the north of the city, and this is what is happening in El Fasher,” one Resistance Committees member said.
The RSF targeting of North Darfur State capital violates UN and US decisions in which they called on the parties, including the RSF and SAF, to cease fighting in the area. The US has previously sanctioned two RSF commanders for their roles leading assault on El Fasher.
In a statement today, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged the parties to step back from the fighting in El Fasher and called on the RSF in particular to cease its assault which he said is endangering the lives of innocent civilians.
“I call on the belligerents responsible for Sudanese suffering—the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—to pull back their forces, facilitate unhindered humanitarian access, and re-engage in negotiations to end this war,” Blinken wrote.
“The RSF must stop their assault that is disproportionately harming Sudanese civilians. The SAF must stop indiscriminate bombings that are destroying civilian lives and infrastructure. While both sides have taken some steps to improve humanitarian access, the SAF and RSF continue to delay and disrupt lifesaving humanitarian operations. Both parties need to immediately allow unhindered humanitarian access to all areas of Sudan,” he stressed.
