Sudan Conflict: Over 100 killed in two weeks of intense fighting in Darfur

More than 123 people have been killed and over 930 wounded in two weeks of fierce clashes between Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the city of el-Fasher, North Darfur.

The international aid group Doctors Without Borders reported the casualties on Sunday, highlighting the severe impact on civilians.

The fighting, which erupted in the provincial capital, underscores the violent intensity of the conflict. “We urge the warring parties to do more to protect civilians,” the aid group stated.

The United Nations has reported that the ongoing battles have forced thousands to flee their homes. El-Fasher remains the last major city in Darfur under military control, making it a strategic focal point in the conflict with the RSF, supported by Arab militias known as janjaweed.

Sudan’s broader conflict began in April last year due to escalating tensions between military leaders and the RSF, leading to widespread violence in the capital, Khartoum, and beyond. The violence has claimed over 14,000 lives and displaced thousands, with numerous reports of sexual violence and atrocities deemed as war crimes by rights groups.

The humanitarian crisis has been exacerbated by the blockade of aid, pushing the population toward famine. The U.N. food agency recently warned of a severe risk of starvation if humanitarian access is not granted.

Recent clashes intensified in the Abu Shouk camp for displaced people and other parts of el-Fasher. On Saturday, a shell struck the home of a Doctors Without Borders aid worker near the main market, resulting in the worker’s death.

The U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, condemned the “tragic” incident and called for an immediate halt to the fighting. “Hundreds of thousands of women, men, and children in North Darfur are once again caught in the crossfire of war,” she said. “A human tragedy of epic proportions is on the horizon, but it can, and must, be prevented.”