El-Fasher stood as the last Darfur state capital beyond the control of the RSF, serving as a vital humanitarian hub and providing sanctuary for a substantial number of refugees…reports Asian Lite News
The United States has issued a grave warning concerning the escalating tensions in the Sudanese city of El-Fasher, highlighting the potential for a rebel military offensive.
This development marks a significant shift in the dynamics of the country’s civil war, with El-Fasher emerging as a focal point of conflict, according to AFP report.
Over the past year, clashes between the armed forces led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and the paramilitary groups under the command of Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have resulted in widespread displacement throughout Sudan.
Until recently, El-Fasher stood as the last Darfur state capital beyond the control of the RSF, serving as a vital humanitarian hub and providing sanctuary for a substantial number of refugees.
However, the situation took a drastic turn in mid-April, with reports of bombardments and clashes surfacing in the city and its surrounding areas.
The US State Department has urgently called for all armed factions in Sudan to immediately halt their attacks on El-Fasher, expressing deep concern over the looming threat posed by the RSF and its affiliated militias.
In the wake of relentless shelling and airstrikes, a pro-democracy lawyers’ committee revealed alarming casualties, with at least 25 civilians reported killed in recent days.
Moreover, clashes in the eastern and northern sectors of the city have forced an estimated 36,000 individuals to flee, as documented by the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
As the conflict enters its second year, both the UN and the US have sounded the alarm over the fragile peace in El-Fasher, emphasizing the catastrophic consequences of its breakdown.
El-Fasher holds paramount importance as the primary humanitarian nexus in the expansive western region of Darfur, which is home to approximately a quarter of Sudan’s 48 million inhabitants.
Throughout this and previous conflicts, Darfur has been plagued by appalling violence, further underscoring the urgency of stabilizing El-Fasher.
The State Department has condemned the reported destruction of villages west of the city by the RSF and its affiliates, while also denouncing the indiscriminate aerial bombings carried out by Sudan’s armed forces in the region.
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