Cynthia Ezegwu
At least 13 people have lost their lives after shells fired by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) struck a mosque sheltering displaced civilians in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, residents reported on Thursday.
Eyewitnesses said the artillery fire originated from the northern part of the city, an area recently captured by the RSF following its takeover of the Abu Shouk displacement camp. The group has been advancing against Sudanese army positions as part of its ongoing offensive.
“After the attack in the afternoon, we recovered 13 bodies from under the debris and buried them,” a local resident told reporters.
Another survivor, who had taken refuge inside the mosque, said about 70 families had been staying there after RSF fighters forced them from their homes. “Shells hit the mosque area, killing 13 people, injuring around 20 others, and damaging parts of the building,” the witness recounted.
The assault on El-Fasher has intensified in recent weeks, representing one of the deadliest phases of the war between the RSF and Sudan’s armed forces, which began in April 2023.
El-Fasher has been encircled by RSF troops since May 2024 and remains the only major city in Darfur still held by the army. However, the military’s control continues to weaken as RSF fighters advance into nearby camps and rural communities.
Humanitarian agencies and residents report near-daily air and artillery bombardments targeting civilian areas, including markets and hospitals. Earlier this week, around 20 people were reportedly killed when RSF fire hit El-Fasher Hospital, one of the few still operating in the city.
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A month earlier, an RSF drone attack on another mosque in the region left at least 75 people dead.
The prolonged conflict between Sudan’s army and the RSF has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. United Nations figures indicate that tens of thousands have died, more than 25 million face severe hunger, and millions have been displaced from their homes.
In El-Fasher, the siege has pushed residents to the brink of starvation, with families surviving on remnants of animal feed that have now become scarce and costly.
Analysts warn that if El-Fasher falls, the RSF will effectively gain full control of the Darfur region, where it has been accused of committing widespread atrocities and attempting to install a parallel government.
As the war enters its 18th month, the Sudanese army continues to hold pockets of territory in the north, centre, and east, but the conflict shows little sign of ending soon.