Following the outbreak of conflict between the army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, in April 2023, violence has once again spread to the vast region of Darfur in the west of the country, marking a new chapter of war atrocities such as mass displacement, sexual violence, and ethnically motivated killings.

Currently, the Rapid Support Forces under Dagalo, also known as "Hemedti", control four of the five state capitals that make up the region, with the exception of El Fasher, which houses rebel armed groups. However, these groups have vowed to maintain neutrality in the conflict, which has so far spared the city from slipping into combat.

Villages Burnt

On Saturday, "clashes erupted in the west of El Fasher city" between the Rapid Support Forces and armed movements, according to Adam, a Sudanese rights activist who spoke to Agence France-Presse, requesting only his first name be used.

In this context, the Fasher resistance committees, which are informal volunteer groups, accused the Rapid Support Forces of "burning six villages in the west of the city."

The Darfur Displaced Persons Coordination announced that the clashes resulted in "ten civilians killed and 28 wounded."

António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, expressed his "deep concern" on Saturday about reports indicating "an imminent attack on El Fasher."

His statement highlighted that "such an attack would be devastating for civilians in the city," which serves as "a UN humanitarian hub ensuring the delivery of relief aid" across Darfur.

With the war entering its second year, the United States on Thursday condemned the international community's "silence" on the tragic situation in Sudan, expressing hope for the swift scheduling of negotiations between the warring parties.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters, "As populations face famine, and with the spread of cholera and measles, while violence continues to claim countless lives, the world has remained largely silent. This must change."

Darfur, this western region the size of France, is home to a quarter of Sudan's population, which totals about 48 million people.

Since the outbreak of fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces on April 15, 2023, tens of thousands of people have been killed, including up to 15,000 in the city of Geneina in West Darfur alone, according to United Nations experts.

The war has also displaced over 8.5 million people, as per the United Nations, and has largely destroyed the country's infrastructure, leaving its population at risk of starvation.