MSF reports over 100 fatalities in two weeks of conflict in Sudan’s el-Fasher

In a devastating turn of events, more than 100 people have lost their lives in just over two weeks in el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, as the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) engage in fierce fighting. According to Doctors without Borders, also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), at least 134 people have been killed and over 900 wounded since May 10.

The city of el-Fasher has become a battleground as the RSF intensifies its efforts to take control, besieging the city and launching major attacks on its southern and eastern parts. The SAF, along with ex-Darfur rebel leaders Minni Minnawi and Jibril Ibrahim, are fighting to repel the paramilitary group’s advance.

The RSF, which emerged from the notorious “Janjaweed” Arab force responsible for ethnic cleansing and genocide in Darfur during the war that began in 2003, has been wreaking havoc in the region. The conflict between the SAF and RSF has escalated since April last year, resulting in the deaths of 14,000 people and displacing nine million others.

The situation in Darfur is dire, with nearly five million people on the brink of famine, according to the World Food Programme. Observers fear that the fall of el-Fasher could further exacerbate the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the region.

As the world watches in horror, the people of Darfur continue to suffer the devastating consequences of this brutal conflict. The need for immediate intervention to protect civilians and alleviate the suffering of the population has never been more urgent.