Khartoum – The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched intense shelling on the cities of El-Obeid and El-Fasher, while battles continued between the RSF and the Sudanese army in El-Fasher.
The Sudanese Doctors’ Network announced that a woman was killed and four others injured as a result of artillery shelling carried out by the RSF in El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State. The network stated that the forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemedti” targeted several neighborhoods in El-Obeid on Thursday evening, noting that most of the victims were women and the elderly in the Karima North neighborhood and other areas.
The network expressed deep regret over the RSF’s use of indiscriminate shelling on neighborhoods and civilian gathering sites, considering it a means to displace and pressure civilians by targeting them with guided artillery rockets. It added that RSF operations are targeting neighborhoods in El-Obeid that are free of any military presence and are crowded with displaced people and those who fled from areas under RSF control.
The network called on regional and international organizations to pressure the RSF to stop violations and prevent it from targeting civilians as a means to pressure the Sudanese army, which results in more casualties each day. The network also urged the United Nations to activate its resolutions imposing sanctions on anyone who attacks civilians.
Woman killed and four injured in artillery shelling in El-Obeid
In El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, the sound of gunfire echoed from early Friday morning as fierce battles erupted between the Sudanese army and the RSF on several fronts. Resistance committees reported that the city woke up to heavy clashes and intense gunfire in different parts of the city, with flames rising between alleys and streets.
After battles that lasted throughout the morning and midday, the city experienced a tense calm on Friday evening as RSF forces retreated and resumed artillery shelling from a distance. The El-Fasher resistance stated, “The sound of gunfire has somewhat subsided, a cautious calm prevails, and the clashes have decreased. However, as usual, the militia left the city and resumed artillery shelling from afar, targeting various neighborhoods.”
The RSF had previously rejected a humanitarian truce proposal to allow aid into El-Fasher, while digging trenches around the city to prevent humanitarian assistance from entering. The truce proposal came at the invitation of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who announced a one-week humanitarian ceasefire in El-Fasher as part of UN efforts to facilitate relief for thousands of besieged citizens.
The city has been under siege for more than a year amid extremely complex humanitarian conditions and is considered the last army stronghold in the Darfur region of western Sudan. The number of civilians trapped in El-Fasher is estimated at half a million, while the RSF and allied armed groups have issued warnings to residents, demanding they evacuate the city.
Source: Al-Quds Al-Arabi
