A shelling incident at the Abu Shouk camp in North Darfur, Sudan, has left dozens feared dead. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked the market while many were shopping for Ramadan. This assault is part of a series of violent encounters in the region, contributing to a humanitarian crisis with tens of thousands dead since the conflict began in April 2023.
In North Darfur, Sudan, reports indicate that numerous individuals are feared dead following an intense shelling incident at the Abu Shouk camp for displaced persons. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) conducted a two-hour assault on a bustling market within the camp on Tuesday evening, according to a local official’s statement to the BBC. The camp, home to over 500,000 displaced individuals, faced this attack, the second in three days.
El-Fasher, the last significant town in Darfur still under army control, has endured siege conditions imposed by the RSF for nearly a year. The Tuesday assault coincided with peak shopping hours when many residents, mostly Muslims observing Ramadan, were preparing to break their fast. Reports by Dr. Ibrahim Nadyan, a medic at el-Fasher’s sole operational hospital, indicated that the shelling resulted in a range of injuries from mild to severe.
Prior to Tuesday’s incident, the RSF shelled the Abu Shouk camp on Sunday, causing the deaths of six civilians, according to local health volunteers. The RSF has remained silent on both the Sunday and Tuesday attacks. Since the conflict erupted in April 2023, it has claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced millions, and led many to face famine conditions.
Both the RSF and the army have faced numerous allegations of committing atrocities, with specific charges of genocide against non-Arab groups in Darfur attributed to the RSF. The ongoing conflict has created a divide in the country, with the army controlling the northern and eastern regions, while the RSF dominates western Darfur and parts of the southern region. In recent times, the army has regained some territories in Khartoum and its surrounding regions from the RSF.
The tragic shelling at the Abu Shouk camp underscores the dire humanitarian crisis in North Darfur, exacerbated by ongoing violence between the RSF and the Sudanese army. With the recent attack leading to multiple casualties and injuries, the situation highlights the urgency for intervention and a resolution to the conflict that has resulted in significant loss of life and displacement of civilians. The international community must remain vigilant and responsive to the unfolding events in the region.
Original Source: www.bbc.co.uk
