The Sudanese capital Khartoum saw an escalation in clashes, artillery shelling, and air strikes on Sunday as the conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) entered its 11th week, causing the displacement of 2.5 million people and creating a humanitarian crisis.
Witnesses reported a sharp increase in violence in recent days in Nyala, the largest city in the western Darfur region.
The United Nations (UN) raised the alarm on Saturday regarding the ethnic targeting and killing of members of the Masalit group in El Geneina in West Darfur state, the Sudanese capital and the city of El Geneina, which is the most affected by the conflict that broke out on 15 April.
Tension and clashes escalated last week in other parts of Darfur and in Kordofan in the south of the country.
“Residents in Khartoum, Bahri and Omdurman, the three main cities in the capital region, said fierce fighting erupted overnight and continued into Sunday morning.”
“The army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has been using air strikes and heavy artillery to try to drive the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, known as Hemeti, out of Khartoum neighborhoods.”
“Witnesses reported a marked deterioration in the security situation in Nyala over the past few days, with violent clashes breaking out in some residential neighborhoods. Fighting between the army and RSF also broke out last week around El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, which the UN says is inaccessible to aid workers..”
“In El Geneina, which has seen almost complete disruption of communication networks and aid supplies in recent weeks, Arab militia and RSF attacks have sent tens of thousands fleeing across the border into Chad.
United Nations Human Rights Office in Sudan (UNOCHA) spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani stressed the need to provide safe passage to people fleeing the fighting in El Geneina, West Darfur.
She called on the RSF to stop targeting those fleeing the conflict.
Shamdasani expressed grave concern about the horrific killings and targeting of groups of civilians. It called on the RSF to condemn and stop the killing of those fleeing El Geneina and other acts of violence.
The spokesperson stressed the need to hold those responsible for the killings and violence to account.
Al-Geneina has become an unlivable place, the infrastructure has been destroyed, humanitarian access continues to be denied,” she said.
It also urged the immediate establishment of a humanitarian corridor between El Geneina and Chad, and a safe corridor for civilians to leave areas affected by the hostilities.
