At least 60 people were killed in a drone strike on a displacement shelter in Al-Fashir, western Sudan, on Saturday, as fighting between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese military intensified, worsening the country’s ongoing civil war. Rights groups reported that drone and artillery attacks over the past three days hit Abu Shouk and Daraja Oula neighborhoods, the Al-Fashir IDP camp, one of the last functioning hospitals, and a nearby mosque where civilians had sought refuge.
Al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur, has been under siege for over a year, trapping roughly 260,000 civilians. The UN said at least seven civilians were summarily executed in RSF ground raids, with apparent ethnic motivations. Both the RSF and Sudanese military are under investigation by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk condemned the attacks, highlighting violations against civilians and civilian infrastructure, and urged UN member states to intervene to prevent further atrocities. UN humanitarian coordinator Denise Brown described the situation as a “humanitarian catastrophe,” noting that nearly 600,000 displaced people in nearby Tawila are surviving under dire conditions. The UN’s response plan is only 25% funded, leaving aid delivery insufficient and negotiations for access to Al-Fashir ongoing.
The Darfur conflict has caused over 40,000 deaths, displaced more than 14 million people, and pushed parts of the region into famine, underscoring one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
