Over 114 civilians killed in paramilitary forces attacks in W. Sudan: local official

KHARTOUM -- More than 114 civilians were killed in attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on two displacement camps over the past two days in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State in western Sudan, a local official announced on Saturday.

"More than 100 civilians were killed as a result of the brutal attack launched by the RSF militia on the Zamzam displacement camp yesterday (Friday), with dozens injured," Ibrahim Khatir, director general of North Darfur State's health authority, told Xinhua.

"Today (Saturday), 14 civilians were also killed due to another militia attack on the Abu Shouk displacement camp, with dozens more injured," he added.

Khatir revealed that among the dead in the Zamzam camp were nine employees of Relief International, a non-governmental organization operating a field hospital in the camp.

Emergency Room, a volunteer group, said in a statement that 40 civilians were killed and hundreds injured on Saturday as a result of heavy shelling by the RSF on the Abu Shouk camp.

The RSF issued no immediate comment regarding the attacks.

Since May 10, 2024, fierce fighting has been raging in El Fasher between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF.

Sudan has been embroiled in a devastating conflict between the SAF and the RSF since mid-April 2023, which has claimed more than 29,600 lives, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, a crisis monitoring group cited by the United Nations.