RSF withdraw from Sudan's El-Fasher in northern Darfur
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The Sudanese Armed Forces announce that the Rapid Support Forces withdrew from the capital of North Darfur after sustaining terrible losses.
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A man walks by a house hit in fighting in Khartoum, Sudan, Tuesday, April 25, 2023. (AP)
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have withdrawn from the eastern borders of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, western Sudan, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) announced Sunday.
The Sudanese army published a video accompanied by a statement stating that "the armed forces and joint forces crushed the crowds of the terrorist RSF militia, inflicting great losses on them in terms of personnel, equipment, weapons, and vehicles."
The SAF "expelled the enemy outside the eastern borders of the city of El-Fasher and took control of a number of their positions from which they were shelling camps, citizens' homes, and health institutions."
The city of al-Fashir has witnessed a deterioration in humanitarian conditions, in conjunction with the worsening fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, especially since the city is home to more than one and a half million residents and displaced people, all amid fears of a severe shortage of food and health services.
HRW: Looming disaster in El Fasher
Human Rights Watch (HRW) is urging the United Nations and African Union to swiftly implement an arms embargo on Sudan and deploy a mission with a strong police force to Darfur in order to safeguard civilians.
According to a report released by HRW earlier in the month, sanctions are sought against those deemed accountable for extensive war crimes, including West Darfur RSF commander Abdel Rahman Joma’a Barakallah, and the commander of the RSF, Mohamed Hemedti Hamdan Dagalo, and his brother Abdel Raheem.
"As the UN security council and governments wake up to looming disaster in El Fasher, the large-scale atrocities committed in El Geneina should be seen as a reminder of the atrocities that could come in the absence of concerted action," explained Tirana Hassan, the executive director at Human Rights Watch.
UNICEF calls for urgent action to protect Sudan children in Darfur
The United Nations children's agency UNICEF issued an urgent appeal for action earlier in May to protect children amid escalating violence in Sudan's North Darfur region.
Expressing profound concern, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell highlighted the intensifying violence in North Darfur, particularly in and around el-Fasher city.
Russell emphasized in a statement the critical need for a ceasefire, stressing the urgency of halting the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
She underscored the devastating impact of the ongoing fighting on Sudanese children, citing "deeply concerning reports of children being separated from their families or reportedly going missing." Of particular concern was the dire situation facing children in el-Fasher, where a significant military attack on the region, currently a focal point for humanitarian aid, loomed large.
The UNICEF official highlighted that the city shelters at least 500,000 people displaced by the fighting, warning that the well-being of approximately 750,000 children is in danger due to the current circumstances.
She urged immediate action to prevent further loss of life, particularly among children, and called on all warring parties to prioritize the protection of civilians and to ensure the safe passage of those seeking refuge in safer areas.
