More than 100 civilians, including at least 20 children and a medical team, have been killed in a series of attacks that began late last week in Sudanʼs western Darfur region.
This is reported by the BBC, citing UN data.
The paramilitary Sudanese Rapid Response Force claimed responsibility for the attacks on the town of El Fasher and two nearby camps housing people displaced by the civil war. They said reports of atrocities were fabricated.
The Zamzam and Abu Shuk camps provide temporary shelter for more than 700 000 people, many of whom live in conditions close to famine. News of the attacks came on the eve of the second anniversary of the civil war between rebels and the Sudanese army.
The UN humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, said she was “shocked and seriously concerned” by reports of what had happened.
The international humanitarian organization Relief International said that during the attack on Zamzam, “nine of its staff were mercilessly killed, including doctors, drivers who transported patients, and a team leader”.
On the morning of April 13, a resident of Zamzam, who works at a community kitchen that provides food to people in the camp, told the BBC that the situation was "extremely catastrophic".
"We lost a large number of young people, those who worked in the community kitchen died, and doctors who were part of the initiative to reopen the hospital also died," said Mustafa, 34.
He added that all exits from the camp are blocked and it is “surrounded on all four sides”.
What is happening in Sudan?
Fighting broke out on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese Regular Army (SAF), led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the countryʼs de facto president, and the Sudanese Rapid Response Force (RSF). The RSF opposes the current government and says it seeks to establish democracy in the country.
In Sudan, this was the third attempted military coup in the past 5 years. As a result of the uprisings in 2019 and 2021, President Omar al-Bashir, who had ruled the country for 30 years, and the transitional government that came to power after him were removed from power. Since 2021, the country has been governed by a military council. The reason for this aggravation was the issue of subordination of the RSF forces to the general military leadership of the Armed Forces. Since 2021, the army has been subordinate to the military government, and the RSF to the vice president. According to the plan, the latter were to become part of the Armed Forces, but the government of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhani was unable to reach an agreement with the vice president, General Mohamed Hamdan "Hemety" Dagalo.
RSF cooperates with the Russian PMC “Wagner”. They have a joint venture Meroe Gold for the extraction of minerals, including gold. Western media wrote that this cooperation helped increase the gold reserves of the Russian Central Bank, necessary for the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian special forces conducted operations in Sudan against the Russian Wagner PMC and their local allies from the Rapid Reaction Force (RSF).
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