Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced on Sunday that they have taken control of the army headquarters in El Fasher, the last city under government control in the Darfur region in western Sudan.
اضافة اعلان
The army has not yet issued a statement regarding the current situation.
Over the past 18 months, the RSF, a paramilitary force, had besieged the city. They repeatedly targeted civilians with drone and artillery attacks, while the blockade led to widespread famine in a city still home to 250,000 residents.
Gaining control of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, represents a significant political victory for the RSF and could accelerate the fragmentation of the country by allowing the paramilitary force to strengthen its hold over the vast Darfur region, which it has used as a base for a parallel government formed in the summer of this year.
Activists have long warned that the RSF’s takeover of the city could also lead to ethnic attacks, similar to what occurred when they seized the Zamzam camp in southern Darfur.
Last week, the RSF stated that it is facilitating the exit of civilians and surrendering fighters from the city. However, those leaving El Fasher reported robberies, sexual assaults, and killings by RSF soldiers along the way.
A United Nations mission last month reported that the RSF committed multiple crimes against humanity during the siege of El Fasher. The army has also been accused of committing atrocities.
Source: Reuters
