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Villages burned to the ground on November 2 in Karnoi locality (Photo: Karnoi Emergency Room)
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North Darfur — The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched heavy artillery attacks on El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, targeting various parts of the city over the weekend. According to reports from the Karnoi Emergency Room, these attacks have resulted in casualties and widespread destruction, including the burning of entire villages.
Witnesses reported RSF paramilitary forces infiltrating eastern neighborhoods of El Fasher early on Saturday morning, clashing with the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudanese Joint Force (formerly the Darfur Joint Force). The intense shelling continued from morning until late afternoon, forcing many residents to flee. The violence follows an October 27 incident in which 12 civilians were killed and several others injured by RSF shelling on the city.
The ongoing battle for control of El Fasher, which the RSF has targeted since May, has caused extensive displacement. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimates that over 410,000 people have been forced to flee El Fasher in the past six months, with many displaced multiple times due to the conflict.
Emergency in Karnoi
The Karnoi Emergency Room in northwestern North Darfur issued an urgent plea for humanitarian aid on Saturday, urging regional and international organizations to provide relief for those displaced by the violence in Birdik, Jira, and Anka, located near Kutum. According to a social media statement, villages were “burned to the ground” and residents were subjected to severe violence. The emergency room reported 12 fatalities, five injuries, and three detentions. Many newly displaced people are living without shelter, suffering from cold weather and inadequate resources.
Potential RSF offensive on key North Darfur localities
Saleh Abdallah, head of the Zaghawa tribal council, warned of a potential RSF attack on El Tina, Umbaru, and Karnoi, raising concerns about further escalation in North Darfur. He told Sudan Tribune that RSF forces are planning to advance from their base in West Darfur, seeking control of territories currently held by Sudanese forces and allied troops.
Revenge attacks in Kutum
Since mid-October, RSF and allied militias have reportedly conducted revenge attacks against Zaghawa communities in Kutum, North Darfur, allegedly destroying over 45 villages. The Sudanese Joint Force captured an area north of Kutum, considered strategically important by the RSF, on October 2. The RSF took control of Kutum in early June and has maintained a presence there since.
Humanitarian crisis and health system collapse
The ongoing war has severely impacted Darfur’s healthcare infrastructure, leaving communities without essential medical services. The federal Ministry of Health has deemed areas under RSF control as “unreachable,” and has not provided medical aid or financial support to regional health ministries. The lack of healthcare and aid in these regions is worsening an already critical situation for the displaced and conflict-affected populations in Darfur.
The RSF currently controls four of the five Darfur states, where it has set up its own administrative structures, further complicating the humanitarian and political landscape in the region.
Source: Dabanga News
