El-fasher: At least 31 people, including seven children and a pregnant woman, lost their lives, and 13 others sustained injuries when an artillery strike hit the Abu Shouk displacement camp in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur in western Sudan. This was reported by a local medical group on Saturday.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Sudanese Doctors' Network has accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of deliberately targeting civilians in this attack. The group highlighted the dire conditions at the camp, which is now facing severe shortages of medicine, medical staff, and food, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

Reports from the camp's emergency room indicated that the northern side of Abu Shouk experienced heavy shelling. The committee expressed concerns that more victims might still be trapped in the affected area and noted significant damage to property within the camp.

Local groups in El-Fasher have consistently held the RSF responsible for artillery attacks and assaults on the city, which has been under siege since May 2024. This is despite repeated international warnings regarding the potential humanitarian consequences.

The United Nations expressed shock earlier this week over reports of a large-scale assault on El-Fasher, including the Abu Shouk camp. The International Organization for Migration reported that 500 residents fled the camp on Monday due to escalating violence.

In recent weeks, the RSF has ceded territory to the army, which has regained control over several areas, including Khartoum and White Nile states. The RSF currently maintains control over parts of North and West Kordofan, sections of South Kordofan and Blue Nile, and four of Darfur's five states.

The ongoing conflict between the army and RSF, which began in April 2023, has resulted in the deaths of more than 20,000 people and displaced 14 million, as reported by the UN and local authorities. However, research from US universities estimates the death toll to be around 130,000.