El-fasher: European Commissioner for Equality and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib condemned the escalating violence in El-Fasher, Sudan, urging all parties Monday to protect civilians and ensure their safe passage.

According to Anadolu Agency, Lahbib described the situation as a “nightmare reaching its peak” in a post on the US social media company X’s platform. She highlighted that civilians have been killed and families forced to flee amid attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Lahbib emphasized the need for conflict parties to respect International Humanitarian Law, stressing that civilians must be protected and granted safe passage.

Last Thursday, four UN agencies — the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Program (WFP), and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) — reported that 260,000 civilians are trapped in El-Fasher. Among them are 130,000 children suffering from acute food shortages and a lack of health care services.

El-Fasher, the capital of the North Darfur region, has witnessed fierce fighting for weeks between the army and the RSF. The paramilitary group has launched a multi-front assault, surrounding the city from five directions in an attempt to seize control due to its strategic importance.

The RSF has been besieging El-Fasher since May 10, 2024. The conflict between the army and the RSF has been ongoing since April 2023, resulting in thousands of deaths and millions of displaced individuals.