Sudan’s Darfur Crisis Escalates as Death Toll Exceeds 400 in Latest Attacks

The UN reports over 400 fatalities in recent clashes by the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan's Darfur, raising alarms over a deepening humanitarian crisis as millions are displaced.

More than 400 individuals have reportedly been killed in a surge of violence attributed to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan's troubled Darfur region, according to the United Nations, which cites "credible sources." The RSF's recent offensive included both ground and aerial strikes targeting refugee camps near El-Fasher, aimed at seizing control of the last state capital in Darfur still held by the rival Sudanese army.

This brutal conflict, which has raged since April 2023, has led to the largest humanitarian emergency in the world, displacing millions of people from their homes. The UN confirmed 148 killings over a recent three-day period but cautioned that the actual toll is likely much higher. UN spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani stated that their verification efforts were ongoing and did not yet include casualties from the latest bout of violence on Sunday, emphasizing the reports of more than 400 fatalities.

Amid the chaos, at least nine humanitarian aid workers were reported killed. The two principal refugee camps surrounding El-Fasher, Zamzam and Abu Shouk, are now packed with more than 700,000 individuals, many of whom face starvation conditions.

In a Saturday statement, the RSF denied responsibility for civilian casualties and claimed that reports of massacres in Zamzam were fabricated to undermine their reputation. They later declared a successful operation to liberate the camp from the Sudanese army, accusing its forces of employing the site as a military base while utilizing innocent civilians as shields.

As the siege of El-Fasher continues, the last major town in Darfur under army control, the UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Türk, has urged all involved factions to recommit to meaningful steps toward conflict resolution. The war in Sudan is poised to enter its third year on Tuesday, with the humanitarian situation becoming increasingly dire.