Shelling by paramilitary Rapid Support Forces kills 62 people in Sudan's El-Fasher

By Adel Abdel-Rahim

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) - The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed at least 62 civilians in the city of El Fasher, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur State, local authorities said on Friday.

"The RSF continued its violations against the defenseless civilians, service institutions, and markets in El-Fasher city, the state's capital," the North Darfur State said in a statement.

The shelling of several neighborhoods in El-Fasher, including a livestock market, killed 62 people.

The RSF has not yet commented on the incident.

Since May 10, El Fasher has been the site of clashes between the Sudanese army and the RSF, despite international warnings against fighting in the city, which serves as the humanitarian operations hub for the vast western region of Darfur.

Since mid-April last year, the Sudanese army and the RSF have been engaged in a conflict that has claimed 18,800 lives and displaced around 10 million people, according to the UN.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar