The Sudanese army carried out on Thursday a series of air raids on Rapid Support Forces (RSF) positions in the Al-Fashir city, the capital of the North Sudan state, and Nyala in South Darfur in the country’s west.
Meanwhile, sources from the RSF said they were advancing “to liberate Kordofan state” in southern Sudan from the military.
Fierce fighting has been reported for days in Darfur and Kordofan. They intensified on Thursday, deepening the suffering of the people and displacing tens of thousands.
A resident of Al-Fashir told the Arab World Press Agency (AWPA) that prices of goods and fuel have spiked amid the displacement of the people from the countryside to the city.
Over 25,000 families from 31 villages have sought refuge in the city. They are being housed in 15 centers, said a support group for the villages of the Al-Fashir countryside.
The refugees are in deep need of essential goods, such as food, medicine and health services, it added.
Meanwhile, cracks appeared in the sole bridge that connects the northern and southern parts of Nyala city, raising fears of its collapse. Locals said the bridge was damaged in shelling between the army and RSF.
The bridge was built 40 years ago and is vital for Nyala as it connects it with other regions in the south and west. It is the main route for the delivery of goods and the provision of various services.
Kordofan
In Kordofan, an RSF source said the force has caused heavy losses to the army in fighting in the state’s northern region.
The RSF also seized the Jebel al-Dair camp in the Sidra military zone.
Speaking on condition of anonymity to the AWPA, the source added that the RSF also captured six combat vehicles.
The RSF is advancing to liberate Kordofan from the army, it stated.
On the other hand, the army posted on its official Facebook page a video of its drones striking an alleged RSF position without specifying the location of the target.
In a statement, the military said its drones “were continuing to strike the Janjaweed” - a reference to the RSF. It destroyed dozens of RSF combat vehicles, leaving “massive losses in the ranks of the mercenary militia.”
It stressed that it was ensuring that infrastructure and public and private properties are not targeted and that the rules of engagement were being respected.
800 casualties
In the central Gezira state, the “Madani resistance committees” said that since the army’s withdrawal four months ago, “the RSF has not spared any area from its worst form of violations, killings, looting, rapes and terrorization.”
They accused the RSF of the killing of over 800 people in the state. Other sources said the number could not be confirmed.
The committees warned that cases of rape and violations against women and children were on the rise, saying this could lead to a social disaster in the future.
Moreover, they revealed that the RSF had kicked off in recent days a “new wave of violations” by attacking several towns in Al-Hasaheisa in Gezira, looting cars and crops.
Several sources have said the RSF has committed killings against locals in villages in central Sudan. The RSF has denied the claims.
In addition, the committees accused the army of using barrel bombs in Gezira, leaving dozens of casualties and injuries among the civilians and in complete disregard of rules of engagement.
Two people were killed and others wounded in military strikes on Wednesday on central areas of Wad Madani, continued the committees.
