In Sudan's El Fasher, 134 people have died amid intense fighting, per MSF's report.
MSF revealed that a staff member, a guard stationed at the organization's pharmacy, was murdered in his house, situated near the city's central market, during a bombardment while he was not working. The group cautioned the conflicting parties to make greater efforts to defend civilians, who are also among those getting killed.
Numerous MSF employees have lost loved ones or homes amid the shelling. The organization declared that since the clashes began over two weeks ago, it has treated 979 people.
The conflict in North Darfur has intensified as the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) encircle El Fasher. The hostilities also affect thousands of displaced individuals who have escaped to El Fasher from the other four Darfur provinces now controlled by the RSF.
At least 500,000 individuals taking refuge in the city have been displaced by violence in other areas of Sudan. Food, medicine, and other essential supplies are scarce, and food aid deliveries in Darfur are limited, according to the World Food Program. The region has been affected by a brewing hunger emergency, with 1.7 million people facing drastic hunger levels.
A report by Yale School of Public Health's Humanitarian Research Lab on May 15 stated there was "significant conflict-related damage" in eastern and southeastern El Fasher neighborhoods from May 10 to May 14. The report aligns with claims that the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have engaged in heightened and recurring ground battles and bombardment in the city.
Civil war between the SAF and RSF erupted in April 2023. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs indicated that over 8.8 million people have fled their residences and 24.8 million people need assistance.
Alice Wairimu Nderitu, the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, cautioned at the UN Security Council the previous week, "The situation today bears all the indicators of a potential risk of genocide, with allegations ... that this crime has already taken place."
"The risk of genocide is existing in Sudan. It is real and it is increasing every day," she added.
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MSF expressed concern about the safety of civilians in Africa, specifically in El Fasher, Sudan, where they have treated over 900 people since the conflict started. The intensifying conflict in North Darfur has forced half a million people to seek refuge in the city, exacerbating food scarcity and a hunger emergency.
Source: edition.cnn.com
