The United States has issued a stern warning about the potential for a “large-scale massacre” in El Fasher, a key city in Sudan’s Darfur region, currently encircled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias. The warning comes amid escalating tensions and violence in the area, which have heightened fears of a major humanitarian disaster.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield, expressed deep concern about the imminent threat to El Fasher, home to approximately 800,000 residents, many of whom are displaced persons from the ongoing civil conflict in Sudan that erupted over a year ago. The city, a crucial humanitarian hub for western Darfur, now stands on the brink of devastation, with the RSF reportedly preparing for an offensive.
The situation in El Fasher has deteriorated since mid-April, with multiple reports of villages west of the city being destroyed by RSF actions and indiscriminate bombings by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, highlighted the peril faced by civilians trapped in the city amidst continuous indiscriminate attacks.
The conflict in Sudan, which has intensified since it began last April following disputes over a transition to civilian rule, has already been labeled one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history, displacing over 8 million people. The U.S. has called for all parties to cease hostilities and allow humanitarian aid to reach those in dire need, emphasizing the catastrophic consequences of an attack on El Fasher.
Local and international bodies, including humanitarian organizations, have underscored the dire conditions in and around El Fasher. The Zamzam camp, just south of the city, has reported catastrophic levels of malnutrition among children and an influx of war-wounded individuals.
In response to the escalating crisis, the U.S. has urged international stakeholders and countries supplying arms to the warring factions in Sudan to halt their support, warning that the situation could spiral into a conflict mirroring the genocidal violence Darfur witnessed two decades ago. The international community remains on high alert as the situation in El Fasher and the broader Darfur region teeters on the edge of a humanitarian disaster.
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