PORTU SUDAN: Sudanese paramilitary forces shelled North Darfur’s besieged capital El-Fasher on Saturday, killing at least 17 civilians and injuring 25 others, a medical source said.

Speaking anonymously for safety reasons, the source at El-Fasher Hospital said these numbers only account for those who reached the hospital, adding that others were buried by their families, unable to access medical centers due to ongoing security challenges.

Since May last year, El-Fasher has been under siege by the Rapid Support Forces, which have been battling Sudan’s army since April 2023.

According to the local resistance committee — one of hundreds of volunteer groups documenting atrocities during the conflict — the attack involved heavy artillery shelling by the RSF across several residential neighborhoods.

• The conflict has effectively divided Sudan, with the army controlling the north, east, and center while the Rapid Support Forces hold much of Darfur and parts of the south.