A paramilitary attack in the North Darfur town of al-Malha has resulted in the deaths of at least 45 civilians, according to an initial toll shared by activists. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), engaged in conflict with the army since April 2023, recently claimed control of the town, which lies at the foot of a mountainous region approximately 200 kilometers northeast of the North Darfur state capital, El-Fasher.
A local volunteer aid group in El-Fasher compiled a preliminary list of victims of what has been termed the “al-Malha massacre,” attributing responsibility to the RSF. Among the casualties, 15 individuals remain unidentified.
Nearly all of Darfur, a region comparable in size to France, is currently under RSF control. Despite prolonged efforts, the paramilitary force has not succeeded in capturing El-Fasher. The army recently achieved a significant victory by reclaiming the presidential palace in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, located approximately 800 kilometers away.
The RSF, in a statement, asserted that they had “encircled the enemy” in al-Malha, leading to more than 380 fatalities. Opposing the RSF is a coalition of armed groups known as the Joint Forces, which have been actively fighting alongside the army. These forces have successfully repelled RSF offensives and disrupted paramilitary supply lines originating from Chad and Libya.
Al-Malha, one of the northernmost towns in the desert region between Sudan and Libya, has been the site of intense clashes between the Joint Forces and the RSF for several months. As the army continues to make gains in central Sudan, including securing key victories in the capital, analysts suggest that the RSF is resolute in consolidating its control over Darfur.
The ongoing war, which erupted in April 2023, has led to the deaths of tens of thousands and displaced more than 12 million people, making it one of the world’s largest hunger and displacement crises. The humanitarian situation in the region is dire, with three displacement camps near El-Fasher suffering from famine, as noted in a UN-backed assessment.
In the Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps, home to nearly a million displaced individuals, local monitors have reported prolonged queues for drinking water due to an RSF-imposed siege. The worsening conditions continue to exacerbate the suffering of civilians caught in the crossfire of this prolonged and devastating conflict.
