ALWAGHT- The battle for control of the Sudanese city of El-Fasher has prompted fears of an impending large-scale massacre in the humanitarian hub located in the Darfur region.
Since mid-April, there have been reports of violent clashes occurring in El-Fasher and nearby villages. The city had experienced relative calm since the outbreak of the conflict in Sudan last year between the army and a rival paramilitary force.
According to reports, fighters aligned with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are gearing up for a potential assault on El-Fasher in the near future.
Following a UN Security Council meeting on Sudan on Monday, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the United Nations, informed journalists that El-Fasher "stands on the brink of a large-scale massacre. This is not speculation. It is the harsh reality confronting millions of people."
Since April 15 last year, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been engaged in combat with the army, under the leadership of Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, vying for control of the North African country. This conflict has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people and the displacement of eight million, with warnings of famine looming.
El-Fasher has become the most recent focal point in the year-long conflict between Sudan's military and the Rapid Support Forces.
Foreign powers, particularly the United Arab Emirates, are accused of intensifying the conflict.
Earlier this month, senior United Nations officials cautioned the Security Council that approximately 800,000 individuals living in the area of El-Fasher are currently confronted with a dire and immediate threat.
