(MENAFN) At least 13 civilians lost their lives and 19 others were wounded in heavy shelling by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in North Darfur, according to local medical sources on Monday.

The Sudan Doctors Network reported that among the injured were seven children and a pregnant woman, victims of an attack targeting residential neighborhoods in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur in western Sudan.

The medical organization warned that numerous civilians remain trapped amid ongoing bombardment in the area.

Labeling the RSF offensive as a “full-fledged war crime and a systematic targeting of civilian life, amid shameful international silence and failure to protect hundreds of thousands of residents trapped in the city,” the group condemned the violence.

They urged the international community and the UN Security Council to intervene swiftly to halt attacks on civilians and to ensure protection for both the local population and medical personnel.

Since May 10, 2024, the RSF has enforced a blockade on El-Fasher despite repeated international warnings regarding the risks posed to this critical humanitarian hub serving the five Darfur states.

Clashes between Sudan’s army and the RSF since mid-April 2023 have resulted in over 20,000 deaths and displaced roughly 15 million people, UN and local officials report. Meanwhile, research from U.S. universities estimates the death toll to be near 130,000.

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