Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Tuesday accused the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and its allied mercenary groups of spreading “false allegations and misinformation to mislead local and international public opinion” regarding the situation in North Darfur State’s el Fasher.
RSF says the aim of the disinformation campaign is to manipulate both local and international public opinion regarding the situation in el Fasher.
RSF “strictly adhere to the rules of engagement and upholds human rights, international humanitarian law, and all relevant international conventions,” the group said.
The Sudanese group added that it was avoiding any armed engagements that would endanger civilians in el Fasher.
RSF warned that some armed mercenary movements had abandoned their neutral position and had aligned themselves with “SAF leadership and former regime extremists, explicitly announcing intentions to attack RSF forces.”
These groups have launched more than 20+ assaults on RSF positions in el Fasher, while SAF warplanes targeted residential and civilian areas in a series of documented airstrikes resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people, RSF said.
RSF also condemned the recent bombing of the Babiker Nahar Children’s Hospital by SAF, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians and inflicted injuries on many more.
These “schemes of the SAF and its allied mercenaries will not succeed in creating a rift between the RSF and the Sudanese people, or in spreading misinformation to international observers, RSF said.
Sudan has been mired by fighting between the army, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who is the head of the ruling Sovereign Council, and the RSF.
At least 13,900 people have been killed and more than eight million displaced in the conflict that started in April 2023, according to UN figures.
Several cease-fire agreements brokered by Saudi Arabia and US mediators have failed to end the violence.
