Sudan civil war: Over 300 killed in two-day attack on displacement camps
Sudan: More than 300 civilians were killed in just two days of intense fighting in Sudan’s Darfur region, the United Nations reported on Monday, as the civil war nears its two-year mark.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the attacks occurred on Friday and Saturday at two displacement camps, Zamzam and Abu Shorouk, in North Darfur and in the region’s capital, El Fasher. The assaults were carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who targeted famine-hit civilians already suffering from severe humanitarian conditions.
Initial reports had placed the death toll at over 100, including 20 children and nine aid workers. However, OCHA later cited local sources estimating more than 300 fatalities, including 10 humanitarian personnel from Relief International who were operating a health centre in Zamzam camp. Due to the dangerous conditions and poor communication infrastructure, these figures have not been independently verified by the Associated Press.
The conflict began on April 15, 2023, when tensions between Sudan’s military and the RSF erupted into widespread violence, starting in the capital Khartoum and spreading across the country. Since then, at least 24,000 deaths have been officially recorded, although activists suggest the real toll is significantly higher. The war has led to the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis, with Sudan now the only country experiencing famine.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated that the recent RSF offensives followed the military’s regaining of control over Khartoum late last month, a symbolic win for the army. He noted that the El Fasher area, the last major stronghold not under RSF control, remains under siege.
The UN migration agency reported that between 60,000 to 80,000 families have been displaced in the past 48 hours due to these attacks. El Fasher remains overwhelmed, struggling to support the influx of internally displaced people.
Mamadou Dian Balde, the UN refugee agency’s regional director, described the situation as involving “massive violations of human rights.” Nearly 13 million Sudanese have fled their homes, 4 million to other countries, including Libya and Uganda.
The UN’s humanitarian appeal for $1.8 billion to support refugees remains just 10% funded. Balde warned that without increased international aid, migration flows could spread toward southern Africa, the Gulf, and Europe.
The surge in violence comes ahead of an international conference in London on Tuesday marking the war’s second anniversary. Organized by the UK, EU, Germany, and France, the event will see participation from over 20 foreign ministers and major global organizations. The UN Security Council is also scheduled to hold emergency consultations on the Sudan crisis.
Dujarric called on the international community to act in unity toward peace and to halt the deepening of Sudan’s humanitarian catastrophe.
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Woman, 2 sons found dead in Delhi home; suicide suspected
New Delhi (PTI): Three members of a family were found dead inside their home in southeast Delhi's Kalkaji on Friday, with police suspecting it to be a case of suicide, officials said.
Police said the incident came to light around 2.47 pm when a police team reached the premises to execute a court order related to possession of the property. When repeated knocks went unanswered, the staff used a duplicate key to open the door.
Inside, officers found Anuradha Kapoor (52) and her sons, Ashish Kapoor (32) and Chaitanya Kapoor (27), hanging from the ceiling, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said in a statement. All three were declared dead.
A handwritten note was recovered from the room, suggesting the family had been struggling with depression.
"The handwritten note indicates emotional distress faced by the family due to which the family may have taken the extreme step," the officer said.
The bodies have been shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) mortuary for post-mortem and other legal formalities under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), police said.
Residents of the neighbourhood said they were shocked to learn about the deaths, adding that the family kept largely to themselves.
Pankaj Kashyap, a resident of Girinagar, said he learnt about the deaths while leaving for work. "I live and work here and was leaving for work when I saw many people standing outside and talking. That is how I got to know that three people had committed suicide. I also saw several police vehicles outside, but I do not know much beyond that," he said.
Baldev, another neighbour, said the family had been living in the newly constructed house for around two years. "We only knew that a mother and her two children lived there. They had moved into the newly built house around two years ago. We did not interact much with them. Today we heard that all three have committed suicide, and whatever we know is based on what people here are saying," he said.
Another neighbour, Ramesh Kumar, claimed the family had earlier attempted suicide.
"About fifteen to twenty days ago, the two sons in the family had attempted suicide and police and ambulances had come. That was when I first got to know who they were. I do not recognise them by face, but we saw the ambulances and police take the two sons that day. Today again we saw ambulances and police arriving, so everyone came out to see what had happened. I do not know how long they had been living here, but this is all we know," he said.
Police said they are examining the family's financial condition, social circumstances, and other factors that may have contributed to the incident. Further investigation is underway.
