8 members of same family killed in mosque attack in western Sudan

KHARTOUM, Sudan

Eight members of the same family were killed on Monday in the shelling of a mosque by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary force in western Sudan, according to an activist group.

The fatalities occurred when a drone shelled a mosque in al-Tijaniyah neighborhood in El-Fasher city in North Darfur state, the Coordination of Resistance Committees said in a statement.

Most of the victims were children, while 12 other people were injured in the attack, it added.

There was no immediate comment from the RSF on the report.

Earlier on Monday, the World Food Program (WFP) said gunmen attacked and looted aid trucks while on their way to central Darfur.

"Today, unidentified armed men attacked 3 WFP trucks full of food aid en route to Central Darfur," WFP said in a statement.

“Food assistance meant to feed thousands was looted,” it added.

Since May 10, El-Fasher has witnessed fierce clashes between the Sudanese army and RSF. The city is used by UN and international aid agencies as a humanitarian operation center for the Darfur region.

The conflict in Sudan broke out in April 2023 between army Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo over disagreements about integrating the RSF into the military.

The conflict has killed nearly 16,000 people, displaced millions and caused a devastating humanitarian crisis in Sudan, according to UN figures.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar