KHARTOUM, Sudan / ANKARA

At least 12 more civilians were killed and seven others injured in fresh artillery shelling by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State in western Sudan, the army said on Wednesday.

A military statement said that army forces repelled an RSF attack on the city on Tuesday night, killing and injuring dozens of militants and destroying three military vehicles.

"The RSF militia carried out a new crime by indiscriminately shelling the northern and southern areas of El-Fasher, killing 12 civilians, including women and children," the statement said.

There was no comment from the rebel group on the statement.

On Tuesday, the RSF called on the army and allied forces to surrender their weapons and leave the city.

El-Fasher has seen deadly clashes between the Sudanese army and the RSF since May 2024, despite international warnings over the repercussions of fighting on the city, which serves as a hub for humanitarian operations in all five Darfur states.

Earlier this month, the RSF claimed to have seized control of the Zamzam refugee camp in the city after clashes with army forces. At least 400 civilians were killed, and nearly 400,000 were displaced due to the fighting, according to UN figures.

Since April 15, 2023, the RSF has been battling the Sudanese army for control of the country, resulting in thousands of deaths and one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

More than 20,000 people have been killed so far, and 15 million others displaced, according to the UN and local authorities. Research from US scholars, however, estimates the death toll at around 130,000.