Sudanese Paramilitary Forces Launch Deadly Assault on Darfur Town, Forcing Mass Displacement
Deadly attacks by Sudanese paramilitary forces on the town of Misteriha in Sudan's western Darfur region have displaced more than 3,000 people in recent days, according to a statement from the Sudan Doctors Network released on Thursday. The brutal assault comes as the devastating war in the African nation nears its three-year anniversary with no signs of abating, highlighting a deepening humanitarian catastrophe.
Casualty Figures and Attack Details
The Sudan Doctors Network, which monitors the country's ongoing conflict, reported that the latest attack on Misteriha in North Darfur province resulted in at least 28 fatalities and 39 injuries. The group cautioned that these numbers are preliminary estimates, with the actual death and injury toll likely to be significantly higher once full assessments can be conducted. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensified their offensive on Monday, ultimately seizing control of the town, a move expected to consolidate their grip over the Darfur region.
Humanitarian Crisis and Displacement
The doctors group detailed that displaced families fled Misteriha under cover of darkness, abandoning all their possessions and now facing severe shortages of shelter and food. Most of those displaced are women, including pregnant individuals, who are confronting "extremely severe" health conditions amid the chaos. The network issued an urgent appeal for immediate humanitarian assistance to address the critical needs of these vulnerable populations.
Background of the Conflict and Broader Atrocities
The town of Misteriha is a stronghold of Arab tribal leader Musa Hilal, who belongs to the same Rizeigat Arab tribe as the majority of RSF members. While the specific motives behind this attack remain unclear, it forms part of a wider pattern of violence. The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese military erupted into full-scale war in April 2023, resulting in at least 40,000 deaths and displacing 12 million people, according to World Health Organization data. Aid organizations warn that the true casualty figures could be substantially higher due to limited access to remote and conflict-ridden areas.
In a related development, the RSF previously overran el-Fasher, the provincial capital of North Darfur, in October after an 18-month siege. During that operation, paramilitary forces killed more than 6,000 people between October 25 and 27—atrocities that United Nations-backed experts have described as bearing "the hallmarks of genocide."
International Response and Escalating Violence
Simultaneously, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk announced on Thursday that his office has documented a sharp increase in civilian killings in Sudan during 2025, with numbers more than two and a half times higher than the previous year. Thousands more remain missing or unidentified. Türk condemned the international community's inaction, stating, "This war is ugly. It's bloody. And it's senseless. If much of the international community continues to act as a passive bystander, then something is fundamentally wrong with our collective moral compass."
Despite repeated diplomatic efforts by various countries and organizations to broker a peace agreement, all attempts have thus far failed to halt the relentless violence, leaving millions of Sudanese civilians trapped in a protracted and devastating humanitarian emergency.
