The Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces engaged in violent confrontations in El Fasher, the capital of western Sudan's North Darfur State, on Friday, local media reported.
According to an eyewitness from El Fasher who spoke with China's state media Xinhua, the severe ground combat took place in the city's central neighborhoods.
"Both sides used heavy weapons, resulting in a number of casualties who were transferred to El Fasher's southern hospital," the eyewitness reportedly said.
Local media also reported significant casualties in terms of both human life and military equipment, citing an unnamed senior commander in the joint force of the Sudanese army.
"Our forces on the front defenses east of El Fasher launched a surprise attack on the positions of the RSF in Al-Manhal School, Al-Borsa area, and Al-Kahraba neighborhood, inflicting heavy losses of lives and military equipment on them," he was quoted as saying.
Furthermore, Minni Arko Minnawi, governor of the Darfur region, said on X that the army defeated the RSF, "burning a number of their combat vehicles, and forcing them to retreat away from El Fasher." He also accused the RSF of following a scorched-earth policy in El Fasher, engaging in indiscriminate and intentional bombardment of civilian areas and setting fire to institutions.
The conflict in the northeast African country has had dire consequences for its people. On Wednesday, the World Health Organization reported that the conflict has left 15,000 people killed and 33,000 injured since it broke out last April, adding that 15 million people remained in need of humanitarian aid in the African country.