An extensive earthen wall is being built around the besieged Sudanese city of el-Fasher and is intended to trap people inside, according to research from Yale University.
From satellite images, the university's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) has identified more than 31km (19 miles) of berms - or raised banks - constructed since May in territory outside the city occupied by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
El-Fasher, under siege for more than a year, is the last major foothold in Darfur for Sudan's army, which has been battling the RSF since April 2023.
The Sudan Doctors Network has told the BBC that the RSF was intensifying its offensive there and deliberately targeting civilians.
Yesterday there was a shelling in a civilian area down in the city centre that ended up killing almost 24 civilians and injuring 55 people, among them five women, Dr Mohamed Faisal Hassan, from the medics association, told the BBC's Newsday programme.
The attacks on the central market and a residential area were deliberate and heinous, he said.
BBC Verify says both sides in the conflict have been using berms as a defensive tool. However, the analysis by Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab suggests that the RSF is creating a literal kill box around el-Fasher.
The HRL traced the construction of the earthen walls on to a map of el-Fasher, noting that since the conflict erupted, RSF fighters and allied Arab militia in Darfur have been accused of targeting people from non-Arab ethnic groups.
Civilian attempts to flee are being met with lethal force. The RSF has previously denied charges of targeting civilians and engaging in ethnic cleansing. Humanitarian organizations have been unable to access el-Fasher for months, forcing remaining civilians to endure continuous bombardment, food scarcity, and limited access to medical care.
Dr. Hassan adds, Some civilians are trying to escape the city but sadly they are being targeted and killed by the RSF forces, highlighting a dire situation as the RSF consolidates its power in the region. Advocacy groups are urging international attention and action to prevent further humanitarian disasters in Sudan.
From satellite images, the university's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) has identified more than 31km (19 miles) of berms - or raised banks - constructed since May in territory outside the city occupied by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
El-Fasher, under siege for more than a year, is the last major foothold in Darfur for Sudan's army, which has been battling the RSF since April 2023.
The Sudan Doctors Network has told the BBC that the RSF was intensifying its offensive there and deliberately targeting civilians.
Yesterday there was a shelling in a civilian area down in the city centre that ended up killing almost 24 civilians and injuring 55 people, among them five women, Dr Mohamed Faisal Hassan, from the medics association, told the BBC's Newsday programme.
The attacks on the central market and a residential area were deliberate and heinous, he said.
BBC Verify says both sides in the conflict have been using berms as a defensive tool. However, the analysis by Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab suggests that the RSF is creating a literal kill box around el-Fasher.
The HRL traced the construction of the earthen walls on to a map of el-Fasher, noting that since the conflict erupted, RSF fighters and allied Arab militia in Darfur have been accused of targeting people from non-Arab ethnic groups.
Civilian attempts to flee are being met with lethal force. The RSF has previously denied charges of targeting civilians and engaging in ethnic cleansing. Humanitarian organizations have been unable to access el-Fasher for months, forcing remaining civilians to endure continuous bombardment, food scarcity, and limited access to medical care.
Dr. Hassan adds, Some civilians are trying to escape the city but sadly they are being targeted and killed by the RSF forces, highlighting a dire situation as the RSF consolidates its power in the region. Advocacy groups are urging international attention and action to prevent further humanitarian disasters in Sudan.
