On March 9, 2025, eyewitness reported seeing drones flying over Al-Malha during the day, later that night, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) carried out drone strikes targeting the landing site of SAF planes, resulting in the deaths of three (3) SAF soldiers and injuring two (2) others.  

On Monday, March 10, the RSF launched two drone strikes at the center of the locality of Malha, with the third shell targeting the southern gate of the joint forces’ position. Around 8 soldiers were killed instantly at the southern gate, while around 3 civilians lost their lives in the strike at the center of Malha. The wounded were taken to the SAF clinic. 

However, that night, the RSF launched another shelling attack, targeting the hospital where the soldiers were being treated. Tragically, all the 11 soldiers inside the clinic, along with several civilians and the driver who had taken the soldiers to the hospital, were killed in the attack. The exact number of dead remains unclear as efforts to confirm the full toll continues. The incident comes at a time of heightened security tensions in the region, with SAF, together with the joint forces and RSF, vying for control. 

Malha locality which is under the control of the Sudanese army and the joint forces is located near the Sudanese Libyan border, which further complicates the security situation in the area.  

Another eyewitness told Darfur Network for Human Rights that the RSF lunched other four strikes, targeting two Tundra vehicles that were preparing to head to the city of Ad-Daba in the Northern State. This attack highlights the indiscriminate nature of the violence and raises grave concerns about the safety of civilians, as the number of casualties continues to increase amid the ongoing armed conflict. 

The witness reported that the attack killed the driver of one of the vehicles, Fath al-Rahman Abdullah Osman, a civilian who had been transporting passengers between the two cities for a long time, along with 12 or more other civilians from El Fasher, Nyala, and El Daein, who were on their way to Ad Dabba. The deaths of these individuals further illustrate the human cost of the conflict, underscoring the vulnerability of non-combatants in war zones. 

A medical source at Al Malha Rural Hospital confirmed that several wounded people arrived at the hospital to receive treatment, while some critical cases were transferred to Al Dabba city for urgent medical care. The delay in treatment, however, led to the death of some of the injured while being transported for medical assistance. This situation highlights the inadequate healthcare resources available in conflict areas, which severely limit the ability to provide timely and adequate medical care to those in need. 

Neither the Rapid Support Forces nor the Sudanese army have issued any official statement regarding the incident so far, further complicating efforts to establish accountability for such attacks. 

The Sudanese Armed Forces and the Joint Force of Armed Movements sent military reinforcements to Malha a week before in an attempt to break the siege imposed by the Rapid Support Forces on El Fasher since last May. The reinforcement of military forces in such sensitive areas, however, often leads to the escalation of violence, disproportionately affecting civilians who are forced to bear the brunt of the conflict. 

In contrast, the Rapid Support Forces have gathered military vehicles and fighters in the areas of Sayah, Diqarshi, Mado, and Mellit with the aim of confronting any military move by the Sudanese army and the joint force. This ongoing militarization of civilian spaces continues to violate the rights of local populations, who are subjected to violence, displacement, and the destruction of their livelihoods. 

The Rapid Support Forces are working to secure control of the 6th Infantry Division in El Fasher, the Sudanese army’s last stronghold in Darfur, following its capture of the Nyala, Zalingei, El Geneina, and El Daein divisions in 2023. This shift in control has led to a significant deterioration in the humanitarian situation, with civilians trapped between rival forces, facing continuous insecurity, displacement, and violations of their fundamental rights. 

The Darfur Network for Human Rights (DNHR) calls on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and all armed groups to immediately stop attacks on civilians and displacement shelters. The deliberate targeting of vulnerable communities is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and constitutes war crimes.