Use of fire as weapon in Sudan war surged last month, study finds

The number of fires have surged, particularly north and west of el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, which faces imminent attack [AFP]

Fires set by combatants in the war in Sudan destroyed or damaged 72 villages and settlements last month, a rights group based in the United Kingdom has found, highlighting the use of fire as a weapon of war in the African country.

Investigators from Sudan Witness, an open-source project run by the nonprofit Center for Information Resilience, said on Monday that April was the worst month in terms of the number of fires recorded and settlements affected since war broke out between Sudan’s military and a rival paramilitary in April 2023.