Thousands of civilians are trapped in El-Fasher, Sudan, raising urgent safety concerns as the United Nations and local organizations reported that paramilitary forces have taken control of the army’s last stronghold in the Darfur region. The city has been besieged by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since May 2024, continuing a brutal conflict that has persisted for over two years.
Pro-democracy activists released footage showing dozens of deceased individuals alongside burnt vehicles, highlighting the devastating conditions on the ground. Communication with civilians has been extremely difficult, as a media blackout reportedly cut off both satellite and other communication networks in El-Fasher. The Sudanese Journalists’ Syndicate expressed grave concern for the safety of journalists, particularly noting that independent reporter Muammar Ibrahim was detained by RSF forces on Sunday.
The RSF declared their control over the city, but the army and its allies did not respond to inquiries regarding the situation. If this claim is verified, it would mark a pivotal development in the ongoing conflict, which has already resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and left nearly 12 million people displaced since April 2023. The RSF would solidify control over all five state capitals in Darfur, further entrenching its governance as it already administers Nyala in South Darfur.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres remarked on the escalation of violence, stating that the suffering in Sudan has reached unbearable levels. The humanitarian situation in El-Fasher is dire, with around 260,000 civilians—half of them children—trapped without aid and resorting to consuming animal fodder. Despite claims of civilian protection, local resistance committees accused RSF forces of committing severe atrocities, including ethnic cleansing, while reports emerged of fighters detaining men assumed to have ties to the army.
As fighting resumed near El-Fasher airport and other areas on Sunday night, the absence of air support from the army raised alarms among pro-democracy activists. The army-aligned governor of Darfur called for civilian protection and demanded an independent investigation into the violence perpetrated by RSF forces. The UN previously warned about potential massacres targeting non-Arab communities, similar to those witnessed after RSF’s incursion into the nearby Zamzam camp in April.
In response to escalating violence, the United Nations’ migration agency indicated that approximately 2,500 to 3,000 people fled El-Fasher, seeking refuge either within the city or towards neighboring towns like Tawila and Mellit. Meanwhile, Sudan’s de facto leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, made a brief public appearance for a meeting with the Turkish ambassador in Port Sudan, discussing the RSF’s siege on El-Fasher.
Tom Fletcher, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), called for safe passage for civilians amid the chaos, but access to the city remains heavily restricted due to ongoing combat.
In recent months, the RSF has escalated artillery and drone attacks, systematically dismantling the army’s defenses. Despite repeated calls for a ceasefire from the international community, both the RSF and the army have shown little intention of negotiation or compromise.
A recent meeting in Washington involving representatives from the US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates aimed to establish a path toward peace and stability in Sudan. However, the discussions did not yield any tangible outcomes. Guterres noted that the conflict transcends Sudanese borders, indicating growing external interference that complicates the pursuit of a ceasefire.
The situation in Sudan has spiraled into what the United Nations now describes as the world’s largest crisis of displacement and hunger, with the humanitarian ramifications growing increasingly dire as the conflict enters its third year.
