A significant escalation in Sudan’s ongoing civil war occurred over the weekend as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary group, claimed control of the city of El-Fasher. This city, located in the Darfur region, has been a refuge for approximately 250,000 civilians who have been trapped and cut off from essential supplies for months. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the situation as “a terrible escalation in the conflict,” emphasizing the unbearable suffering experienced by the population.
Reports emerged on social media indicating that RSF forces had seized the Sudanese Armed Forces’ 6th Division Headquarters in El-Fasher. The Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) confirmed through satellite imagery that RSF launched a major offensive on the city, revealing evidence of intense fighting and potential hostage situations near the army airfield. The HRL announced its commitment to continuously monitor the area for evidence of possible mass atrocities.
Despite the RSF’s claims of full control over El-Fasher, the Sudanese army reported ongoing clashes, leaving independent analysts unable to verify the RSF’s assertions. The United Nations has urgently called for civilians trapped within the city to be allowed safe passage out. Tom Fletcher, the U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator, urged an immediate ceasefire to facilitate the evacuation of civilians.
The RSF has surrounded El-Fasher for several weeks, constructing an earthen berm to block supplies from entering and prevent civilians from escaping. This stronghold is the last significant bastion of the Sudanese army in Darfur. If the RSF consolidates control of El-Fasher, it would extend its dominance over all five states of the region.
Analysts have raised concerns regarding the RSF’s intentions, suggesting that the group may seek to formally partition Sudan and establish a parallel government in areas under its control. Unverified images circulating on social media purportedly show RSF fighters among casualties and injured civilians, celebrating their advances within the city.
Fighting in and around El-Fasher has persisted for the past 18 months, leading to severe shortages of food, medical supplies, and communication channels for the trapped residents. Witnesses have reported that drone strikes and artillery bombardments have become a daily reality as clashes between the RSF and the Sudanese army continue.
Sudan’s civil war erupted in April 2023, following the breakdown of a power-sharing agreement between military leaders of the army and the RSF, who had initially cooperated but later fell into conflict over plans to merge their forces. Both factions have faced accusations of committing war crimes during this prolonged conflict, which the United Nations has characterized as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
