The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have claimed full control of El Fasher, the last major stronghold of the Sudanese army in Darfur, following more than a year of siege.
The group said it had seized the army’s 6th Division Headquarters, effectively ending government presence in the western region. Verified videos showed RSF fighters celebrating inside the captured base.
If confirmed, the fall of El Fasher marks a turning point in Sudan’s two-year civil war. It leaves the RSF in control of all five Darfur states, consolidating its power base and raising fears of a permanent partition of the country.
Local pro-army fighters, known as the Popular Resistance, denied that the entire city had fallen, saying that parts of El Fasher remain under army control. However, UN officials say civilians are trapped, with food, water, and medical supplies running out.
UN Raises Alarm Over Trapped Civilians
UN Relief Chief Tom Fletcher said he was deeply alarmed by reports from El Fasher, where hundreds of thousands remain without food or access to safety.
Satellite images show extensive earthen walls built around the city, blocking escape routes. The siege has already displaced over 600,000 people, while 300,000 remain trapped amid bombardments and disease outbreaks.
The RSF and the Sudanese army have both been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, while the United States has designated RSF actions in Darfur as genocide.
Sudan’s civil war, which began in April 2023, has killed more than 150,000 people and displaced 12 million, making it one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
