Khartoum: Sudans paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Sunday announced that it had taken control of the city of El-Fasher, the last major urban center in western Darfur not previously under its control. Local pro-army fighters accused the RSF of running a "media disinformation campaign" and maintained that residents continued to resist the paramilitary group. The RSF declared it had entirely seized El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, after an 18-month siege against the army and allied former rebels and local fighters.
According to United Nations, the RSF had besieged El-Fasher, targeting civilians with drone and artillery strikes, which resulted in starvation among the 250,000 people remaining in the city's west. Local pro-army fighters, known as the Popular Resistance, accused the RSF of weakening morale through disinformation, insisting that residents are actively "resisting in the face of terrorist militias."
Since August, the RSF has escalated its attacks on El-Fasher, eroding the army's final defensive lines. Last week, the RSF claimed it was facilitating the exit of civilians and surrendered fighters from the city, although reports emerged of robberies, sexual assaults, and killings by RSF soldiers on the routes out. RSF videos released on Sunday showed army vehicles retreating and fighters celebrating at the Sixth Infantry Division base, with similar scenes captured in Nyala, the South Darfur state capital.
If verified, the capture of El-Fasher would represent a significant turning point in Sudan's two-year war, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and nearly 12 million displacements. The RSF's control over all five Darfur state capitals consolidates its parallel administration in Nyala, potentially setting the stage for Sudan's partition, with the army holding the north, east, and center, and the RSF dominating Darfur and parts of the south.
The RSF stated its commitment to providing "safe corridors" for those wishing to relocate and necessary protection for those remaining in the city. US senior advisor for Africa Massad Boulos urged the RSF to open "humanitarian corridors" for civilian evacuation, as approximately 260,000 civilians, half of them children, are trapped in El-Fasher without aid or food. Four UN agencies warned that thousands of malnourished children face an "imminent risk of death" due to collapsing health services, with reports of killings, sexual violence, and forced recruitment mounting daily.
The UN had previously expressed concern over potential massacres targeting non-Arab communities in El-Fasher, similar to those reported in the Zamzam camp after its capture by the RSF in April. Despite repeated international appeals, both conflicting parties have ignored calls for a ceasefire. Representatives from the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates met in Washington to advance peace and stability in Sudan and transition to civilian rule, according to Massad Boulos. The countries reaffirmed their support for a September peace proposal advocating a truce, permanent ceasefire, and civilian governance, though the meeting yielded little tangible progress.