The UN has called for safe passage for trapped civilians out of the Sudanese city of el-Fasher after paramilitary fighters announced they had seized control of the army's main base there. Sudan's military has not acknowledged loss of the site, which would be a significant victory for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the ongoing civil war. UN chief António Guterres said the latest fighting marked a terrible escalation in the conflict, adding that the suffering of civilians was unbearable, AFP news agency reports.
El-Fasher is the last army foothold in the vast western region of Darfur, and has been besieged by the RSF and its allies for 18 months. Heavy fighting has been reported since Saturday after RSF fighters captured the home of the North Darfur governor. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk warned that the risk of further large-scale, ethnically motivated violations and atrocities in el-Fasher is mounting by the day. The Sudanese Doctors' Network reported that the RSF had already carried out ethnically motivated killings and looted medical facilities.
Imran Abdullah, an advisor to the RSF commander, denied the group's fighters targeted civilians, claiming they were protecting those fleeing conflict areas. However, verified social media videos show RSF combatants celebrating the capture of the el-Fasher headquarters, while local allied forces indicate that fighting continues in some areas. Communication lines to el-Fasher are almost completely cut off, intensifying the danger for those still in the city.
Civilians trapped in el-Fasher face horrendous conditions, with reports of shelling, starvation, and no access to basic healthcare. The situation has become dire, with the UN calling el-Fasher the epicentre of suffering in Sudan. Amidst these crises, international calls for ceasefires and humanitarian aid are growing louder, as the country endures one of its worst humanitarian crises in years.
El-Fasher is the last army foothold in the vast western region of Darfur, and has been besieged by the RSF and its allies for 18 months. Heavy fighting has been reported since Saturday after RSF fighters captured the home of the North Darfur governor. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk warned that the risk of further large-scale, ethnically motivated violations and atrocities in el-Fasher is mounting by the day. The Sudanese Doctors' Network reported that the RSF had already carried out ethnically motivated killings and looted medical facilities.
Imran Abdullah, an advisor to the RSF commander, denied the group's fighters targeted civilians, claiming they were protecting those fleeing conflict areas. However, verified social media videos show RSF combatants celebrating the capture of the el-Fasher headquarters, while local allied forces indicate that fighting continues in some areas. Communication lines to el-Fasher are almost completely cut off, intensifying the danger for those still in the city.
Civilians trapped in el-Fasher face horrendous conditions, with reports of shelling, starvation, and no access to basic healthcare. The situation has become dire, with the UN calling el-Fasher the epicentre of suffering in Sudan. Amidst these crises, international calls for ceasefires and humanitarian aid are growing louder, as the country endures one of its worst humanitarian crises in years.
