Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) say they have taken full control of the city of El-Fasher, the last major stronghold of the Sudanese army in Darfur.
In a statement shared on social media, the RSF claimed it had seized the city “from the grip of mercenaries and militias allied with the terrorist army.”
If confirmed, this would mark a major setback for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), as El-Fasher was its final foothold in the western region. The army has not yet issued any official response.
According to the BBC, the RSF also announced that it had captured the 6th Infantry Division Headquarters and destroyed “large military vehicles,” taking control of equipment and ammunition from the base.
The BBC Verify team confirmed that videos circulating online showing RSF fighters inside the base are genuine.
However, local pro-army forces, known as the Popular Resistance, rejected the RSF’s claims, accusing them of spreading “false information” to demoralize the army and its supporters.
For nearly 18 months, El-Fasher has been under siege, with frequent shelling hitting both army positions and civilian areas. The United Nations estimates that around 300,000 civilians remain trapped in the city, facing severe shortages of food, water, and medical care.
UN Relief Chief Tom Fletcher expressed deep alarm over the situation, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Darfur and across Sudan.
“Hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped and terrified — shelled, starving, and without access to food, healthcare, or safety,” he said, warning that humanitarian agencies have been unable to deliver aid due to ongoing fighting.
Satellite images reviewed by the BBC in August showed extensive earthworks built around El-Fasher — barriers that appear to have prevented people from leaving the city.
According to UN and US sources cited by the BBC, the RSF has been accused of committing crimes against humanity and carrying out ethnic-based killings in parts of Darfur. The RSF denies these allegations.
Sudan has been engulfed in civil war since April 2023, when relations broke down between the leaders of the army and the RSF, leading to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The conflict has killed more than 150,000 people and displaced around 12 million, according to international estimates.
The army still holds parts of northern and eastern Sudan, while the RSF now controls most of Darfur and large areas of Kordofan.
The RSF has previously stated that once it secures full control of El-Fasher, it plans to establish an administrative authority for the region.
