The strategic city of El Fasher in North Darfur has become the epicentre of Sudan's devastating civil war, with millions of civilians trapped between warring factions and facing what aid agencies describe as an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.
The Battle for Sudan's Last Stronghold
El Fasher represents the final major urban centre in the Darfur region not under control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Its potential fall would mark a pivotal moment in the conflict that has raged since April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the powerful paramilitary group.
The humanitarian situation has reached breaking point, with medical facilities destroyed, food supplies depleted, and clean water becoming increasingly scarce. Aid organisations warn that without immediate intervention, mass starvation is inevitable.
A City Under Siege
Recent weeks have seen intensified fighting around El Fasher, with both sides committing significant resources to control this strategically vital city. The RSF has tightened its grip on surrounding areas, while the army struggles to maintain its defensive positions within the city itself.
Civilians bear the brunt of this brutal stalemate. "We're witnessing a complete collapse of basic services," reports one aid worker who recently evacuated. "Hospitals have been shelled, markets are empty, and people are surviving on whatever they can find."
Regional and International Implications
The conflict in El Fasher threatens to reignite ethnic tensions that characterised the Darfur genocide of the early 2000s. Many fear a return to the mass atrocities that defined that dark chapter in Sudan's history.
International efforts to broker ceasefires have repeatedly failed, with diplomatic initiatives struggling to gain traction amid the complex web of regional alliances and competing interests.
The Human Cost
- Over 8 million people displaced nationwide
- Nearly 25 million requiring humanitarian assistance
- Famine conditions spreading across multiple regions
- Healthcare system in complete collapse
As the world's attention remains divided by other global crises, the people of Sudan face what United Nations officials describe as one of the worst humanitarian disasters in recent memory. The window to prevent mass starvation in El Fasher and surrounding areas is closing rapidly, with aid agencies warning they may have mere weeks to avert complete catastrophe.
