The United Nations has called for safe passage for thousands of civilians trapped in the Sudanese city of El-Fasher after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced they had seized control of the army’s main base in the city, a move that, if confirmed, would mark a major setback for Sudan’s military in the 18-month-long civil war.
The Sudanese army has not confirmed the loss of the base, but verified videos circulating on social media show RSF fighters celebrating inside the captured facility. The paramilitary group claims to have taken full control of El-Fasher, though local pro-army militias insist fighting is still ongoing in parts of the city.
El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, has been under siege for months and represents the military’s last stronghold in the Darfur region. Its fall would effectively give the RSF and its allies control over most of western Sudan.
According to humanitarian agencies, nearly 250,000 people remain trapped in the city, where shortages of food, medicine, and clean water have pushed residents to the brink of starvation. The RSF has been accused of carrying out airstrikes and cutting off escape routes by encircling the city with an earth wall.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher described El-Fasher as the “epicentre of suffering,” warning that civilians were “shelled, starving, and without access to food, healthcare, or safety.”
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“Civilians must be allowed safe passage and be able to access aid,” Fletcher said in a statement on Sunday, urging all sides to protect non-combatants.
The United States has echoed the UN’s call and is reportedly working to broker a ceasefire to allow humanitarian access.
Control of El-Fasher would mark a symbolic victory for the RSF, which suffered major losses in Khartoum earlier in the conflict. However, analysts warn the development could signal a prolonged and bloodier phase of the war rather than a resolution.
Sudan has been engulfed in civil conflict since April 2023, when tensions between the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF erupted into full-scale war. The fighting has killed more than 150,000 people and displaced over 12 million, triggering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The army continues to hold much of northern and eastern Sudan, while the RSF dominates most of Darfur and parts of the Kordofan region. The paramilitary group has indicated plans to establish a rival administration in El-Fasher once it consolidates control of the city.
