In the besieged Sudanese city of El-Fasher, a devastating drone strike has claimed the lives of at least 57 civilians, including 17 children, at a displacement shelter within university grounds. The attack marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict that has torn apart Africa’s third-largest nation.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary organization that has maintained a 17-month siege of El-Fasher, reportedly launched two drone strikes and eight artillery shells at the Dar al-Arqam camp. While the RSF has denied responsibility for the attack, international observers have documented the incident through multiple independent sources.
Medical personnel in El-Fasher report overwhelming casualties, with local hospitals – already strained under months of siege conditions – forced to treat wounded civilians in corridors and on floors. The attack has further destabilized the last major urban center under government control in the Darfur region.
The United Nations estimates 250,000 civilians remain trapped within El-Fasher, facing severe shortages of food, medicine, and basic necessities. Recent satellite imagery confirms the RSF has constructed an earthen wall around the city, effectively cutting off escape routes for the civilian population.
The situation represents a critical juncture in Sudan’s civil conflict, which erupted in 2023 following a power struggle between army commanders and RSF leadership. Should El-Fasher fall to RSF forces, the paramilitary group would gain complete control of the Darfur region, potentially establishing an alternative government structure.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has condemned the attacks on civilian targets, stating that such actions may constitute war crimes under international law. This latest assault follows a pattern of civilian targeting, including a recent attack on one of El-Fasher’s few remaining hospitals that killed 13 people.
The broader conflict has resulted in more than 150,000 deaths across Sudan, with approximately 12 million people displaced from their homes. The army currently maintains control of most northern and eastern regions, while the RSF dominates Darfur and neighboring Kordofan.
Military analysts suggest El-Fasher’s situation has become increasingly precarious, with the city likely to fall unless government forces receive substantial reinforcement. The intensification of RSF attacks in recent weeks indicates a possible final push to secure complete regional control.
This humanitarian crisis continues to escalate while the international community struggles to implement effective intervention measures. The situation in El-Fasher exemplifies the devastating impact of modern urban warfare on civilian populations and the urgent need for diplomatic resolution to prevent further catastrophic loss of life.