In the war-ravaged Sudanese city of El-Fasher, families are desperately seeking refuge underground as relentless attacks continue between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). For nearly two years, the brutal conflict has devastated the country, with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres describing the crisis as “of staggering scale and brutality.”
El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, remains the last major city in Darfur under army control, making it a strategic target for the RSF. As the paramilitary group intensifies its offensive, civilians like 45-year-old Nafisa Malik and her five children have been forced into hastily dug shelters, trying to survive the constant shelling. “We sit in darkness, listening, trying to guess when it’s over,” Malik shared.
Battleground for Control Over Darfur
The RSF has been attempting to capture El-Fasher for months. While the Sudanese army has regained control of much of the capital, Khartoum, El-Fasher remains a crucial holdout. With supply lines cut off and heavy fighting raging, many residents have built makeshift bunkers to shield themselves from airstrikes and artillery fire.
Mohammed Ibrahim, a 54-year-old resident, recounted how his perception of safety changed after witnessing homes being struck. “At first, we thought hiding under beds was enough—until houses were hit. We lost neighbors, and the children were terrified,” he said. Determined to protect his family, Ibrahim dug a hole in his yard and reinforced it with sacks of soil.
Doctors Operating in Underground Shelters
Medical staff at the Saudi Hospital, one of the few functioning healthcare facilities in the city, have resorted to performing surgeries in underground shelters. A doctor, speaking anonymously for security reasons, described the harrowing conditions. “We operate under phone lights during strikes. Every explosion shakes the walls, rattling our nerves.”
The humanitarian crisis has worsened as aid organizations suspend operations due to escalating violence. A UN-backed assessment has already declared famine in three displacement camps, with more regions—including El-Fasher itself—expected to experience famine by May.
Strategic and Ethnic Stakes in the Conflict
El-Fasher has historically been a significant power center in Darfur, once serving as the seat of the Darfur Sultanate. Now, it is the last stronghold preventing the RSF from taking full control of the region. The paramilitary group, which finances its operations through Darfur’s gold reserves, has been accused of targeting non-Arab ethnic communities, including the Zaghawa, who have now joined forces with the army.
The Zaghawa, led by Darfur Governor Minni Minnawi and Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim, initially remained neutral but have now aligned with the army to defend the city. “The fall of El-Fasher would be an existential threat to them,” Sudanese political analyst Kholood Khair explained. “They fear RSF reprisals for breaking neutrality.”
A City on the Brink of Collapse
As RSF forces tighten their grip, the Sudanese army faces a dire choice: defend El-Fasher at an immense human cost or risk losing a stronghold that could shift the war’s balance. The siege has already driven food prices to unbearable levels, with shop owners like Ahmed Suleiman revealing how supply routes are nearly cut off. “Even if you take the risk, you have to pay bribes at checkpoints, which drives up prices,” he said.
Leni Kinzli of the World Food Programme warned that unless aid deliveries resume, the consequences will be catastrophic. “If aid continues to be blocked, the fallout will be devastating.”
With El-Fasher at the heart of Sudan’s conflict, the fate of thousands of civilians hangs in the balance as both sides continue their fight for control.