Sudan’s army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has announced the withdrawal of his forces from el-Fasher, the last military stronghold in Darfur, following the city’s takeover by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The move comes as the United Nations warns of widespread atrocities and a deepening humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged region.
The announcement came late Monday, a day after the RSF captured the main Sudanese army base in el-Fasher — a city that had resisted the paramilitary group since the conflict erupted in April 2023.
General al-Burhan said the withdrawal was made to prevent further civilian casualties, accusing the RSF of “systemic destruction and killing.” He added, “We decided to withdraw to protect the rest of the city from devastation” and vowed to hold those responsible accountable.
With the RSF now in full control, more than 250,000 civilians — half of them children — are trapped in the city. Aid groups have reported chaotic scenes, with civilians killed, detained, and hospitals attacked amid ongoing violence.
UN sounds alarm over ‘terrible escalation’
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the developments as a “terrible escalation,” saying the suffering in Sudan had reached “unbearable” levels.
The UN Human Rights Office confirmed receiving reports of “summary executions” and ethnically targeted killings. UN human rights chief Volker Türk warned that “the risk of large-scale, ethnically driven atrocities in el-Fasher is mounting by the day.”
Sudanese medical groups described the RSF’s assault as catastrophic. The Sudan Doctor Network condemned it as a “heinous massacre,” citing looting of hospitals and destruction of critical infrastructure.
Similarly, the Sudan Doctors Union called el-Fasher a “brutal killing field” and urged the international community to designate the RSF a terrorist organization. The group accused the paramilitary of pursuing a “barbaric policy that aims at terrorizing and annihilating civilians.”
According to UN agencies, more than 26,000 residents have already fled the city toward nearby rural areas and towns overwhelmed by internally displaced families.
RSF’s dark legacy in Darfur
The RSF, an offshoot of the notorious Janjaweed militia, has long been accused of committing grave human rights violations during the Darfur conflict in the early 2000s.
The ongoing war, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and RSF, has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced nearly 12 million. Rights groups say the conflict has been marked by ethnically motivated massacres, sexual violence, and forced displacement.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has opened investigations into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to RSF operations.
Observers warn that the army’s retreat from el-Fasher marks a significant turning point in Sudan’s 18-month-long war. The fall of Darfur’s last army stronghold could further fracture the country and worsen the humanitarian catastrophe already pushing parts of Sudan into famine.
With hundreds of thousands trapped in fear and hunger, international aid agencies are calling for immediate humanitarian access and a renewed global push to end the violence.
