Al-Fasher Under Fire: Rapid Support Forces Take Control Amid Massacres and Mass Displacement in Darfur

SadaNews - In a new tragic development in the ongoing conflict in Sudan, the Rapid Support Forces announced their complete control over the city of Al-Fasher, the largest city in the Darfur region, after violent battles that lasted for months. This city, which was the last stronghold of the Sudanese army in the region, fell after the forces seized the headquarters of the Sixth Infantry Division, representing a strategic shift in the balance of power in the west of the country. The Rapid Support Forces described this advance as a "turning point in the liberation of Sudan," asserting that they would not stop until they had "purified the entire homeland," indicating their intention to continue military operations in other areas.

However, the control of the city came at a devastating humanitarian cost. The Governor of Darfur, Mini Arko Minawi, reported that the city of Al-Fasher "has been eradicated along with its children and elders," pointing out that the attacking forces committed horrific massacres against civilians in the city and surrounding villages. These statements came at a time when reports of serious human rights violations were increasing, including field executions inside the Saudi hospital at Al-Fasher University, according to what was reported by the Resistance Committees Coordination in the city, which accused the Rapid Support Forces of killing the injured inside the only remaining operational hospital.

The humanitarian situation in Al-Fasher has become catastrophic, as the International Organization for Migration announced that more than 33,000 people had been displaced in just three days, including over 7,000 displaced in one day due to the escalation of attacks. The city is suffering from a near-total collapse of health and humanitarian services, amid continued clashes between the Rapid Support Forces and armed groups allied with the Sudanese army. Media reports indicated the use of aircraft to target civilians, exacerbating the scale of the humanitarian disaster.

In light of these developments, international and Arab condemnations have followed, as countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, and organizations like the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League, as well as the World Islamic League, expressed their grave concern regarding what is happening in Al-Fasher, calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and a halt to the fighting. For his part, the head of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, announced the army's withdrawal from the city to spare it further "destruction and systematic killing," a step that some considered an acknowledgment of the difficulty of military confrontation under the current conditions.