Sudan’s rapid ground forces (RSF) say they have taken control of the western town of El-Fasher, marking a turning point in the civil war.
The group said in a statement on social media that they had placed him in El-Fasher “from the capture of mercenaries and soldiers who joined the terrorist army”.
The loss will be a big surprise to the Sudanese army as El-Fasher is its last hold in the Darfur region, leaving the RSF effectively in charge of the area. The army has yet to comment.
It comes after the rebel group announced the capture of the headquarters of the Army’s 6th Division, saying they destroyed “large military vehicles” and seized military equipment.
BBC Confirm has confirmed the authenticity of videos circulating on social media showing RSF fighters inside the army.
Local Pro-Army Fighters, the popular resistance, accused the RSF of using a “diadia disinformation campaign” to lower the “high reputation of the army”.
The RSF has surrounded El-Fasher for the past 18 months, with military positions and civilians under bombardment. An estimated 300,000 people have been affected by the war.
In August, a satellite image showed a series of extensive mud walls being built in the city, intended to draw people inside.
The RSF has been advancing the 6th infantry division command – widely regarded as the military headquarters in the city – from several directions for weeks.
There are still some parts of El-Fasher under the control of the army and allied armed groups – but those are not expected to hold for much longer now.
Temple Relief Tom Felleter said on Sunday he was “deeply shocked” by the reports from El-Fasher, and called for an immediate ceasefire across Darfur and Sudan.
“Hundreds of thousands of citizens are stranded and scared – scared, starving, and without access to food, health care, or safety,” said Mr. Fletcher in a statement, “
Famine and disease have spread across El-Fasher as residents face bombings and dwindling food and medical supplies.
UN investigators have accused the RSF of committing numerous crimes against humanity during the siege. The US has said that the RSF committed genocide against a non-arab population.
Sudan has been wracked by conflict since 2023, after the top commanders of the RSF and the Sudanese Army fell out and the bad atmosphere worsened.
More than 150,000 people have died across the country and around 12 million have fled their homes, creating one of the worst humanitarian crises.
The army controls most of the north and east, with El-Fasher being until now the last major center in Darfur held by government forces and their allies.
The RSF controls almost all of Darfur and most of the neighboring Kordofan region.
The group has previously said it hopes to form a rival government in Al-Fasher when it takes full control.
Additional reporting by Peter Mwai
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