EL FASHER (Realist English). Militiamen from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have captured the Sudanese army’s last remaining base in the Darfur region, giving the group control over most of El Fasher, the besieged regional capital, and consolidating its hold over western Sudan.
The RSF, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, announced on Sunday that its fighters had “taken full control” of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) base in the city. Videos shared on social media showed RSF troops celebrating inside the headquarters, while aerial footage revealed thousands of civilians fleeing across the surrounding scrublands.
El Fasher has been under siege since April 2023, with tens of thousands of residents trapped in conditions of famine and daily bombardment. In recent days, locals reported that food supplies had completely run out, including animal feed that many had been relying on to survive.
The SAF has not commented on the loss of the base, but witnesses said pockets of resistance were continuing in parts of the city. A former government minister in contact with residents said it was “a matter of days” before the RSF achieved full control, warning of a likely bloody end to the siege.
If confirmed, the fall of El Fasher would mark a major victory for Hemedti’s forces, which have been fighting to expel the national army and its allied rebel groups from Darfur. Control of the region would give Hemedti — who has been accused of genocide by the United States — significant leverage over Sudan’s future political negotiations.
The RSF’s gains come despite allegations that the United Arab Emirates has supplied the group with weapons and mercenaries — claims Abu Dhabi has denied. Analysts warn that the army’s defeat could cement the de facto partition of Sudan between east and west.
Aladdin Nugud, spokesperson for the parallel government established by Hemedti in Darfur, hailed the “complete liberation of El Fasher,” describing it as “a new beginning for a Sudan built on peace, justice, and equality.”
The RSF advance coincided with renewed diplomatic efforts led by Massad Boulos, senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump on Arab and African affairs, who met officials from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE on Sunday to discuss a ceasefire plan. Boulos reaffirmed the “quad group’s” commitment to securing an urgent humanitarian truce and ending external support for both sides.
Human rights organizations and aid agencies have repeatedly warned of an impending humanitarian catastrophe in El Fasher, where the UN says tens of thousands are at risk of starvation. The RSF claimed on Sunday that it was working with Hemedti’s Darfur administration to facilitate the return of displaced people and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, though independent observers have voiced skepticism.
