El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, is facing an unprecedented humanitarian collapse, with the UN Refugee Agency describing the situation as “catastrophic.” Recent UN reports indicate that since May 2024, the city has been trapped under a suffocating siege imposed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), aggravating the suffering of civilians and deepening the humanitarian crisis.
Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the most recent report documented a sharp deterioration in conditions, including a rising civilian death toll, extrajudicial executions, and an alarming escalation of ethnic violence.
Deadly Strikes and Human Loss
In the latest attack, at least 75 people were killed on Friday, according to emergency services, when a drone strike targeted a mosque in El Fasher. The RSF was blamed for the attack, which comes amid its ongoing campaign to push the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allies out of the city. El Fasher remains the last major urban stronghold of the army in Darfur, under siege for over a year.
Residents face impossible choices: remain under bombardment, hunger, and disease, or risk fleeing along perilous displacement routes. The UN human rights office accused the RSF of abducting civilians and looting property in a campaign of intimidation.
Escalating Mass Displacement
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported growing waves of displacement from El Fasher and Abu Shouk camp, driven by ongoing shelling and drone attacks since May 11, 2024. In a statement, the UN agency said that between September 17 and 19 alone, around 7,500 people fled the city and camp, heading for other areas in El Fasher locality. But those areas remain volatile and unstable, compounding the humanitarian emergency.
Collapse of Water and Health Services
Residents told Darfur24 on Sunday that the city’s water supply has completely shut down, worsening the ordeal of besieged families already battling thirst and malnutrition. Meanwhile, nearly 95% of El Fasher’s hospitals and health centers are out of service amid a near-total shortage of medical supplies. This collapse has sharply increased deaths among the wounded, the chronically ill, pregnant women, and victims of relentless shelling. The near-total breakdown of healthcare reflects the scale of the unfolding catastrophe and urgent need for international intervention.
Extended Siege and Decisive Battle
The RSF has enforced a strict blockade on El Fasher since April 2024, seeking to seize the city as the last major army-controlled stronghold in Darfur. The group captured army positions in Nyala, Zalingei, El Geneina, and Ed Daein during 2023, leaving El Fasher at the heart of both the military confrontation and what has become an enduring humanitarian disaster.
