Sudan: 19 Killed in Darfur as Fighting Intensifies Around el-Fasher

Heavy fighting has escalated in the Sudanese city of el-Fasher, where the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continue their year-long siege against the Sudanese army. The renewed clashes have left at least 19 people dead and dozens wounded, deepening the humanitarian crisis in North Darfur.

Airstrikes Claim Civilian Lives

According to Emergency Lawyers, a Sudanese NGO, multiple airstrikes were reported across the Darfur region over the weekend. On Saturday, a Sudanese army drone strike hit a medical clinic in South Darfur, killing 12 civilians. Later that day, bombings in el-Fasher claimed seven more lives, with medical sources attributing those strikes to the RSF.

Siege of el-Fasher Enters Second Year

General Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo’s RSF has kept el-Fasher under siege for more than a year, aiming to seize the last major city in Darfur still controlled by Sudan’s army. Analysts say recent RSF offensives reflect a broader push to consolidate territorial control in western Sudan, where the conflict has already displaced millions.

Starvation as a Weapon of War

The United Nations has warned that civilians in el-Fasher are facing starvation as the RSF blockade prevents humanitarian aid from entering the city. UNICEF estimates that at least 6,000 children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition and cannot access life-saving treatment due to the siege.

UNICEF’s Dire Warning

For 500 days, some 260,000 civilians — half of them #children — have been trapped in Sudan’s #AlFasher, cut off from food, medicine, and safety.

Hunger, disease, and violence are stealing children’s lives.

The world must not look away.#ForEveryChild, every right pic.twitter.com/uzfKElDxNU

— UNICEF Sudan – اليونيسف في السودان (@UNICEFSudan) August 27, 2025

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“We are witnessing a devastating tragedy – children in el-Fasher are starving while UNICEF’s lifesaving nutrition services are being blocked,” said UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell. She called on both parties to allow immediate access for humanitarian aid before more lives are lost.

Displaced Civilians Trapped

Around 260,000 civilians are currently confined to el-Fasher’s main camp for internally displaced people, the UN reports. Roughly half of them are children, many of whom lack food, clean water, and medical assistance. With no safe routes out of the city, residents remain vulnerable to airstrikes and ground assaults.

International Condemnation

On Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the violence and urged an immediate ceasefire. In a strongly worded statement, he said he was “appalled” by the RSF’s “relentless attacks” and stressed the need to protect civilians trapped in the conflict zone.

A Prolonged Humanitarian Disaster

Darfur has long been a flashpoint of conflict in Sudan, but the battle for el-Fasher has taken a devastating turn. Aid agencies have repeatedly warned that the prolonged blockade, combined with indiscriminate bombings, risks turning the crisis into one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.

Calls for Peace Talks

Observers argue that without sustained international pressure, both sides will continue to weaponize starvation and displacement. While regional mediators have attempted to bring Sudan’s warring factions to the negotiating table, progress remains stalled, leaving civilians to bear the brunt of the violence.

The Cost of Continued Conflict

As the war in Sudan stretches into its second year, the situation in el-Fasher highlights the devastating cost of prolonged conflict. With children dying from hunger and civilians trapped under siege, the crisis has become a grim symbol of how civilians are used as pawns in a fight for power.

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