The city of El Fasher, the historic capital of Sudan’s Darfur region, has become a grim symbol of survival and despair. For the past 18 months, this city has been under relentless siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), locked in a brutal civil war with the Sudanese army. As of October 21, 2025, El Fasher teeters on the brink of collapse, its fate uncertain, while the world watches and—many argue—does little.
According to NPR, more than a quarter of a million people remain trapped inside El Fasher. These civilians, like Mohamed Duda, face unimaginable conditions. Duda, speaking to NPR, painted a harrowing picture: “The situation in El Fasher right now is very horrible, you know?” His words echo the desperation felt by so many. With food and medicine supplies gone, Duda and his family have been forced to eat ambaz—animal fodder—just to survive. “There’s lack—completely lack of food, completely lack of medicines,” he said. Even this last resort is running out.
The city’s isolation is total. Relentless artillery shelling and drone strikes keep residents pinned inside their homes, unable to seek safety or supplies. “Daily, the children dying of hunger, and also elders dying of starvations,” Duda reported. The United Nations confirms that over 250,000 people are caught in this nightmare, barely able to move, much less escape.
Before war descended, El Fasher was home to more than two million people. Now, it is defended by a single, nearly defeated battalion of the Sudanese Army, cut off from the main government forces that still control the north, central, and eastern parts of the country. The RSF, meanwhile, has seized most of Darfur and is tightening its grip, determined to capture the last city still resisting its advance.
But the tragedy unfolding in El Fasher is not simply about military conquest or territorial control. According to Nathaniel Raymond, director of the Yale University Humanitarian Research Lab, “This is the last battle in the Darfur genocide that began over 20 years ago in 2003 and 2005.” Raymond’s team has provided evidence of ethnic cleansing by the RSF and allied Arab militias to the United Nations Security Council, documenting atrocities targeting African ethnic groups—especially the Zaghawa, Fur, and Berti peoples.
Many of those now trapped in El Fasher had already fled violence once before. Two decades ago, they sought refuge in the city, protected by United Nations peacekeepers who have since withdrawn. The original genocide, which erupted in 2003, killed hundreds of thousands and displaced more than two million people, according to U.N. estimates. Now, as the conflict reignites, the same communities are once again at risk—this time with even fewer avenues for escape or protection.
The current war in Sudan is more than a local tragedy; it has spiraled into what the U.N. describes as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. The scale of suffering is staggering, with millions displaced, countless lives lost, and basic infrastructure destroyed. Aid agencies have struggled to reach those most in need, hampered by violence and the near-complete breakdown of order in large swaths of the country.
Raymond did not mince words in his criticism of the international community’s response: “The international community has been basically writing press releases and doing press conferences expressing their dismay over the situation in El Fasher. But despite having warnings, the international community has fundamentally done nothing.” His frustration is palpable, and he is far from alone in his assessment.
Indeed, critics argue that global leaders have failed to match their rhetoric with meaningful action. While statements of concern have been issued and meetings held, these gestures have offered little comfort—or practical help—to those suffering in El Fasher. The lack of decisive intervention has allowed the siege to drag on, worsening the humanitarian catastrophe with each passing day.
One particularly contentious issue is the role of international actors accused of fueling the violence. Raymond pointed to countries like the United Arab Emirates, which have been implicated in supporting parties to the conflict. He also criticized the United States and other Western nations for not exerting enough pressure on their allies to halt the bloodshed. The sense of abandonment is keenly felt by those on the ground, who see little hope of relief from outside powers.
For the families trapped in El Fasher, the situation grows more desperate by the hour. The once-bustling city is now a place of mourning and fear, where parents struggle to keep their children alive on scraps of animal feed and communities watch helplessly as friends and neighbors succumb to hunger and disease. The collapse of the Sudanese Army’s defenses would likely spell disaster for the remaining civilians, many of whom belong to ethnic groups specifically targeted during both the past and present waves of violence.
El Fasher’s siege is not just a humanitarian crisis; it is a stark reminder of the world’s failure to prevent repeated cycles of atrocity in Darfur. The echoes of the early 2000s are unmistakable, with the same patterns of ethnic cleansing, displacement, and international inaction playing out once again. The withdrawal of U.N. peacekeepers, once a source of hope and security, now looms large as a symbol of broken promises.
Meanwhile, the broader conflict in Sudan shows no sign of abating. The RSF’s advance in Darfur is just one front in a nationwide struggle that has upended lives, destroyed communities, and left the country’s future in doubt. The Sudanese government, weakened and divided, struggles to maintain control, while paramilitary groups exploit the chaos to expand their influence.
The international community faces mounting pressure to move beyond words and take concrete steps to protect civilians and address the root causes of the conflict. Aid organizations continue to call for humanitarian corridors, ceasefires, and renewed diplomatic efforts, but progress remains painfully slow. As the world debates and deliberates, the people of El Fasher are left to endure the unimaginable.
Against this backdrop, the voices of survivors like Mohamed Duda serve as a powerful call to action. Their resilience in the face of overwhelming odds is both heartbreaking and inspiring. Yet, without urgent intervention, even their courage may not be enough to stave off disaster.
El Fasher’s plight stands as a stark warning of what happens when the world turns away from unfolding atrocities. As the city’s fate hangs in the balance, the need for decisive, compassionate action has never been clearer.