In late October 2025, the city of El Fasher in Sudan’s Darfur region became the latest flashpoint in a war that has already left tens of thousands dead and millions displaced. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized control of the city from the Sudanese Army on October 27, unleashing a wave of violence that rippled far beyond the city’s borders and deepened what the United Nations has called "the world's worst humanitarian crisis."
According to Christian Daily International, the RSF’s assault on El Fasher resulted in the massacre of approximately 460 people inside a hospital, a grim episode confirmed by both media reports and satellite imagery. This attack, coming after months of brutal fighting, triggered a mass exodus from the city. Thousands fled, joining the already swollen ranks of refugees escaping the conflict, many of whom poured into neighboring South Sudan.
James Wani, country director of Christian Aid in South Sudan, described the harrowing aftermath. "It's actually over 1 million returnees and refugees who have made it to South Sudan since the start of the conflict," Wani told Christian Daily International. He noted a sharp uptick in arrivals at the border in the days following the RSF’s capture of El Fasher. "There are horrific stories coming out of there. In Northern Bahr el Ghazal, because that's the closest entry point, we also expect that they will be receiving more people from that onslaught," he added.
Since the war erupted in 2023, Sudan has witnessed the displacement of more than 11 million people—8.6 million internally and over 3 million as refugees, according to United Nations estimates. This staggering figure makes Sudan the site of the world’s largest displacement crisis. The burden on neighboring countries is immense, with South Sudan’s resources stretched thin. Christian Aid’s transit facility in Renk, designed for just 4,000 people, is now sheltering around 12,000, Wani reported. "So it's really overflowing," he said. "There are shelter, food, and protection concerns. You can imagine the protection nightmare for young and vulnerable girls. It's really a big challenge in terms of access to clean water and sanitation."
The escalating violence and the humanitarian fallout have prompted urgent calls for international action. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, condemned the recent massacres and demanded that the RSF halt abuses against civilians and allow the flow of essential humanitarian aid. "I remind the RSF commanders of their obligations under international humanitarian law to ensure the protection of civilians and to ensure the passage of essential supplies and humanitarian assistance, which was just days ago they again publicly committed to doing," Türk said in a statement.
Meanwhile, efforts to broker peace have intensified. On November 4, 2025, Sudan’s army-backed Security and Defence Council was scheduled to convene to discuss a United States proposal for a ceasefire, as reported by AFP. The US administration, under Donald Trump, has been actively mediating, pushing for a three-month humanitarian truce, a permanent ceasefire, and a nine-month transition to civilian rule. However, previous proposals were swiftly rejected by the army-aligned government, largely because they excluded both the army and the RSF from the transitional political process.
Diplomatic efforts have not been limited to the US. The so-called Quad group—comprising the United States, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia—has been engaged in months of negotiations aimed at ending the more than two-year-old conflict. In September, these powers put forward a plan for a humanitarian truce and a pathway to civilian rule, only to see it dismissed by Sudan’s military authorities. Still, the urgency has only grown as the fighting spreads to new regions, including the central Kordofan area, with the RSF reportedly preparing further assaults.
Eyewitness accounts paint a picture of chaos and terror. Mohamed Abdullah, a 56-year-old who fled El Fasher, told AFP he was stopped by RSF fighters who demanded his phone, money, and other belongings. "They kept searching us thoroughly," he recounted. On his journey to Tawila, west of El Fasher, he saw "a body left on the street that looked like it had been eaten by a dog." Such stories are tragically common, with reports of mass killings, sexual violence, attacks on aid workers, looting, and abductions emerging in the wake of the RSF’s advance.
The International Criminal Court has voiced "profound alarm and deepest concern" over these reports, warning that such acts may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. The gravity of the situation was underscored by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who, speaking at a forum in Qatar, implored the warring parties to "come to the negotiating table, bring an end to this nightmare of violence—now." He warned that the crisis in Sudan "is spiralling out of control."
On the ground, the consequences of the conflict are immediate and devastating. At a protest in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, children held up signs pleading for their lives: "Do not kill children, do not kill women," read one. Another sign declared, "The militia is killing the women of El-Fasher with no mercy." Despite repeated international appeals, both sides have so far ignored calls for a ceasefire, and atrocities continue to mount.
As the RSF’s grip tightens, fears are growing that Sudan could be effectively partitioned along an east-west axis. The RSF now controls all five state capitals in Darfur and parts of the south, while the army holds the north, east, and central regions along the Nile and Red Sea. Observers have noted that the United Arab Emirates is accused by the UN of supplying arms to the RSF, allegations the UAE has denied. Meanwhile, the Sudanese army is believed to have received support from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Iran.
In the face of such turmoil, humanitarian organizations like Christian Aid are struggling to meet the overwhelming needs of refugees and displaced people. Through its Sudan Crisis Appeal, Christian Aid has provided emergency cash assistance to refugees, partnered with the Coalition for Humanity, and launched efforts to raise awareness and prevent gender-based violence, with a special focus on women and children. Wani issued a heartfelt plea: "We really ask all people of goodwill to stand in solidarity with South Sudan, pray for us, and where possible, extend whatever material support they can so that we will be able to address the challenges of food insecurity, shelter issues, protection challenges, access to clean water, and support for inward transportation."
The fall of El Fasher marks a grim new chapter in Sudan’s war, with the humanitarian crisis showing no sign of abating. As international actors scramble for a diplomatic solution, the people of Sudan and South Sudan are left to endure the consequences—hoping, against all odds, for a respite from violence and displacement.
