On August 28, 2025, the war-torn city of el-Fasher in North Darfur was rocked by another deadly attack, as Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shelled densely populated civilian areas, killing at least 24 people and wounding 55 others, according to the Sudan Doctors Network. The RSF, a paramilitary group locked in a brutal conflict with Sudan’s military, targeted the central market and the Awlad al-Reef neighborhood—both bustling, residential districts that have become grim symbols of the suffering endured by el-Fasher’s besieged population.
El-Fasher, the provincial capital of North Darfur, has been the epicenter of fighting for over a year, holding out as the last major stronghold for Sudan’s military in the entire Darfur region. Since the civil war erupted in April 2023, when tensions between the military and the RSF exploded into open warfare in the capital Khartoum and rapidly spread across the country, the city’s strategic and symbolic importance has grown. The RSF’s latest attack is just one in a relentless series that has battered el-Fasher and its already devastated inhabitants.
According to the Sudan Doctors Network—which has been tracking the toll of Sudan’s civil war—the shelling on Wednesday was especially ruthless. The group reported that among the 55 wounded were at least five women, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of the violence. The RSF, for its part, did not respond to requests for comment from the press, leaving the city’s residents and the international community to grapple with the aftermath in silence.
For the people of el-Fasher, this was not an isolated tragedy. Instead, it marked the latest chapter in a harrowing saga of violence, deprivation, and survival. Earlier in April 2025, the RSF had launched a major offensive on two famine-stricken camps for displaced people on the city’s outskirts, killing hundreds. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that in August alone, at least 89 civilians lost their lives in RSF attacks in and around the city over a span of just ten days. Among them were 16 individuals who, according to the UN, were summarily executed—a chilling reminder of the impunity with which violence has unfolded.
The siege imposed by the RSF has turned el-Fasher into what UNICEF describes as “an epicentre of child suffering, with malnutrition, disease, and violence claiming young lives daily.” The numbers are staggering: 260,000 civilians—including 130,000 children—have been trapped inside the city for more than 16 months, cut off from humanitarian aid and living in what UNICEF calls “desperate conditions.” An estimated 6,000 children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition and are at risk of death, a statistic that barely hints at the daily reality faced by families forced to make impossible choices for survival.
As famine tightens its grip on Darfur and other parts of Sudan, the conflict’s human toll has become almost unfathomable. According to the United Nations and corroborated by multiple rights groups, more than 40,000 people have been killed since the civil war broke out. Over 14 million have been forced to flee their homes, many embarking on perilous journeys across borders or into the desert, searching for safety that remains stubbornly out of reach. Some families, with all other options exhausted, have resorted to eating grass in a desperate attempt to stave off starvation.
The violence in Sudan has not only been widespread but also marked by gross atrocities. The United Nations and various human rights organizations have documented ethnically motivated killings and rape, painting a picture of a conflict that has torn at the very fabric of Sudanese society. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken note, announcing investigations into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the ongoing fighting. While the wheels of international justice turn slowly, for the people of Darfur, accountability remains a distant hope.
What makes the situation in el-Fasher particularly dire is the combination of relentless violence and humanitarian blockade. With aid agencies unable to reach the city for over a year, basic necessities like food, clean water, and medical supplies have become scarce. Hospitals, already stretched to the brink, struggle to treat the wounded and malnourished. The Sudan Doctors Network’s reports from the ground offer a glimpse into this grim reality—one where every new attack compounds an already catastrophic crisis.
The roots of Sudan’s civil war run deep. The RSF, originally formed from the notorious Janjaweed militias that terrorized Darfur in the early 2000s, has long been a powerful and controversial force in the country. Its rivalry with the Sudanese military, once its ally, erupted into open conflict in April 2023, shattering a fragile peace and plunging the nation into chaos. Since then, both sides have been accused of committing atrocities, but the RSF’s actions in Darfur have drawn particular condemnation from international observers.
For the residents of el-Fasher, every day is a test of endurance. The city’s status as the military’s last bastion in Darfur has made it a prime target for RSF offensives, but it has also become a symbol of resistance. Despite the siege, many civilians have chosen to stay, clinging to their homes and communities even as the violence intensifies. Their resilience, however, is being pushed to its limits by the combination of hunger, disease, and the ever-present threat of shelling.
International response to the crisis has been a mix of condemnation and calls for action. The United Nations, through agencies like UNICEF and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, has repeatedly urged both sides to allow humanitarian access and to protect civilians. Yet, with the RSF maintaining its siege and the military focused on defending its last stronghold, diplomatic efforts have so far failed to bring relief to those most in need.
The scale of displacement in Sudan is now among the largest in the world, with millions scattered across the country and into neighboring states. Aid groups warn that without immediate intervention, the famine and violence could claim even more lives in the coming months. The situation in el-Fasher is a stark illustration of what is at stake—not just for Darfur, but for the future of Sudan as a whole.
As the world watches, the people of el-Fasher continue to endure. Their plight, marked by tragedy and resilience, serves as a somber reminder of the urgent need for peace and humanitarian aid in Sudan. Each new attack, each life lost, adds to a ledger of suffering that demands the world’s attention—and, ultimately, its action.