The strategic city of El Fasher in North Darfur has descended into unimaginable horror as eyewitnesses describe scenes of systematic brutality following its capture by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
'They Killed Civilians in Their Beds'
Disturbing testimonies from survivors paint a picture of methodical violence, with paramilitary fighters allegedly targeting civilians in their homes during the chaotic fall of Sudan's last major army stronghold in Darfur.
"They were going house to house, pulling people from their beds and shooting them," one survivor recounted, his voice trembling with trauma. "We heard the screams all night long."
Humanitarian Catastrophe Unfolds
The city's main hospital has been rendered inoperable after being struck by shells, leaving thousands without access to critical medical care. Medical supplies are running dangerously low, and doctors report treating gunshot wounds with minimal anesthesia.
Essential services have completely collapsed. Water systems are damaged, electricity is nonexistent, and food supplies are rapidly dwindling. The situation has created what aid agencies are calling "one of the world's worst humanitarian crises."
Ethnic Dimensions Return to Darfur
There are growing concerns that the violence carries disturbing echoes of the ethnic cleansing that characterized the early 2000s conflict in Darfur. Multiple sources report targeted attacks against specific ethnic communities, raising fears of a return to systematic ethnic violence.
Human rights monitors express alarm at the pattern of attacks, noting similarities to previous campaigns of ethnic targeting in the region.
International Response Falls Short
Despite the escalating crisis, the international community has struggled to mount an effective response. Diplomatic efforts have repeatedly stalled, while humanitarian access remains severely restricted by the ongoing fighting and security concerns.
United Nations officials describe the situation as "rapidly deteriorating" and warn that without immediate intervention, the death toll could rise dramatically in coming days.
The fall of El Fasher represents a strategic turning point in Sudan's year-long conflict, giving the RSF control over most of Darfur and shifting the balance of power in the devastating civil war that has displaced millions and pushed the country to the brink of famine.
