EL FASHER – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced deep alarm over the rapidly deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. The city, home to hundreds of thousands of civilians, has been under a tight blockade by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for more than 500 days. The prolonged siege has left residents trapped, facing acute shortages of food, medicine, and essential supplies.
According to the UN, violence against civilians in and around the city has intensified in recent weeks. In one of the most shocking incidents, a mosque in the Al-Daraja neighborhood was struck during dawn prayers, leaving dozens of worshippers dead. Local resistance committees and emergency rooms accused the RSF of using a drone in the attack, which killed at least 75 people and injured many others. The incident drew widespread condemnation both domestically and internationally, further underscoring the escalating risks civilians face.
Conditions in the surrounding displacement camps, including the sprawling Abu Shouk camp, have also worsened dramatically. Continuous shelling and airstrikes have forced the majority of Abu Shouk’s residents to flee, compounding an already dire situation. Last year, the integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system declared famine-like conditions in parts of the region. The UN now warns that unchecked violence and deepening tribal tensions, particularly as fighters push further into the city, are likely to worsen the crisis further.
The humanitarian toll has been devastating. Aid agencies note that nearly 300,000 people in El Fasher and nearby camps are cut off from reliable access to assistance. Food stocks are critically low, and health facilities are struggling to cope. Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, with children, women, and the elderly among the most vulnerable.
UN humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, Denise Brown, highlighted her grave concern over the attack on the mosque and the broader targeting of civilians. International relief organizations stress that safe corridors are urgently needed to allow aid delivery and to give civilians who wish to leave the city a chance to escape.
Guterres renewed his appeal for an immediate halt to hostilities in El Fasher and called on both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to respect international humanitarian law. He emphasized the need to protect civilians, guarantee safe humanitarian access, and provide secure passage for those seeking to leave voluntarily.
As the UN General Assembly convenes in New York next week, Guterres is pressing for a coordinated international response to support the Sudanese people. His special envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, has been engaging in consultations with Sudanese political factions, civil society leaders, and armed groups. These talks have included meetings with the de facto prime minister in Port Sudan Kamil Idris, representatives of the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid al-Nur, and other political conditions. The envoy is working to explore pathways toward a ceasefire and a broader political settlement.
El Fasher remains the last major city in Darfur not under RSF control. The sustained siege has left it increasingly isolated and exposed, turning the city into a flashpoint in the wider conflict. with the humanitarian situation deteriorating by the day, international observers warn that without swift action, the crisis could spiral further into mass atrocities and large-scale famine.
