El FASHER – Residents and local resistance committees in El Fasher have reported the release of strange, pungent odors following a series of drone strikes allegedly carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over the weekend.
In a statement issued Sunday, October 5, 2025, the Coordination of El Fasher Resistance Committees said RSF-operated drones dropped projectiles on several areas in the city late Saturday. The group claimed that the munitions released “sharp, unfamiliar smells” that spread across parts of the North Darfur capital.
According to the statement, local witnesses described the odors as unusually strong and irritating, prompting fears that the projectiles may have contained hazardous substances. The resistance committees cited medical sources who suggested that the munitions “appeared to contain chemical materials,” though they did not provide specific details or laboratory confirmation.
No official statement has yet been issued by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), health authorities, or international monitoring bodies regarding the alleged chemical presence. Sudans Post could not independently verify the claims or determine the nature of the reported substances.
The reported drone strikes come amid intensifying battles in and around El Fasher, the last major city in Darfur still under partial control of the SAF. Since Monday, September 29, the SAF has been attempting to break months of siege by the RSF and its allied militias, who have surrounded the city for much of the year.
For the first time in six months, the SAF successfully carried out an airdrop operation last week, resupplying its Sixth Infantry Division inside El Fasher with weapons and food supplies. The move has reportedly triggered renewed clashes in multiple neighborhoods as both sides vie for control of key supply routes.
Residents say the latest escalation has brought intensified shelling, drone activity, and airstrikes, compounding the city’s already dire humanitarian situation. Civilians have described growing shortages of medicine, food, and clean water, with many families trapped in contested areas unable to flee.
The United Nations expressed deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the region. A senior UN official who reached Tawila locality, west of El Fasher, on Friday, October 2, said the journey took five days due to the multiple active frontlines and the volatile security environment in North Darfur.
The UN official described the situation as “extremely fragile,” warning that the ongoing hostilities are cutting off humanitarian corridors and threatening the survival of tens of thousands of displaced civilians sheltering in and around El Fasher.
If confirmed, the use of any chemical or toxic materials in the conflict would mark a serious escalation in the Sudan war, which has already displaced over 10 million people nationwide. However, without independent verification, the nature and source of the reported odors remain unclear.
Local health volunteers and resistance members have urged international organizations to investigate the alleged use of chemical agents and to provide medical support to the affected areas. They also appealed for urgent humanitarian intervention to prevent further civilian suffering as fighting closes in on El Fasher’s densely populated districts.
The situation in the city remained tense, with sporadic drone activity reported over the northern and eastern outskirts. Residents say fear is spreading as many recall previous attacks in which drones targeted markets and residential zones.
Despite growing alarm among civilians, official communication from both warring parties remains limited, and they city fragile communications network continues to disrupt information flow.
Sudans Post continues to monitor developments in El Fasher but was unable to independently confirm the reported chemical nature of the RSF munitions or the extent of their impact on civilians.
