Sudan's Rapid Support Forces Claim Capture of El Fasher Military Base

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have announced the capture of the Sudanese Armed Forces' (SAF) final base in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. This development has heightened fears of ethnic violence and the potential division of Sudan.

The RSF, which evolved from the Janjaweed militia implicated in the early 2000s Darfur conflict, declared on Sunday that they had taken control of the army's base in El Fasher after a prolonged siege exceeding a year. The Sudanese government, engaged in civil war with the RSF since 2023, has yet to confirm this claim.

International bodies, including the United Nations and the United States, have accused the RSF and allied ethnic-Arab militias of committing genocide against African ethnic groups in Darfur. Unverified videos circulating online appear to show RSF fighters celebrating in the city, pursuing fleeing individuals, and using racial slurs against detainees.

The United Nations' migration agency reported that between 2,500 to 3,000 people have fled El Fasher since Sunday. Satellite imagery analyzed by Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab indicates significant damage to the city's airport and army headquarters. The lab is monitoring for "evidence of potential mass atrocities."

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher stated that with fighters advancing further into the city and escape routes cut off, hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped and terrified, facing shelling, starvation, and lack of access to food, healthcare, or safety.

Massad Boulos, the U.S. President's envoy to Africa, emphasized the urgency of opening humanitarian corridors, noting that the world is watching El Fasher and the RSF's actions with deep concern.

Shayna Lewis, Sudan Specialist at the U.S.-based nonprofit Avaaz, criticized the international community for failing to protect civilians, stating that thousands are at risk of atrocity crimes in and around El Fasher.

While both the SAF and RSF have been accused of war crimes, including extrajudicial killings and obstructing humanitarian aid, the majority of atrocities have been attributed to the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemeti.

The Sudan Doctors Network reported that dozens have been killed in a "horrific massacre... in a crime of ethnic cleansing" since the RSF took control of the El Fasher military base, though this claim has not been independently verified.

In April, the RSF attacked the ZamZam displacement camp in North Darfur, home to approximately half a million people, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Doctors Without Borders is currently treating individuals who fled El Fasher, reporting that many children under five are malnourished.

The ongoing conflict, now in its third year, has led to tens of thousands of deaths and displaced 14 million people, according to the United Nations. International involvement has complicated the situation, with countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Iran supporting the SAF, while the United Arab Emirates is accused of backing the RSF, a claim it denies.

The RSF's control over El Fasher means the entire Darfur region is now under their authority, raising concerns that Sudan could split, similar to the creation of South Sudan after the last Darfur war. Earlier this year, the RSF announced the establishment of a rival government, though it has not been recognized internationally.