Rebel group claims capture of key city in Sudan

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group in Sudan, say they have taken control of the western city of el-Fasher. This is a major turning point in the civil conflict.

In a post on social media, the organization stated it had taken el-Fasher “out of the hands of mercenaries and militias allied with the terrorist army.”

The loss would be a severe setback to the Sudanese army because el-Fasher is the final place they can hang on to in the Darfur region. The RSF would then be in charge of the area. The army hasn’t said anything yet.

It comes after the rebel group said it had taken over the army’s 6th Division Headquarters and destroyed “huge military vehicles” and captured military equipment. BBC Verify has confirmed that footage going around on social media that show RSF fighters inside the army base are real.

The Popular Resistance, a group of local pro-army fighters, said that the RSF was launching a “media disinformation campaign” to lower the “high morale of the forces.”

For the past 18 months, the RSF has surrounded el-Fasher, and the army and residents have been bombarded often. The violence has kept some 300,000 people stuck.

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In August, satellite images showed that a series of large mud walls were being built around the city to keep people inside.

For weeks, the RSF have been methodically moving toward the 6th Infantry Division command, which is commonly thought to be the army’s headquarters in the city.

The army and associated armed groups still control some portions of el-Fasher, but they probably won’t be able to retain them for long. Tom Fletcher, the head of UN Relief, said on Sunday that he was “deeply alarmed” by the news from el-Fasher and asked for an end to all fighting in Darfur and the rest of Sudan right away.

“Hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped and terrified—shelled, starving, and without access to food, healthcare, or safety,” Mr. Fletcher said in a statement. He also warned that increasing attacks have made it “impossible” to send help into the city.

Hunger and disease have spread throughout El-Fasher as people deal with regular attacks and a lack of food and medical supplies.

During the siege, UN investigators say the RSF committed many crimes against humanity. The US has alleged that the RSF has killed a lot of people in Darfur who are not Arab.

Since 2023, Sudan has been torn apart by war. This happened after the senior leaders of the RSF and the Sudanese army had a fight and started a brutal power struggle.

One of the largest humanitarian crises has happened in the country, with more than 150,000 people dead and approximately 12 million people leaving their homes.

The army controls most of the north and east. El-Fasher was the last major city in Darfur still under the grip of government forces and their supporters.

The RSF is in charge of practically all of Darfur and a lot of the Kordofan region next door.

The group has declared before that it wants to set up an alternative administration in al-Fasher when it is in charge of everything.

Source: http://bbc.com/news/articles/c78z025dze4o

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