Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Sudan’s army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has confirmed that his forces have withdrawn from the strategic city of El-Fasher in North Darfur, marking a major shift in the country’s devastating civil war. The admission came a day after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced full control of the city following months of fierce battles that have raged since April 2023.
Speaking in a televised address, Al-Burhan said the army had agreed to withdraw “to a safe location” in order to spare civilians and prevent further destruction. “We agreed to leave the city and move to a safe place to protect the remaining citizens and the city itself from ruin,” he said. He added that the withdrawal was “a temporary phase in the military operations imposed on the country” and vowed that the armed forces “will ultimately prevail because they are supported by the Sudanese people.”
Humanitarian Crisis and Warnings of Atrocities
The United Nations and several international organizations have sounded alarm bells over the deteriorating situation in El-Fasher, warning of the growing risk of ethnically motivated violence. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk described the city as being in an “extremely critical situation,” citing reports of mass executions, arbitrary arrests, and widespread ethnic targeting following the RSF takeover.
Türk said his office had received credible reports of summary executions of civilians attempting to flee, with evidence suggesting ethnic motives behind the killings. He referenced videos appearing to show dozens of unarmed men lying dead or being executed at close range by RSF fighters who accused them of supporting the army.
The UN human rights office also reported severe shortages of food and rising prices, along with reports of five men being executed while trying to deliver food supplies to El-Fasher. Türk warned that, given Darfur’s violent history, the risk of sexual violence particularly against women and girls was extremely high.
From October 22 to 26, heavy artillery bombardments killed numerous civilians, including humanitarian volunteers, the UN said. The organization reiterated calls for immediate measures to protect civilians and to secure safe humanitarian corridors for those attempting to flee.
Attacks on Medical Facilities
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus condemned an attack on the Saudi Hospital, the only facility still partially functioning in El-Fasher. In a statement on X, he said the hospital’s pediatric ward had been struck, killing one nurse and injuring three others. Communication blackouts, he added, have made it difficult to verify the full extent of the damage.
Evidence of Mass Killings and Ethnic Cleansing
The Sudanese army has accused the RSF of committing massacres against civilians in El-Fasher. In a statement released Tuesday, the army’s allied Joint Force claimed that RSF fighters executed more than 2,000 unarmed civilians on October 26 and 27, most of them women, children, and the elderly.
Satellite imagery and video evidence analyzed by the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale University appear to support these claims. The lab reported “systematic patterns of mass killings and deliberate ethnic cleansing” targeting non-Arab communities, including the Fur, Zaghawa, and Berti ethnic groups.
According to the report, satellite images revealed human-sized bodies near RSF positions and reddish traces on the ground suspected to be blood. Other images showed bodies lying on the outskirts of the city, consistent with videos circulating on social media showing mass executions of civilians attempting to flee. The imagery also indicated a large-scale displacement of people moving southward from El-Fasher.
The Yale researchers urged immediate international action, calling on global powers to exert maximum pressure on the RSF and its foreign backers particularly the United Arab Emirates to halt the violence. The report warned that the documented events constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Growing International Condemnation
The European Union expressed “deep concern” over reports of escalating atrocities in El-Fasher and called on all parties to exercise restraint. EU spokesperson Anwar Al-Anouni said the bloc was working with partners to ensure that all violations of international humanitarian and human rights law are documented, adding that “there must be no impunity.”
African Union Commission Chairperson Mahamat Ali Youssouf also condemned what he described as “horrific atrocities and war crimes” reported in the city, expressing grave concern over the escalating violence and the targeting of ethnic communities.
Divided Nation
The RSF’s seizure of El-Fasher effectively cements a de facto geographic division of Sudan between rival military factions. The loss of the city, a major humanitarian hub and the last government stronghold in Darfur, is a significant blow to the army and could reshape the balance of power in the ongoing conflict.
As the international community scrambles to respond, humanitarian agencies warn that millions remain trapped in the crossfire, with food shortages, communications blackouts, and relentless violence turning Darfur once again into the epicenter of one of the world’s worst human disasters.
