### RSF Captures El-Fasher Amid Ongoing Crisis in Sudan

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) stormed el-Fasher, capturing key locations in a seven-hour battle while the civilian population faces unprecedented hardships, including food shortages and violence. International concerns over war crimes grow as the humanitarian crisis deepens.

In a dramatic escalation of violence, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) captured significant territory in the besieged Sudanese city of el-Fasher on Friday, marking a troubling development in the ongoing civil conflict that has persisted for over a year. Witnesses reported that RSF fighters launched an attack that lasted seven hours, seizing control of a local cattle market, a prison, and a military base, while disseminating videos of their activities in the deserted stockyards.

This incursion into el-Fasher marks the largest presence of RSF fighters in the city since the siege began 15 months ago, according to information provided by the BBC. Responding to the assault, the Sudanese army launched a counteroffensive on Saturday, pushing the RSF forces back beyond the city limits and claiming to have inflicted "heavy losses" on the paramilitary group. However, the situation remains dire, as continued shelling from RSF drones has left the local populace in fear. “One of the shells hit a civilian vehicle near my house, resulting in the death of five civilians who were inside the car,” reported Siddig Omar, a resident.

Since the outbreak of civil war in April 2023, a brutal power struggle between the Sudanese army and the RSF has led to widespread famine and allegations of genocidal acts in West Darfur. The ongoing conflict has claimed over 150,000 lives and displaced around 12 million people, with the United Nations describing it as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

While el-Fasher is currently the last city in Darfur under military control, a severe communications blackout complicates efforts to gather accurate information, leaving residents dependent on limited satellite internet connections for news. As stories emerge of civilians suffering from dire food shortages and a lack of medical care, global humanitarian organizations raise alarms about the worsening conditions. Mathilde Vu of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) described the grim situation: “Local volunteers are risking their lives every day to provide a little food for people who are mostly starving.”

Recent reports reveal that nearly 379,000 people have fled to Tawila, facing additional challenges such as cholera outbreaks and the threat of heavy rains destroying makeshift shelters. The residents of el-Fasher are in desperate need of assistance, with one man lamenting, “There is no bread, no food, and no work to be found."

International response has been criticized as inadequate, with many calling for urgent humanitarian intervention. The ICC has indicated there is reasonable evidence of war crimes occurring in Darfur, and the US has determined that the RSF and affiliated militias have committed genocidal acts against non-Arab populations. As residents continue to call for help amidst mounting despair, the international community faces mounting pressure to address the escalating crisis in Sudan.